Hal?vy: Clari

Cecilia Bartoli recreates the 1828 triumph of the legendary Maria Malibran - original star and dedicatee of Hal?vy's tragi-comedy, Clari. Tracing the love of a callow country-girl for a duplicitous Duke, this hugely entertaining and first-ever modern production of Clari proved the overwhelming hit of the Zurich Opera season. Zurich Opera's own period-instrument orchestra, La Scintilla, under Adam Fischer, contribute a thoroughly researched, stylistically and historically well-informed accompaniment, yet without neglecting the liveliness and spirit of Italian opera. This world premiere recording on DVD will undoubtedly help Clari reclaim a position on the world's operatic stages. Thus, orchestra, conductor and cast continue their collaboration on the Romantic Revolution, in which Cecilia Bartoli sheds a new light on the performance practice and interpretative style of bel canto opera. The opera features many spectacular arias (created for Maria Malibran), in addition to which Cecilia Bartoli adds Rossini's Willow Song from Otello and a previously unknown showpiece from Hal?vy's other Italian opera TheTempest. Maria Malibran was Cecilia Bartoli's inspiration for the Maria project a few years ago - a project that has gone on to ship more than 300,000 copies worldwide.