One of the greatest triumphs on the musical scene! Simply enchanting!
“A wonderful lesson in music … and theatre!
Selvam Thorez, Bachtrack
Following in the tradition of Carissimi and Handel, Falvetti brings us this highly original music that is reminiscent of Sicily, a land of mixed cultures known for its blending of Eastern and Western songs. Il Diluvio Universale, a “dialogue for five voices and five instruments”, was first performed in Messina in 1682, when Michelangelo Falvetti was appointed choirmaster of the cathedral. The story is taken from one of the most well-known and tragic episodes in the Old Testament. Weary of mankind’s wickedness and corruption, God decides to eliminate man and all other forms of life, unleashing rain on earth for forty days and forty nights. He only spares Noah, his family and the animals of each species that he orders to be housed in the Ark. The topic lends itself perfectly to operatic treatment, and its two creators draw inspiration from it very effectively throughout the play. The libretto, written by Vincenzo Giattini, allowed Falvetti to exploit the drama with a level of genius that can rarely be found in works of the same period.
In Cielo, Orchestra di Angeli, Giustizia Divina, Elementi, Acqua
Act II
In Terra, Rad, Noè, dio, Coro (Figli di Noè)
Act III
Il Diluvio, Morte, Natura humana, Noè, Rad, Coro (l’umanità)
Act IV
In l’arca di Noè, Noé, Rad, Coro
Performance running time: 1 hour 30 minutes with intermission
Valerio Contaldo, Noé, tenor
Ana Quintans, Rad, soprano
Kacper Szelążek, Death, countretenor
Matteo Bellotto, God, bass
Cécile Achille, Water, soprano
Ana Viera Leite, Air & Human Nature, soprano
Anthea Pichanick, Divine Justive, alto
Chœur de Chambre de Namur
Direction Leonardo García Alarcón
Concert Classique – Coups de Cœur à Chantilly
“A ‘catalog’ of human emotions’ said the Argentinian conductor of the Diluvio, ‘music you just have to see to hear’: no doubt that with the theatrical experience he has accumulated since 2010, he can only go even further in exploring and highlighting the work’s dramatic springs.“
Alain Cochard for Concert classique
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Garcia Alarcón submerges Versailles with Falvetti’s Il Diluvio universale – Versailles, 2016
“The soloists, Cappella Mediterranea and Namur’s Chœur de Chambre are now seasoned performers, thanks to numerous performances and a 2011 recording. This evening in Versailles, they completely mastered the dramatic dynamics of this extraordinary oratorio, revealing to the audience their complicity and the pleasure they take in playing together. A wonderful lesson in music … and theatre!“
Selvam Thorez for Bachtrack
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A production of festival d’Ambronay