‘La finta amante is a small masterpiece in which the music, elegant and luminous, flows with a masterly assurance. Paisiello’s innate sense of theatre effectively captures the characters’ states of mind, as seen in the rich final sequence of the opera. When Don Girone discovers the deception, the expressions of the protagonists are underscored by a magical minor key.
When I collaborated in 2009 on the opera’s first performance in modern times, I was immediately captivated by Camilletta’s magnificent dramatic aria in F minor in the second act, titled Ferma, tiranno e barbaro. At the same time I discovered musical treasures scattered throughout the entire opera, such as Don Girone’s first cavatina and the duet Camilletta cara cara, a flavourful blend of Neapolitan taste and echoes of folk music.’
– Stefano Parisse, Conductor
![PAISIELLO, G.: Finta amante (La) [Opera]](../../../sharedfiles/Images/cds/hires/8.660563-64.jpg "PAISIELLO, G.: Finta amante (La) [Opera]")
Giovanni PAISIELLO (1740–1816)
La finta amante
Elena Tsvetkova, SopranoDaniele De Prosperi, Tenor
Antoine Bernheim, Baritone
Estrin Orchestra
Stefano Parisse, Harpsichord and Conductor
Giovanni Paisiello enjoyed a considerable international reputation during much of his career, with 80 or more operas that presented a challenge to those of Mozart in Vienna. La finta amante was composed during Paisiello’s time at the Russian court of Catherine II and it soon became a triumph throughout Europe for its elegant and luminous music. With just three characters, captured forcefully by Paisiello’s innate sense of theatre, the comedy revolves around Camilletta who, alongside her boyfriend Gelino, deceives the older but wealthy Don Girone in games that inevitably lead to dangerous consequences.
Caro ben, dolce mia vita
Soprano Elena Tsvetkova studied at the Lomonosov Moscow State University. As a soloist of the opera company at the Musical Theatre of the Republic of Karelia (2009 to 2012) she appeared in numerous roles, including those of Mimì (La bohème), Micaëla (Carmen), Rosalinda (Die Fledermaus), Tatiana (Eugene Onegin) and Pink Parrot (Black Chicken).
Tenor Daniele De Prosperi began his professional career in the role of Count Almaviva (Il barbiere di Siviglia) in Rome, going on to win the Spazio Musica competition in 2020. In 2023 he was selected to perform in a staging of La fille du régiment organised by the Tito Gobbi Musical Association. In 2019 he reprised the role of Gelino in La finta amante at the Giovanni Paisiello Festival in the composer’s hometown of Taranto.
Bass-baritone Antoine Bernheim launched his career in his native Switzerland in 1994 as Don Alfonso in Mozart’s Così fan tutte, and has subsequently performed in Germany, Italy, England, Greece, France, the Czech Republic, Russia, Bulgaria and Kazakhstan. His large repertoire includes the title roles of Verdi’s Falstaff, Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, Gluck’s Le cadi dupé, Mozart’s Don Giovanni and Donizetti’s Don Pasquale,as well as Leporello (Don Giovanni), Bartolo (Il barbiere di Siviglia) and Dulcamara (L’elisir d’amore).
Italian conductor Stefano Parisse studied at the Conservatorio di Musica Santa Cecilia, graduating in piano, collaborative piano and orchestral conducting. After serving in various productions at the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, he undertook roles as pianist and conductor that reflected his wide interests, performing at the St Petersburg Philharmonia and the 39th Festival Barocco di Viterbo; recording for Rai Radiotelevisione Italiana; and appearing as a pianist at Sapienza Università, Teatro Palladium and Teatro Ghione in Rome.
Established by the violinist and artistic director Dmitry Koryavko, the Estrin Orchestra is an ensemble comprising members of the St Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, brought together under the direction of Stefano Parisse. Named after Mikhail Zalmanovich Estrin, who was a violinist and professor at the St Petersburg State Conservatory, the orchestra plays regularly at the D. D. Shostakovich St Petersburg Academic Philharmonia.
– AllMusic.com ★★★★★
![MAYR, J.S.: Saffo [Opera]](../../../sharedfiles/images/cds/hires/8.660367-68.jpg "MAYR, J.S.: Saffo [Opera]")
Saffo
Brown • Schäfer • Yun • Papenmeyer • Ruckgaber • Preis
Members of the Bavarian State Opera Chorus
Simon Mayr Chorus • Concerto de Bassus
Hauk
– MusicWeb International
![CIMAROSA, D.: Italiana in Londra (L') [Opera] (Frankfurt Opera, 2021) (NTSC)](../../../sharedfiles/images/cds/hires/2.110739.jpg "CIMAROSA, D.: Italiana in Londra (L') [Opera] (Frankfurt Opera, 2021) (NTSC)")
L’Italiana in Londra
Vallone • Tognocchi • Lebow • Samoilov • Bintner
Frankfurter Opern-und Museumsorchester
Hussain • Schlather
– Gramophone
![GAVEAUX, P.: Léonore, ou L'amour conjugal [Opera] (Opera Lafayette, 2017) (NTSC)](../../../sharedfiles/images/cds/hires/2.110591.jpg "GAVEAUX, P.: Léonore, ou L'amour conjugal [Opera] (Opera Lafayette, 2017) (NTSC)")
Léonore
ou L’amour conjugal
Mc Laren • Richer • Lavoie • Beaudin
Opera Lafayette • Brown • Tomas
– Fanfare