Ero e Leandro - Recordings

Mancinelli - Boïto

Ero_by_Reubens


	Recording history
	The few selections that are indicated in the libretto as being available on MP3 are taken from two sources.
	"Highlights from "Unique Opera Records" (UORC - 202), produced 1974 - a vinyl disc taken from a live performance, probably 1969. Consisting mainly of the duets between the protagonists in Acts I and III, it also features the Prologue and the opening to Act III, with the mariner's chorus.
	The cast is as follows: Margherita Rinaldi - Ero Veriano Luchetti - Leandro Anna Maria Rota - Prologo Guido Guarnera Voce della mare
	Orchestra and chorus conducted by Vittorio Gui. Note that some references state that Guarnera sings the role of Ariofarne; this is incorrect, as the only baritone role in these excerpts, while extensive, is that of the voice that comes over the lagoon, piloting a boat in Act III.
	There is more about this recording to be found here.

	2. The end of Act II is a spectacular danse-chantant, supposedly one of the high points in the productions ("let the orgies begin!" is a line shortly before it). The recording is unique and extraordinary, originating during a performance at the Metropolitan Opera house, recorded by Lionel Mapleson on a cylinder recorder, situated either in the wings or in the flies. Since he runs out of wax a minute before the end, there is a gap—allowing Mapleson to change cylinders—and then the end of the number, with some subsequent applause. Conducted by the composer, it was performed and recorded live around March, 1903.
	The quality of these recordings is not terribly good, mainly because the source material traveled from vinyl to audio cassette, to Sound Forge, to .wav, to MP3. Eventually it will be possible to post better quality recordings, making them more direct.
	The piano/vocal score was published by Novello in 1898, which included the libretto in Italian and English. The Aeolian company published three selections on paper pianola rolls:
	30433 Hero and Leander. Prologue 30440 Hero & Leander. Act 2, The Sacred Dance 10219 Scene Veneziane. No. I, Carnovale
	However, the last selection does not seem to be part of Ero e Leandro; until someone listens to this number, it remains a possibility that it is a misnomer or another work altogether.

	- BOTTESINI - Boïto originally offered the libretto to several composers, among them Giovanni Bottesini, a famous contrabass player and composer, whose version of the opera seems to have gained more prominence in modern days than Mancinelli's. If you are interested in hearing some arias from the Bottesini version of Boïto's libretto, you may hear them below. The text, of course, is the same as found in Mancinelli's libretto.

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