The opera La Sofonisba was a significant work for the Carnival season in Milan, an event that attracted a large audience of both citizens and visitors.
Interpretation
To ensure faithfulness to original performances, arias with existing orchestral parts were chosen for this recording, except for one aria from Poro which was orchestrated from its basso continuo.
Composition History
The original autographs and full scores for the operas featured on this album no longer exist; only some pieces, sometimes with just basso continuo, remain.
Composer Biography
Christoph Willibald Gluck, at 30 years old, was already an established composer, writing operas for major events in Italian cities like Crema, Turin, and Milan.
Compositional Technique
All the arias on this album feature the classic da capo structure, which Christoph Willibald Gluck later abandoned during his opera reform years.
Composition History
The arias on this album showcase Christoph Willibald Gluck's operatic work from 1743 to 1745, before his famous opera reforms.
