# Ottorino Respighi [Opera works]



## Bardamu (Dec 12, 2011)

Ottorino Respighi is an italian composer famous for his symphonic poems (La trilogia romana...).
Still he composed a good number of operas through his career some of which gained wide popularity at the time (La fiamma, La bella dormiente nel bosco).

In the past month I've listened to almost every Respighi operas after being fascinated by La fiamma byzantin mood.

Here are my personal rank:

1) La fiamma (masterpiece)
1) Orfeo (Reorchestration of Monteverdi Opera, I love it!)
3) La bella dormiente nel bosco ( based on the sleeping beauty fable)
4) Maria Egiziaca (if you liked La fiamma try it, just remember it began life as an oratorio)
5) La campana sommersa
6) Lucrezia
7) Semirama
8) Marie Victoire (this one actually went unreleased until it got its premiere in Rome in 2004)
9) Belfagor

First four I've listed are must IMO.


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## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

I like "La fiamma". I have listened to a couple of versions. But I guess I prefer "Maria Egiziaca". I also appreciate "Lucrezia" (completed by Respighi's wife, Elsa), but I'm not so keen on the rest.


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## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

The only one of these Respighi operas I've heard is La Fiamma , first from the Hungaroton recording
conducted by the late Lamberto Gardelli on LP long ago , and more recently from a live Rome Opera
performance on CD conducted by Gianluigi Gelmetti . It's a powerful and haunting opera which deserves to be
better known , and I'm curious to hear the other Respighi operas . 
The Hungaroton recording has been reissued on CD but it's probably hard to find .
La Fiamma would definitely deserve a Met production, to be conducted by perhaps Fabio Luisi
or Gianandrea Noseda , with Patricia Racette as the protagonist, possibly . I think this would be a
great role for her .


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## Bardamu (Dec 12, 2011)

@schigolch
Truth to be told I well regard the first four I've listed with "La campana sommersa" being mid way.
I'm not too keen on the rest too.

@superhorn
What do you like better? the recording directed by Gardelli or the one by Gelmetti?


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## quack (Oct 13, 2011)

Thanks for the links, very useful.

I've only heard _La fiamma_, _La bella dormiente nel bosco_ and _Lucrezia_. _La fiamma_ really is beautiful, it reminded me a little of Szymanowski's _King Roger_ as it has a slow, elegiac quality.

Ah just found out my favourite singer Janet Baker sang Respighi, I need to get that


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## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

Both recordings are excellent; the Hungaroton has better sound .


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## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

_Maria Egiziaca_ started as an oratorio, and the original idea of Respighi for the premiere in Rome and New York (Carnegie Hall) was to present a triptych (the opera is divided in three acts, with two interludes) on stage, with the singers appearing in each act exiting from behind the corresponding piece of the triptych. Later, it was properly staged in Venice, Turin, Florence, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Paris,... and with stars like Gina Cigna or Maria Caniglia. I have two recordings:


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## Cavaradossi (Aug 2, 2012)

_Molto grazie_ for the info and the links. I love Respighi's orchestral works but had no idea he composed opera too. Feels like a new treasure trove to explore.


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## Bardamu (Dec 12, 2011)

Cavaradossi said:


> _Molto grazie_ for the info and the links. I love Respighi's orchestral works but had no idea he composed opera too. Feels like a new treasure trove to explore.


Di niente. -


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