Pacini: Il convitato di pietra (The Stone Guest)

Giovanni Pacini wrote some 74 operas, and this is not only the first recording but the first ever public performance of Il convitato di pietra (The Stone Guest), written for private performance in 1832. It is based on the same tale used by Mozart for Don Giovanni but without the character Donna Elvira. While Pacini’s version is scored for chamber orchestra and draws on arias from his other operas, many of which were doubtless family favourites, it nonetheless demands bel canto singing of the highest order particularly for Don Giovanni, Zerlina and Ficcanaso. For this recording Pacini’s manuscript score and the original performing parts, as well as the partially preserved hand-written libretto, were used as the basis for reconstructing the entire work.