The two leading operatic composers of their time were Rossini and Auber, one now fêted, the other largely overlooked. In 1831 Auber and his long-standing librettist Eugène Scribe produced Le Philtre, which took the concept of petit opéra to the extreme, even outdoing Rossini’s Le Comte Ory in depicting a rural setting peopled not with Arcadian shepherds but with ordinary country folk. Auber’s Franco-Italian style can be heard in the work’s ensembles, while elsewhere the opera shimmers with rich arias, buffo elements and delightful cavatinas. Le Philtre was an unalloyed success receiving 243 performances and inspired Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore.

This recording is part of our ongoing series of releases covering productions from the Rossini in Wildbad bel canto opera festival.

Conductor Luciano Acocella has directed other operas for Naxos including Meyerbeer’s Romilda e Costanza on 866049597: ‘The playing of the Passionart Orchestra under Luciano Acocella is lively’ (Gramophone).

He has also directed Rossini’s opera Demetrio e Polibio on 866040506. Opera News wrote that ‘Conductor Luciano Acocella keeps a stylish guiding hand on the show’.

Rossini’s Adelaide di Borgogna can also be heard on 866040102: ‘Luciano Acocella gets some lively singing and playing from his Polish chorus and Czech orchestra’ (Gramophone).

Cast:
- Guillaume: Patrick Kabongo (tenor)
- Joli-Cœur: Emmanuel Franco (baritone)
- Fontanarose: Eugenio Di Lieto (bass)
- Térézine: Luiza Fatyol (soprano)
- Jeannette: Adina Vilichi (soprano)