During the early 1990s Antonio Florio made substantial discoveries in the field of Baroque repertoire from Naples. Glossa are delighted to be bringing back into circulation some of his earlier ground-breaking recordings, focusing here – with Il Canto della Sirena – on Neapolitan chamber cantatas from the 17th and early 18th centuries.

These cantatas, often mini-operas in their own right, were originally designed to reproduce the theatrical experience away from the opera house; rich in local colour through the use of the Neapolitan language and characters (comic or otherwise), popular melodies and distinctive forms such as the follia.

A prominent role is taken in this music by one special artist: the master of Neapolitan vocal delivery, tenor Pino De Vittorio.

Across the 'songs of love and madness' on these three discs, the strong presence is felt of leading Neapolitan composer Francesco Provenzale, whose reputation Antonio Florio has done so much to revive. Also through these chamber works are to be found the following important names from the Neapolitan Baroque: Alessandro Scarlatti, Filippo Coppola, Michelangelo Faggioli and Simone Coya.

Recorded in Naples (Palazzo d’Avalos) and Bologna (Eremo di Ronzano) in June 1991, May 1994 and April 1996.