ANTONIO CESTI (1623-1669): L’Orontea.

Description: Alongside Cavalli's La Giasone, L'Orontea, premiered in 1656, went down in history as the most successful opera of the late 17th century. As the Opera Grove article puts it, “a brilliant and successful combination of poetry and music... Orontea helped point the way for Italian opera in the later 1650s and 60s.” 3 CDs. Italian libretto. Paula Murrihy (mezzo), Sebastian Geyer (baritone), Juanita Lascarro (soprano), Guy de Mey (tenor), Monteverdi Continuo Ensemble, Frankfurt Opera and Museum Orchestra; Ivor Bolton.