Nicola VACCAJ (1790-1848)
La sposa di Messina
Jessica Pratt • Filippo Adami • Armando Ariostini • Wakako Ono
Maurizio Lo Piccolo • Classica Chamber Choir, Brno
Virtuosi Brunensis • Antonino Fogliani

The operas of Nicola Vaccaj, renowned as a vocal teacher and still known today
for his Metodo di Canto, employ a similar bel canto style to that of his rival Bellini.
Based on a tragedy by Friedrich Schiller, the powerfully dramatic plot of La sposa di
Messina deals with the inescapable and, in this case, destructive nature of destiny.
Vaccaj’s own 1839 première was dogged by bad luck, and the subject proved too
controversial for Venetian audiences despite its numerous superb set pieces. After
one complete and one partial performance, it was not staged again until the 2009
revival heard on this live recording.

A composer of fifteen operas, Nicola Vaccaj is now virtually forgotten as a composer
though La sposa di Messina could have been “from the pen of the young Verdi
or Donizetti” according to the Belgian Opera Gazet review of this festival concert
performance. This unique revival and première recording has a very strong cast
and the performance is in the trusted hands of opera specialist Antonino Fogliani,
whose Rossini (Mose in Egitto 8.660220-21 and Otello 8.660275-76) and Donizetti
(Lucia di Lammermoor 8.660255-56) are among the evergreen staples of our opera
catalogue.