Agostino Steffani (1653-1728): Niobe Regina di Tebe

Opera seria in 3 acts, with Ballet Music by Melchior d'Ardespin (1643-1717)

Libretto: Luigi Orlandi
Savatortheater, Munich 1688

Erato 08256 463435 4 6 (3 CDs), 2015

CD 1 (79'03): Sinfonia, Act 1 (beginning)
CD 2 (68'57): Act 1 (end, [1]-[7]), Act 2 (beginning)
CD 3 (75'44): Act 2 (end, [1]-[10]), Act 3


DRAMATIS PERSONAE:

Niobe: Karina Gauvin (soprano)
Anfione: Philippe Jaroussky (countertenor)
Manto: Amanda Forsythe (soprano)
Tiresia: Christian Immler (baritone)
Clearte: Aaron Sheehan (high tenor)
Creonte: Terry Wey (countertenor)
Poliferno: Jesse Blumberg (baritone)
Tiberino: Colin Balzer (tenor)
Nerea: José Lemos (countertenor)

Philippe Jaroussky (Anfione) has the following arias:
Sollievo del mio seno (duet with Niobe, CD1 [3])
Miratemi beg'occhi (CD1 [5])
Sphere amiche (CD1 [30])
Come padre, e come Dio (CD1 [43])
Ascendo alle stelle (CD2 [15])
Dal mio petto o pianti uscite (CD2 [20])
Trà bellici carmi (CD2 [37])
Hò perduta la speranza (CD3 [20])
Spira già nel proprio sangue (duet with Niobe, CD3 [35])

Boston Early Music Festival Orchestra (on period instruments):
4 tpt., 2 perc, 2 ob.+rec., bsn., strings (4/4/3/4) 4 vdg. & b.c. (db., vdg., harp, 2 thb.+git., hpchd.+org)

Direction: Paul O'Dette and Stephen Stubbs

Recording: November 1-14, 2013, Sendesaal, Bremen, Germany