Opera Wednesday

There are four operas that carry the title Griselda – separate ones from brothers Antonio and Giovanni Bononcini, along with musical legends Antonio Vivaldi and Alessandro Scarlatti having each composed a Griselda, each based on the short story “The Patient Griselda” from Giovanni Boccaccio's The Decameron. Before I continue I must disclose my vocal resumé includes singing the signature aria from Giovanni Bononcini's version in closing a recital (and just for fun, in an earlier recital, the singer who followed me sang that song!).

In this selection from the second act of the Vivaldi Griselda, the titular character and her husband, Gualtiero, King of Thessaly's daughter Costanza sings about being tossed by contrary winds on the billowing seas. This work depicts Vivaldi's way of describing in music natural events, well-known in The Four Seasons, the best-known piece of music from Mr. Vivaldi.

This version of “Agitata da due venti” comes to us from Celia Bartoli from 2000. Enjoy! ◙