54th Annual Grammy Awards (2011)
Nominee
“Best Opera Recording”

“Joyce di Donato is compelling as a passionate Hippolyta, Vivica Genaux is splendid…Lively, incisive and stylish instrumental playing by Europa Galante provide sympathetic rapport with the voices”.

BBC Music Magazine
January 2011

“Biondi and his Europa Galante are, as ever, live wires ‘in a pit’ ”

INTERNATIONAL RECORD REVIEW
March 2011

2015

“Le chef et violoniste reviens à ses premiers amours avec Ercole, créé à Rome au Teatro Capranica en1723. L’orchestre vivaldien déploie ici toutes ses splendeurs, toute sa tonicité et sa verve, sans que Biondi éprouve le besoin de forcer le trait comme certains de ses collègues en ont pris la désagréable habitude. Quant à l’oeuvre, c’est un festival de traits virtuoses et de couleurs instrumentales.”

CLASSICA
Mars 2011
EDITOR’S NOTES
Rolando Villazón and Joyce DiDonato lead a dazzling cast in Vivaldi’s opera Ercole sul’Termodonte, first heard in Rome in 1723 and reconstructed by conductor Fabio Biondi from the original libretto, historical scores and his intimate knowledge of the composer.
This opera occupies a special and emblematic position in Vivaldi’s life. At the age of 45, the composer took the risk of presenting an opera in Rome for the first time … and Ercole proved a resounding success.
VOICES:
Rolando Villazón – Ercole
Joyce di Donato – Ippolita
Patrizia Ciofi – Orizia
Diana Damrau – Martesia
Vivica Genaux – Antiope
Topi Lehtipuu – Telamone
Philippe Jaroussky – Alceste
Romina Basso – Teseo

Discography