Gaetano Donizetti - Il diluvio universale (Riccardo Frizza)

Information

Composer: Gaetano Donizetti

• Il diluvio universale, A. 67 (1830 Version)

Nahuel di Pierro

Enea Scala

Giuliana Gianfaldoni

Maria Elena Pepi

Coro dell'Accademia Teatro alla Scala

Orchestra Donizetti Opera

Riccardo Frizza, conductor

Date: 2025

Label: Naxos

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Il diluvio universale (‘The Great Flood’) was premiered in Naples in 1830 but is better known in the much-revised version performed four years later in Genoa and Paris. The story, loosely drawn from the Bible, concerns Noah and his family, their conflicts, and the impending catastrophe of the flood. The opera offers a stream of attractive music, powerful choruses and refined harmonies, and represents a crucial stage in Donizetti’s musical thought. This acclaimed 2023 Donizetti Festival performance, conducted by Riccardo Frizza, employs the original 1830 edition.

Riccardo Frizza (b. 1971) is a renowned conductor celebrated for his work with leading opera houses and festivals worldwide, including the Opéra de Paris, The Met, La Scala, and the Rossini Opera Festival. Known for his expertise in the Italian operatic repertoire, he has also appeared with top orchestras such as the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig and the Dresden Staatskapelle. In March 2022, he was appointed chief conductor of the Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and Choir, debuting with Mahler’s Symphony No. 2. He returned in 2023 to lead performances of works by Puccini, Debussy, Rossini, and others.