Falvetti, Il Diluvio universale

Cappella Mediterranea’s biggest success!

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.

Cast

Valerio Contaldo, Noé, tenor

Mariana Flores, Rad, soprano

Alessandro Giangrande, Divine justice, counter-tenor

Ilia Mazurov, Death, baryton-basse

Cécile Achille, Water, soprano

Ana Viera Leite, Air & Human Nature, soprano

Matteo Bellotto, God, bass

Chœur de Chambre de Namur

Direction Leonardo García Alarcón

Press reviews

Concert Classique – Coups de Cœur à Chantilly

“The Argentine conductor describes Diluvio as a ‘catalogue’ of human emotions, music that you must see to hear”. With all the theatrical experience he has gained since 2010, there can be no doubt that he will be able to explore and highlight the work’s dramatic qualities to an even greater extent.”
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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