IDAGIO | Wolf-Ferrari: Il Segreto di Susanna - Serenade for Strings in E-Flat Major 730099038577

Featuring

Friedrich Haider
Àngel Òdena
Judith Howarth
Oviedo Filarmonía
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari

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Recording & Production

This album was recorded in May 2006 and 2008 at the Auditorio Principe Félipe in Oviedo, Spain, with tracks from Il segreto di Susanna previously released in 2006.

Compositional Technique

The Overture to Il segreto di Susanna humorously showcases Wolf-Ferrari's mastery of counterpoint by introducing four themes in under three minutes and playing them all together effortlessly at the end.

Compositional Technique

In Il segreto di Susanna, Wolf-Ferrari uses subtle instrumentation, including celesta, harp, three solo violins, and muted strings, to acoustically depict smoke and the intoxicating effect of nicotine.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Wolf-Ferrari, the son of a German father and an Italian mother, consistently embraced melody and tonality, writing songlike and lyrical music even during the era of modernism.

Performer Biography

Judith Howarth, the soprano on this recording, first gained public attention as a Principal at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden and has a discography of over 30 recordings, including a Gramophone Award winner.

Composition History

Wolf-Ferrari's opera Le donne curiose, premiered in 1903, helped revive the comedies of Venetian dramatist Carlo Goldoni and initiated a renewal of opera buffa, offering an alternative to Wagner and Puccini.