Donizetti: Il diluvio universale (Opera Rara)

As Opera Rara's new recording of the 1830 azione tragico-sacra reminds us, he achieved new dramatic and musical expression out of Rossinian conventions long before Verdi arrived on the scene. The use of the voice, the manipulation of large choral forces and the development of a story in rapid and vivid stages in Donizetti: Il diluvio universale are all quite extraordinary.

The plot is worthy of the greatest of story tellers. The tale of Noah's Ark (the 'universal flood' of the opera's title) is the background of the story, which concludes with the flooding of the world while only the Ark floats upon the waves. But Donizetti concocts an intrigue to fill the interior of the plot. Sela, the favourite wife of Noah's sworn enemy Cadmo, is an ardent follower of Noah in secret; she's torn between her love for God and her husband. Meanwhile, Cadmo's mind is poisoned against Sela by Ada, another of his wives, who pretends to be Sela's friend but uses her friendship to find out incriminating information about her to pass on to Cadmo. Donizetti's lightness of touch allows him to move between both elements of the story effortlessly.

This recording comes from around the time of a concert performance of the opera last year at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. During the pre-performance talk, the Artistic Director of Opera Rara, Patric Schmid, passed away, and the recording is dedicated to him. From that respect, it's a worthy tribute to a man who spent many years in promoting the works of the bel canto composers through making recordings of their operas more widely available.

Although most of the singers have their rough elements, they are all as dedicated to the task on this recording as I recall from the live performance. Mirco Palazzi sings with both passion and beauty as Noè (Noah), while Majella Cullagh's sometimes harsh voice never obliterates her communication of the words or her vivid characterisation.

Manuela Custer's Ada is just as exciting on the recording as it was at Drury Lane, rich in tone and with a free-flowing coloratura. The Jafet of Simon Bailey, Colin Lee's Cadmo and Mark Wilde make up a high quality ensemble, all singing stylishly.

Some of Giuliano Carella's tempi are wayward – sometimes pushing the singers too fast, sometimes lacking thrust. But on the whole, it's a secure reading, showing an awareness of both dramatic and musical concerns.

While not essential for the general listener, no lover of Italian opera will want to miss this chance to hear one of Donizetti's serious, and more interesting, works.

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