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Cast aside your preconceived notions of operatic adaptations of Romeo and Juliet. Riccardo Zandonai pares down the characters in Shakespeare’s play to the bare minimum and focuses mostly on the doomed lovers, delving more into their inner world than the circumstances that surround them. Call it Romeo by way of Tristan. Although this makes for a rather static evening, there is no shortage of musical inspiration. Zandonai creates an impressionistic dreamscape that seems to exist in no time period or specific place, employing an inventive palette of orchestral colors. The singers in this performance make a compelling argument for the work. Angelo Lo Forese’s Romeo is more heroic than adolescent in keeping with Zandonai’s concept and Renato Capecchi makes an impactful turn as Tebaldo. The sound is fair to good.

In Mono

OD 11384-2