The Teatro Real in Madrid will be premiering the dramma giacosa ‘L’arbore di Diana’ by the Spanish composer Vincente Martin y Soler on the evening of March 17 th at 8 P.M. The work presented is a co production with the Gran Teatro del Liceu. COMMANDOpera finds this work of particular interest given the way it falls almost in between the cracks of the Baroque period and Bel Canto. Generally when one looks at the Baroque period, it is difficult to remove from ornamentation particularly when one is looking at ‘giacosa’. The cleaner and more dramatic vocal line established within the realm of Bel Canto oddly found manifestations in works which are clearly situated in th Baroque period such as L’arbore di Diana. The orchestrations are obviously correct to the period, yet the vocal line is not. COMMANDOpera has long considered Maestro Luigi Cherubini to be the main proponent of this rather advanced style of musical architecture known uniquely to the Baroque era. Consider this air from L’arbore di Diana’:

Miss Laura Aikin sings ‘Teco porta, o mia speranza’ Liceu 2009.

For those who are unaware, here is the plot to ‘l’arbore di Diana’:

Diana, the goddess of chastity, has a tree in her garden that bears large apples. When one of her nymphs walks beneath it, the apples become shiny and make gentle sounds testifying to her chastity. However, if she has sinned against chastity, the apples turn black and punish her. Love, finding this rule intolerable, enters the garden and shows the gardener how to make the nymphs fall in love. He also brings the shepherd Endymion, of whom Diana herself becomes enamoured. Diana orders the tell-tale tree to be felled and Love turns her garden into a palace of love.

The Liceu promotional video for L’arbore di Diana’ 2009 2010 season.

The Teatro Real is double cast in a number of the roles. Diana: Lyubov Petrova (17, 19, 22, 24, 26), Diana: Ekaterina Lekhina (18, 20, 25), Amore: Marina Comparato (17, 19, 22, 24, 26), Amore: Ketevan Kemoklidze (18, 20, 25), Britomarte: Ainhoa Garmendia, Clizia: Marisa Martins, Cloe: Jossie Pérez, Silvio: Pavol Breslik (17, 19, 22, 26), Silvio: José Luis Sola (18, 20, 24, 25), Endimione: Dmitry Korchak (17, 19, 22, 24, 26), Endimione: John McVeigh (18, 20, 25), Doristo: Marco Vinco (17, 19, 22, 24, 26), Doristo: Simón Orfila (18, 20, 25). The performances will be under the baton of of the young Italian conductor, Mr. Ottavio Dantone.