Carafa: Masaniello

Michele Carafa’s “Masaniello ou Le Pêcheur napolitain” provides an entry into the world of early 19th-century Parisian opera. Premiered in 1827, this historical drama by a student of Luigi Cherubini and friend of Gioachino Rossini combines Italian and French operatic traditions, telling the story of the fisherman Masaniello against the backdrop of the Neapolitan uprising of 1647. Carafa, himself a descendant of individuals who played a role in these historical events, created a work more strongly influenced by French operatic models than by the then-dominant bel canto style and the music of Rossini.

This world-premiere recording was made in July 2024 at the Rossini Festival in Wildbad. Catherine Trottmann, Luis Magallanes, Juan José Medina, Mert Süngü, and Nathanaël Tavernier lead the ensemble of soloists, accompanied by the choir and orchestra of the Kraków Philharmonic under the direction of Nicola Pascoli. The release makes available a rarely heard work from that fascinating transitional period between French opéra and early 19th-century Italian opera.