Opera For Everyone - Episode 130: Orlando Furioso by Vivaldi

Release Date: May 18, 2025

Introduction

In Episode 130 of Opera For Everyone, host Pat Wright welcomes Jeff Counts as the guest co-host for the very first time. Jeff, known locally in Jackson Hole as the general manager of the Grand Teton Music Festival and Khol's film critic, delves into the intricate world of Antonio Vivaldi's lesser-known opera, Orlando Furioso.

Pat Wright [00:10]: "Welcome to another edition of Opera for Everyone. I'm your host, Pat Wright and I am thrilled to welcome today as guest co-host for the very first time, Jeff Counts. Welcome, Jeff."

Jeff Counts [00:22]: "Hi, Pat. Thanks so much for having me."

Overview of Orlando Furioso

Pat and Jeff introduce Orlando Furioso, highlighting its obscurity despite Vivaldi's prolific output in opera.

Pat Wright [03:07]: "Today's opera is one that may not be familiar to people. Orlando Furioso by Antonio Vivaldi. Not a name we typically think of when we think of opera."

Jeff emphasizes Vivaldi's dominance in concertos over opera, noting the challenging nature of Baroque opera in the United States compared to Europe.

Jeff Counts [04:18]: "The exploration of opera in the Baroque period is just not something you hear a lot in the States."

Baroque Opera Explained

Jeff provides an insightful summary of the Baroque period (1600-1750), focusing on the development of opera through the invention of recitative—a style that mimics spoken dialogue within the musical framework.

Jeff Counts [05:05]: "The Baroque period generally is defined as that time frame between around 1600 and 1750... Baroque opera grew out of something even a little earlier, though, this invention of the idea of recitative."

Pat adds context about the influence of the Florentine Camerata and their inspiration from Greek ideals, emphasizing the clarity and storytelling aspects introduced in Baroque opera.

Pat Wright [08:33]: "They are looking back to the Greeks for inspiration... the clarity that was sought is part of what kicks off our Baroque period..."

Introduction to Orlando Furioso's Story and Characters

The duo delves into the plot and characters of Orlando Furioso, explaining the complex relationships and magical elements that drive the narrative.

Key Characters:

• Angelica (Soprano): A beautiful princess from India, torn between Orlando and Medoro.
• Alcina (Mezzo-Soprano): An enchantress who manipulates those around her.
• Orlando (Contralto/Pants Role): A noble knight whose obsession with Angelica leads to madness.
• Medoro (Mezzo/Pants Role): Angelica's true love, a Saracen soldier converted to Christianity.
• Astolfo (Baritone): Orlando's companion, serving as a moral compass.
• Bradamante (Mezzo-Piano): A female Christian warrior in love with Ruggiero.
• Ruggiero (Countertenor): Bradamante's beloved, initially under Alcina's spell.

Pat Wright [14:10]: "She is a princess, of course. She is a princess from India, and she is desired by a great many men."

Jeff Counts [20:31]: "Alcina is extremely powerful and her power comes from a relic, Merlin's ashes, that she... guards... Because that's the source of her power."

Musical Elements and Performance Insights

Jeff and Pat discuss the musical structure of Orlando Furioso, particularly the use of the da capo aria—a hallmark of Baroque opera—and Vivaldi's exploration of different vocal types.

Jeff Counts [19:05]: "It means the top. It just basically means that it has an A, B, A form... they always go back and do the A section again."

They highlight the contrast between recitative and coloratura singing, noting how Vivaldi leverages these to convey character emotions and narrative progression.

Jeff Counts [11:35]: "Coloratura is a word that's often associated with the bel canto period... but you'll hear it in all voice types in this piece."

Pat connects Vivaldi's portrayal of strong female characters like Bradamante to his personal experiences teaching music to strong, talented women.

Jeff Counts [43:48]: "He was teaching a super high-level girls orchestra for decades. I see them in Bradamante."

Plot Progression and Character Dynamics

The conversation navigates through the three acts of Orlando Furioso, summarizing key plot points and character developments.

Act 1 & 2:

• Angelica seeks to distance herself from Orlando while remaining faithful to Medoro.
• Orlando's obsessive pursuit leads him to madness after discovering Angelica's deception.
• Alcina's manipulation sets the stage for conflict among the characters.

Pat Wright [24:03]: "Tell us about this man."

Jeff Counts [26:41]: "Astolfo is one of those folks for us [the audience], because they point out more than once in this plot that things aren't right."

Act 3:

• Bradamante disguises herself to confront Alcina.
• Orlando's madness culminates in the destruction of Alcina's power source, Merlin's ashes.
• The opera concludes with themes of constancy and love, despite the chaos unleashed.

Jeff Counts [113:11]: "They're left with constancy and love."

Pat Wright [115:06]: "He recognizes that his beloved Angelica has married another man. He says, you two children go off and enjoy being wedded to each other."

Performance and Recording Insights

Pat and Jeff discuss the specific recording featured in the episode, performed by Ensemble Matthias under Jean Christophe Spinozzi. They commend the ensemble's efforts in reconstructing lost Vivaldi operas, noting the challenges of piecing together fragmented scores and librettos.

Jeff Counts [60:14]: "We've been listening to the Ensemble Matthias, led by Jean Christophe Spinozzi. This is a French Baroque ensemble."

Pat emphasizes the importance of director choices in modern performances, especially regarding cuts and adaptations necessary due to incomplete original scores.

Pat Wright [62:13]: "There's no definitive single copy of this. This is the best we know of that we're talking from this libretto and this performance."

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

As the episode wraps up, Pat and Jeff recap the opera's journey, highlighting the enduring themes and the emotional depth conveyed through Vivaldi's composition. They encourage listeners to engage with both the opera and its rich source material to fully appreciate its complexities.

Pat Wright [103:55]: "And it's fun to find the warts and whiskers on all these characters, I think."

Jeff Counts [105:03]: "It's really fascinating to me how something that seems kind of samey as it progresses actually has a lot of variation and a lot of capacity for depth and range. Emotionally, it's amazing."

Notable Quotes

• Jeff Counts [01:58]: "And you look to your left and you see the range and you think, I am not capable of speaking words right now."
• Pat Wright [09:06]: "Reset, recitative, that's the spoken, sung, spoken."
• Jeff Counts [19:28]: "Hope, Fear, in this case."
• Pat Wright [34:05]: "He's being dumped."
• Pat Wright [46:23]: "We don't have to make specific examples now, but I think if we were to be honest with ourselves..."

Final Remarks

Pat closes the episode by reiterating the mission of Opera For Everyone to make opera accessible and enjoyable, inviting listeners to engage with future episodes and performances.

Pat Wright [117:47]: "I always say this on Opera for Everyone, any opportunity to see these works performed in full or even, for that matter, grab the CD or grab it from a streaming service. We're setting you up to enjoy a full performance."

Listen to Episode 130 of Opera For Everyone every Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Mountain Time on 89.1 KHOL in Jackson, Wyoming, or subscribe to the Opera for Everyone podcast to stay updated and support the mission of making opera accessible to all.