Aurelio Aureli

Aurelio Aureli (d. 1708) was one of the most consequential and prolific librettists in the early history of opera and cantata, providing texts for the music of Francesco Cavalli, Alessandro Scarlatti, Barbara Strozzi and countless others. He is a figure of deep fascination for lovers of 17th century Italian vocal music, including the author of this review, who currently researches and teaches music history at the University of Rochester - Eastman School of Music under the name “Miles Greenberg.”

Canonically ossified Canonically ossified

When such a canonically ossified work like Verdi’s Aïda is directed at all (let alone as ambitiously as Damiano Michieletto at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino), it does feel like a completely different opera

Changing habits Changing habits

A new production of Dialogues des Carmélites featuring Anna Caterina Antonacci proves that it’s hard to be an iconoclast in Venice.