Search - Andrea Martin, Eva Mei, Curtis Rayam :: Salieri - Axur, Re d'Ormus / A. Martin C. Rayam E. Mei E. Nova R. Clemencic

A neglected opera which was regularly staged from 1789-1863.

J. E. ASENCIO-NEGRON | Guaynabo, Puerto Rico USA | 04/12/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Jeffrey Jones, best-known as Ferris Bueller's principal (in the movie: Ferris Bueller's Day Off), was particularly wonderful as the musical-dilettante austrian emperor Joseph II, who on February 12, 1789 nominated the humble Antonio Salieri (performed by F. Murray Abraham: 1984's Oscar-winning actor/Amadeus) as "Master of the Court Music" in the film: AMADEUS (1984, Milos Foreman was its Oscar-winning director), after the finale of his opéra (Salieri's): "AXUR, RE D'ORMUS". This scene is quite a treasure in film-making, and was historically near accurate as opposed to the rivalry of Mozart & Salieri we are encourage to believe through the screenplay of this movie...AXUR became the favorite opera in Vienna (29 performances in its first year: 1789), but we had to wait 200 years until it was performed & recorded in August 19/23, 1989 at Teatro dei Rinnovati, Siena, Italy (besides the concert performance of the Festival of Vienna on 1987, directed by Gianandrea Gavezzini).In this opera, Salieri gives heroic colour & emphasis to the tenor role: Atar. He is the warrior raised to the throne after Axur committed suicide jealous of Atar's power over the people of the kingdom, and unable to win Aspasia's (Atar's spouse) favour & virtue after her abduction. The finest examples in which the tenor displays strength of character & sentimentalism on the score are: "Soave luce di paradiso" (Track 12, CD 1), "Dio difensor de' miseri" (Track 4, CD 3), "Morir posso una sol volta" (Track 13, CD 3). My favorite for the soprano in this recording is the Aspasia's rondo: "Son queste le speranze", in the 4th act (Track 6, CD 3), which Ms. Eva Mei performed with moving tenderness, adequate diction/technique and soft coloratura. In contrast, the successful comic releases which I enjoyed were: the vibrant joyous aria sung by Biscroma, the eunuch-guardian of Axur's Harem: "Nato so io nello stato romano" (I was born in the Roman state)(Track 20, CD 2), and the Arlecchinata of the 4th act (a delightful comic scene which it is performed as an independent concert piece out of the opera context)."