Il Saint'alessio: Christie / Les Arts Florissants Jaroussky Cencic Buet

STEFANO LANDI:
Sant’Alessio - Opera in 3 acts
Sung in Italian
Libretto by Cardinal Giulio Rospigliosi
First performed at the Palazzo Barberini, Rome on February 18, 1632

Sant'Alessio - Philippe Jaroussky (counter-tenor)
Sposa - Max Emanuel Cencic (counter-tenor)
Eufemianon - Alain Buet (bass)
Madre - Xavier Sabata (counter-tenor)
Curtio - Damien Guillon (counter-tenor)
Nuntio - Pascal Bertin (counter-tenor)
Martio - José Lemos (counter-tenor)
Demonio - Luigi de Donato (bass)
Nutrice - Jean-Paul Bonnevalle (counter-tenor)
Religione / Roma -Terry Wey (counter-tenor)
Adrasto - Ryland Angel (tenor)
Uno del choro - Ludovic Provost (bass)

Orchestra and Chorus of Les Arts Florissants
Maîtrise de Caen
William Christie, conductor, harpsichord and organ

Stage Director: Benjamin Lazar
Artistic collaborator to the director: Louise Moaty
Choreography: Françoise Denieau

Bonus:
William Christie interview on Sant’Alessio & Benjamin Lazar on the production

Sound format: LPCM Stereo / Dolby 5.0 Surround
Subtitles: GB, F, DE, I, ESP
NTSC
Region All


Landi's Sant' Alessio (Saint Alexius) is recognised as the earliest opera on an historical, rather than mythological subject. William Christie made an audio recording of this rarely-seen work some years ago, but this DVD shows the opera for the first time in the full glory of a production by baroque theatre expert Benjamin Lazar.

The libretto, written by Cardinal Giulio Rospigliosi (the future Pope Clement IX), tells the story of saintly sacrifice: on his wedding night Alessio departs alone for the Holy Land in search of sanctity. Years later he returns unrecognised as a beggar to his family home, where his father, mother and wife still mourn him. A demon tempts Alessio to reveal his true identity and so end his family’s grief, but an angel keeps him on the sacred path. The dying Alessio leaves a letter explaining the truth and an angelic chorus bids his family to rejoice rather than mourn, since he has been received into heaven. This strange, solemn and elevated story is leavened with comic scenes in the commedia dell’arte vein, adding to the rich musico-dramatic variety of the entire opera.