He conducts Brucker and Gershwin, Beethoven, Verdi and Johann Strauss – but at the beginning of his career, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, one of the most renowned Maestros of our time, was a major pioneer of historical performance practice. With his ensemble Concentus Musicus Wien he re-established the 'Original Sound' into the Concert Hall of the 20th Century. 

From 1968 to 1974 he rediscovered the 'opera founder' Claudio Monteverdi, resulting in three studio recordings of his operas. Among the vocalists are Paul Esswood, Kurt Equiluz and Max van Egmond but also popular opera singers, such as Elisabeth Söderström, Helen Donath and Sven-Olof Eliasson.

These highly esteemed recordings are now re-released in a box set together with Harnoncourt’s Monteverdi album of the legendary Cathy Berberian that has been unavailable for some years.

Featuring L’Orfeo, Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria and L’incoronazione de Poppea plus the great scene Lamento d 'Arianna - the sole surviving fragment of an Ariadne opera of 1608, the release is a complete edition of Monteverdi’s dramatic works.

These productions are still regarded as milestones that should not be labelled as 'historical recordings' – after all, they sound as fresh and sensual as ever!

Contents:
CD 1/2 L’Orfeo
Cathy Berberian, Lajos Kozma, Kurt Equiluz, Max van Egmond, Eiko Katanosaka, Nigel Rogers, Rotraud Hansmann

CD 3-5 Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria
Ladislaus Anderko, Margaret Baker-Genovesi, Olof Eliasson, Kurt Equiluz, Paul Esswood, Kai Hansen, Rotraud Hansmann, Norma Lerer, Nigel Rogers

CD 6-8 L’incoronazione di Poppea
Jane Gartner, Rotraud Hansmann, Helen Donath, Elisabeth Söderström, Cathy Berberian, Paul Esswood, Giancarlo Luccardi, Philip Langridge

CD 9 Cathy Berberian sings Monteverdi [46.19]
1. 'Se i languidi miei sguardi': Lettera amorosa in genere rappresentativo

2. 'Con che soavità'

3. Lamento d’Arianna: 'Lasciatemi morire' (Venice 1623)

L’Orfeo
4. 'Mira, deh mira Orfeo' ... 'In un fiorito prato' (from atto II)
Nigel Rogers, Pastore serondo • Cathy Berberian, Messagera • Günther Theuring, Pastore primo • Lajos Kozma, Orfeo

L’incoronazione di Poppea
5. 'Disprezzata Regina' (atto I, scena V)
Cathy Berberian, Ottavia

6. 'Tu che dagli Avi miei' … 'Maestade, che prega' (atto II, scena IX)
Cathy Berberian, Ottavia • Paul Esswood, Ottone

7. 'Addio Roma' (atto III, scena VI)
Cathy Berberian, Ottavia

Capella Antiqua Munchen, Junge Kantorei
Concentus Musicus Wien / Nikolaus Harnoncourt