Antonio Smareglia - Opera 'Nozze Istriane' (Cond. Wolf-Ferrari)

[eternalorphea]

Antonio Smareglia, Italo-Croatian composer from Istra, Croatia.

I think the composer really cared for what inspired him to compose it. The instrumentation of this opera really suits me.. Orchestral gestures, nice details at the right times, I can hear every now and than of all the instruments/instrument groups a prominent part, the music reflects and complements the meaning of the words (the composer didn't lose concentration and it is very emotional as a whole.


Opera 'Nozze Istriane'
Conductor Manno Wolf Ferrari
A performance in Trieste, 20.02.1972
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2M02MAEoHI

..and a modern performance with normal quality sound
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ac5hc_pkGr8


City of Trieste, nowday Italy, once part of the Austrian Seaside (Kűstenland) was inhabited by large number of Croatian people. In 1920 Trst and Gorica (Trieste e Gorizia), together with most of Istra (Istria), were consigned to Italy by Kingdom SHS (Kingdom of Serbians, Croatians and Slovenians) with the Raphal contract.

[Alan Howe]

Here's some more info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_Smareglia

[Alan Howe]

The opera is, of course, available on the Bongiovanni label:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Smareglia-Nozze-istriane-Tiziano-Severini/dp/B00ID05SQ0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1423912794&sr=8-1&keywords=smareglia