Boieldieu's music is known for its rich melodic invention and cantabile melodies, leading contemporaries to call him the 'French Mozart'.
The Orchestra della Svizzera italiana (OSI) was founded in 1935 as the Radio Orchestra of Italian Switzerland and assumed its current name in 1991.
Nataša Veljkovi´c, the pianist on this album, won the prestigious Clara Haskil Prize in 1985, one of the most important piano competitions worldwide.
Howard Griffiths, the conductor, began his career as a violist and studied at the Royal College of Music in London.
In his 'Opéra comique' overtures, Boieldieu often anticipates the opera's thematic material, preparing the listener for the mood and orchestral color.
François-Adrien Boieldieu (1775-1834) was a key figure in 'Opéra comique' during the Napoleonic era and the subsequent Bourbon Restoration.
Howard Griffiths has over 100 CD recordings for various labels, including many rediscoveries and first recordings.
