The supernatural plot, drawn from old ballets, is preposterous, and the title sounds as though it came from one of Roger Vadim's sexpot films of the 1960s, but Michael William Balfe's Satanella, composed in 1858, continued to inspire new performances well into the 20th century. It's easy to understand why: even fairly late in life (Balfe was 50 when the opera had its premiere after a genesis lasting some years) he had a gift for hummable tunes, and Satanella, here shorn of its spoken dialogue, is packed with them. The ...
Read More
The supernatural plot, drawn from old ballets, is preposterous, and the title sounds as though it came from one of Roger Vadim's sexpot films of the 1960s, but Michael William Balfe's Satanella, composed in 1858, continued to inspire new performances well into the 20th century. It's easy to understand why: even fairly late in life (Balfe was 50 when the opera had its premiere after a genesis lasting some years) he had a gift for hummable tunes, and Satanella, here shorn of its spoken dialogue, is packed with them. The casual modern listener is likely to be reminded of Gilbert & Sullivan; this is because both Gilbert and Sullivan would likely have known Satanella well and were, to some degree, putting it on. Sample the song "Oh! would she but name" (CD one, track six), and you're in Rafe Rackstraw territory. Balfe drew on idioms going back as far as Mozart (which Sullivan did not do), and his imitations are convincing. Britain's Victorian Opera, with a cast led by tenor Kang Wang as Count Rupert,...
Read Less
Add this copy of Michael William Balfe: Satanella to cart. $36.21, new condition, Sold by Importcds rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Sunrise, FL, UNITED STATES, published 2016 by Naxos.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Michael William Balfe. New. New in new packaging. USA Orders only! Brand New product! please allow delivery times of 3-7 business days within the USA. US orders only please.
Add this copy of Michael William Balfe: Satanella to cart. $40.10, new condition, Sold by newtownvideo rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from huntingdon valley, PA, UNITED STATES, published 2016 by Naxos Opera.
