GIOVANNI PACINI (1796-1867): L'ultimo giorno di Pompei.

Description: Pacini considered this 1825 Opera seria to be the finest production of his first, Rossinian, period but the notes make a credible argument for also seeing it as the beginning of Italian opera's coming tendency to privilege expressive immediacy to the ideal beauty of the classic Rossini operas in ways that point toward Bellini and the young Verdi. 2 CDs. Libretto and translation available on-line. Raul Gimenez, Gregory Bonfatti (tenors), Iano Tamar (soprano), Nicolas Rivenq (baritone), Bratislava Chamber Choir, Orchestra of the Teatro Bellini di Catania; Giuliano Carella.