Set in medieval Italy, Rossini’s rarely performed Adelaide di Borgogna is based on dramatic historical events that led to Otto the Great (Ottone) of Germany conquering the Kingdom of Italy. Despite its political and warlike subject, Adelaide di Borgogna is full of beautiful music, Rossini using lyrical moments to emphasise emotions and express the triangle of passionate love and rivalry between Adelaide, Ottone and Adelberto. Adelaide is bel canto in its purest form and was held in high regard by its composer, who recycled much of it in his subsequent operas.

Our highly successful releases of recordings from the annual Rossini in Wildbad festival have included hits such as Guillaume Tell (866036366), “probably as fine an achievement as any in the festival’s 25-year history” (Gramophone), and less well-known works such as Mosè in Egitto (866022021), performed “with just the right amount of spirit and reverence that is the essence of Rossini’s music” (MusicWeb International). Adelaide di Borgogna can be classed as something of a rarity, with only sporadic concert performances over recent decades. This 2014 production is the first to have been staged in Germany.

This production’s strong cast of singers is led in the title role by Ekaterina Sadovnikova, a winner at the International Competition in Dresden in 2006 and the Elena Obraztsova International Competition. The transvestite part of Ottone is taken by contralto Margarita Gritskova.

Conductor Luciano Acocella has numerous acclaimed opera recordings and productions to his name, including Bellini’s I Capuleti e i Montecchi on the Dynamic label: “The leadership of Luciano Acocella is warm and tasteful, and the dramatic elements are as clear as the lyrical.” (ClassicsToday.com)

Cast:
- Ottone: Margarita Gritskova (mezzo-soprano)
- Adelaide: Ekaterina Sadovnikova (soprano)
- Berengario: Baurzhan Anderzhanov (bass-baritone)
- Eurice: Miriam Zubieta (soprano)
- Adelberto: Gheorge Vlad (tenor)
- Iroldo: Yasushi Watanabe (tenor)
- Ernesto: Cornelius Lewenberg (baritone)