Zach Top Nicola Antonio Porpora: Polifemo

Nicola Porpora was Farinelli's teacher and a rival of Handel and Hasse. As one of the most enigmatic figures of the musical baroque, he gave decisive impetus to opera development in the first half of the 18th century. Parnassus Arts is delighted to present the World Premiere recording of Porpora's Polifemo. He worked in Italy - especially in his native Naples - but also in London, Dresden and Vienna. This London opera (1735) was performed by the Opera of the Nobility at the King's Theatre during the same season that Handel premiered Ariodante and Alcina across town at Covent Garden. The libretto by Paolo Rolli is based on two well-known Greek myths, both linked to the Cyclops Polyphemus: the story about the nymph Galatea and the shepherd Acis, and the encounter with Odysseus, which ends less than favourably for the one-eyed giant. Polifemo provided direct competition to Alcina; indeed, two of the Opera of the Nobility's singers had as recently as 1732 sung for Handel in his bilingual version of Acis and Galatea, the same story as Polifemo. The manuscript score is currently stored in the British Library; this premiere recording is well overdue for such an important work. "Like the Carlo il Calvo recording, this is an obvious addition to the 'want list' of Lezhneva admirers." Opera Magazine "there is unquestionable commitment from all involved with this landmark recording, which confirms beyond any doubt that Porpora's London works offer musical and dramatic riches to anyone inquisitive enough to risk producing them." Gramophone