# Cavalli 'La Calisto'



## Guest (Nov 30, 2021)

An opera from 17th century Venice. Existing contemporaneously with later Monteverdi, this music inhabits the same sound-world but is less sophisticated than the last works for theatre by Monteverdi. This gorgeous intermedii from "La Calisto" is very brief; my grandchildren love it!!


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Christabel said:


> An opera from 17th century Venice. Existing contemporaneously with later Monteverdi, this music inhabits the same sound-world but is less sophisticated than the last works for theatre by Monteverdi. This gorgeous intermedii from "La Calisto" is very brief; my grandchildren love it!!


The music is essentially identical to Monteverdi's madrigal "Zefiro torna":


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## Guest (Nov 30, 2021)

Woodduck said:


> The music is essentially identical to Monteverdi's madrigal "Zefiro torna":


Absolutely brilliant!! They each borrowed from one another, it appears, but Monteverdi had to borrow from nobody. I remember that famous line in the film "The Red Shoes" from impressario Lermentov...."please remember, Mr. Craster, that's it far more disappointing to have to steal than to be stolen from"!!


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

This bass/pattern was a ca. 1600 "standard" or "pattern", like the "folia", "bergamasca", "ruggiero" and a few more that appear all over the place over two centuries or more. But "Zefiro torna" is probably the greatest treatment of that bass.

(To my shame I have a Calisto DVD on my shelves I never watched in 10 years or so...)


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## Guest (Nov 30, 2021)

Kreisler jr said:


> This bass/pattern was a ca. 1600 "standard" or "pattern", like the "folia", "bergamasca", "ruggiero" and a few more that appear all over the place over two centuries or more. But "Zefiro torna" is probably the greatest treatment of that bass.
> 
> (To my shame I have a Calisto DVD on my shelves I never watched in 10 years or so...)


I love that kind of ostinato; it functions like a Chaconne, leaving the melody and harmony free to do its own thing - but providing the rhythm for the piece. Monteverdi was a comprehensive genius!!

Thanks for the heads-up on this!!


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

It's basically one of the "ur-chaconnes" and called "ciacona" by Monteverdi. 
Some years ago I had a certain obsession and bought several discs with that stuff but there are two many (Savall alone did about three or more)


"All'Improvviso - Ciaccone,Bergamasche & un po' di Follie" with L'arpeggiata and Pluhar has a selection of these "standards"

"Teatro d'amore with L'arpeggiata and Pluhar" has a nice "light" Monteverdi selection, incl. Zefiro torna

They also have one with Cavalli "L'Amore Innamorato" but I don't know that one.


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## Guest (Nov 30, 2021)

Kreisler jr said:


> It's basically one of the "ur-chaconnes" and called "ciacona" by Monteverdi.
> Some years ago I had a certain obsession and bought several discs with that stuff but there are two many (Savall alone did about three or more)
> 
> "All'Improvviso - Ciaccone,Bergamasche & un po' di Follie" with L'arpeggiata and Pluhar has a selection of these "standards"
> ...


And, of course, this type of ostinato is significantly used these days in popular music. It just has a different tempo and instruments:


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## Bill H. (Dec 23, 2010)

Christabel said:


> An opera from 17th century Venice. Existing contemporaneously with later Monteverdi, this music inhabits the same sound-world but is less sophisticated than the last works for theatre by Monteverdi. This gorgeous intermedii from "La Calisto" is very brief; my grandchildren love it!!


The Youtube video isn't well documented, but the 'realization' of this Ciaconna sounds identical to the recorded version by Rene Jacobs, which has been out on CD for years and is considered a very good version of the opera. I'm not sure if it's originally in the score, or just an insertion by Jacobs and/or the performing edition editors--for example a newer video of the complete opera led by Christophe Rousset doesn't appear to have it. But as has been said before, it's built upon the Ciaconna bass ostinato that was so popular during that time, and of course Monteverdi's 'Zefiro torna' is one of the most masterful of the vocal settings using that tune.


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## The Wolf (Apr 28, 2017)

The recent production at La Scala was a first-rate show (with Rousset as conductor and a spectacular staging by David McVicar), and unfortunately I don't think it was filmed. I hope they do it again in future seasons and record it.

https://www.lastampa.it/milano/2021...per-la-prima-volta-alla-scala-1.40867301/amp/

https://bachtrack.com/de_DE/review-...smertna-teatro-scala-milan-october-2021/amp=1

https://www.repubblica.it/spettacoli/musica/2021/10/28/news/la_calisto-324139876/

https://www.connessiallopera.it/recensioni/2021/milano-teatro-alla-scala-la-calisto/


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