Oratorio • Betulia liberata
Oratorio for four solo voices, chorus and orchestra
NICCOLÒ JOMMELLI • Betulia liberata – Oratorio for four solo voices, chorus and orchestra
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Riccardo Muti, Conductor
Laura Polverelli, Giuditta
Terry Wey, Ozìa
Vito Priante, Achior
Dmitry Korchak, Carmi
Philharmonia Chor Wien
Walter Zeh, Chorus Master
Orchestra Giovanile Luigi Cherubini
Vittorio Ghielmi, Continuo Viola da gamba
Marta Graziolino, Continuo Harp
Simone Gulli, Continuo Organ/Harpsichord
Pietro Metastasio’s libretto for Betulia liberata is among the most widely set oratorio texts by the Viennese court poet. Niccolò Jommelli, who was educated in Naples and worked for many years at the Württemberg court, set the libretto in 1743. Besides sacred music, Jommelli’s fame is above all based on his operas. Although he also wrote comical operas, he is mainly one of the most characteristic composers of opera seria in the mid-18th century.