Rolando Villazón, Patrizia Ciofi, Diana Damrau, Joyce DiDonato, Vivica Genaux , Philippe Jaroussky, Romina Basso, Topi Lehtipuu / Europa Galante, Fabio Biondi

Rolando Villazón and Joyce DiDonato lead a dazzling cast in Vivaldi's opera Ercole sul Termodonte, first heard in Rome in 1723 and reconstructed by conductor Fabio Biondi from the original libretto, historical scores and his intimate knowledge of the composer.

CD, amazon.com, release date 11 January 2011

CD, Vivaldi: Ercole / Fabio Biondi, arkivmusic.com, release date 11 January 2011

CD, amazon.co.uk, release date 29 November 2010

MP3, amazon.co.uk, release date 14 December 2010

CD, amazon.fr, release date 29 November 2010

CD, amazon.de, release date 26 November 2010

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"La edición es muy cuidada, en una caja dura que contiene un folleto con información y el libretto y, aparte, dos sobres con los CD,s. Lo cierto es que no puedo parar de escucharlo. Os dejo algunas arias de Rolando, pero vale la pena tener el álbum entero porque no tiene desperdicio."--Blog Villazonista

The French magazine Diaposon has given a "diapason d'or" to the new recording of Vivaldi's Ercole sul Termodonte. "Genaux en reine des amazones et Villazon en Hercule, plus Damrau, Jaroussky, Di Donato, Basso, Ciofi, Lehtipuu : le plateau a tout l'air d'une vitrine de Noël, Vivaldi triomphe."

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Fiona Maddocks of The Observer puts this recording on her list of "Hidden gems of 2010: the classical CDs and DVDs you may have missed."

The secret here is Vivaldi's score, given a wonderfully energised performance by a cast of megastars: not just Villazón and the adored DiDonato but Diana Damrau, Philippe Jaroussky, Topi Lehtipuu too. The Venetian composer is ubiquitously popular for his Four Seasons but his operas, making a gradual comeback, so far remain specialist territory.

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