Album insights
Franco Fagioli showcases the late Baroque masterpieces through a collection of arias by the renowned Neapolitan opera pioneer, Leonardo Vinci, on his latest solo album "Leonardo Vinci – Veni, Vidi, Vinci." Teaming up with the ensemble Il Pomo d'Oro, dedicated to historical performance practices under the direction of concertmaster Zefira Valova, the album includes seven world premiere recordings. This recording highlights the talent of Vinci, a composer whose music captivated 18th-century audiences and continues to impress with its virtuosity and expressiveness. Vinci's opera seria had a profound impact on his contemporaries, such as Pergolesi, Vivaldi, and Handel, due to his elegant melodies and penchant for embellishments. Vinci's first serious opera premiered in 1722 at the Teatro San Bartolomeo in Naples, leading him to shape the emerging genre of opera seria. Fagioli's previous album "Handel Arias" received glowing reviews, with critics praising his thrilling coloratura, range of vocal tones, and dramatic intensity, as lauded by the magazine "Gramophone."