Li zite 'ngalera (1999)

"Calabrian-born Leonardo Vinci (1690-1730) was a younger contemporary of Vivaldi. In a life spanning hardly 35 years, Vinci wrote copiously for the theatre, excelling in the comic sphere with intermezzos and fuller-length comedies. "Li zite ’n galera" (The Lovers on the Galley), a commedia per musica in three acts, is one of the latter, and the earliest such piece from his pen to have survived intact. The libretto by Bernardo Saddumene presents an amorous intrigue, further complicated by its predominantly Neapolitan dialect, elaborate disguises and a profusion of in-jokes. The action takes place in and around a barber’s shop in a town on the Amalfi coast. The performance is excellent, with some outstandingly accomplished contributions from the singers and notably, perhaps, from Roberta Invernizzi. A lively continuo group, consisting of harpsichord, cello and archlute, and a fairly disciplined orchestra set the seal on a splendid release. Strongly commended." (gramophone.co.uk)