The comic-heroic romp Matilde di Shabran was Rossini’s last commission for the theatres of Rome, the city where he’d had great successes such as Il barbiere di Siviglia. Rossini took advantage of the agile, sparkling style of librettist Jacopo Ferretti to create a narrative in which the ferocious Corradino, a declared misogynist, is introduced to the resourceful Matilde, who succeeds in melting his iron heart and winning his love. This premiere recording revives the original 1821 Rome version, which was conducted at the last minute by Paganini, and caused brawling in the streets between Rossini’s admirers and detractors.

Very few recordings have been made of Rossini’s Matilde di Shabran, and this 2019 production at the Rossini in Wildbad is unique in being the first recording of the original 1821 Rome version of the score, other productions having used the later revised versions made for the audiences of Naples and Vienna.

José Miguel Pérez-Sierra began his conducting career as assistant to Gabriele Ferro. He studied with Gianluigi Gelmetti at the Accademia Chigiana and with Colin Metter at the London Royal Academy, and was an assistant to Alberto Zedda. After his debut with the Orquesta Sinfonica de Galicia in 2005 he collaborated with the Rossini Opera Festival, conducting Il viaggio a Reims in 2006 and in 2011 La scala di seta. He enjoys an international career and for Bad Wildbad he conducted Ricciardo e Zoraide in 2013, L’Italiana in Algeri in 2015, and Mironov’s Omaggio a Rubini in 2016.

Naxos releases of recordings from the annual Rossini in Wildbad Festival have become a pillar of our operatic output, with successes such as Rossini’s Mose in Egitto (866022021) characterising the typically ‘exciting and energetic performance’ (Fanfare) that collectors have come to expect from this source. Also expected are out-of-the ordinary versions of neglected masterpieces, of which the original score of Matilde di Shabran stands as a powerful and highly entertaining exemplar.

This production was widely admired by the critics:

‘Spanish soprano Sara Blanch sang the title role with panache, being able to combine her attractive appearance with vocal refinement and musicality… Victoria Yarovaya is well known in the world of opera and she confirmed her excellent technique and her affinity with this music in her aria in the first act, and especially the duet with Matilde in the second act… The Górecki Chamber Choir and the Passionart Orchestra, the new partners for Rossini in Wildbad, left their calling-card and were very convincing.’ – operagazet.com

‘Michele Angelini is very good as Corradino. The agility did not seem to pose the slightest problem and the voice is tender in its more lyric passages. With such singers their musical numbers were an absolute pleasure, Corradino’s entrance aria with its almost frantic runs, Matilde’s closing aria and most of all the quintet in act 1.’ – Il Giardino Armida Blog

Cast:
- Corradino: Michele Angelini (tenor)
- Matilde di Shabran: Sara Blanch (soprano)
- Raimondo Lopez: Shi Zong (bass)
- Edoardo Lopez: Victoria Yarovaya (contralto)
- Aliprando: Emmanuel Franco (baritone)
- Isidoro: Giulio Mastrototaro (baritone)
- Contessa d’Arco: Lamia Beuque (mezzo-soprano)
- Ginardo: Ricardo Seguel (bass-baritone)
- Egoldo / Rodrigo: Julian Henao Gonzalez (tenor)