Set: Sarah Bacon

Costume designer: Claudia Pernigotti

An insane passion for a mysterious woman who, in the opera, is never shown. Federico wants her desperately, dreams of her, suffers for her, and step by step his mind begins to waver. The people around him try in vain to prevent this love from becoming a damning obsession.

This is a rare opera by the great Italian composer Francesco Cilea. Its famous aria 'Il lamento di Federico' has always been a favourite with tenors of all times. This recording also features the aria for tenor, 'Una mattina', written by Cilea for the opera’s first version and then lost, here in world première recording.

Directed by Rosetta Cucchi, a coproduction Teatro Pergolesi and Wexford Festival Opera.

Recording date: September 2013

Duration: 101 min

Notes: English, Italian

Artists

Stefano Antonucci (Baldassarre), Riccardo Angelo Strano (L’Innocente), Annunziata Vestri (Rosa Mamai), Mariangela Sicilia (Vivetta), Dmitry Golovnin (Federico), Christian Saitta (Marco), Valeriu Caradja (Metifio)

Orchestra Filarmonica Marchigiana, Coro Lirico Marchigiano V. Bellini, Francesco Cilluffo (conductor) & Rosetta Cucchi (director)