HAYDNIl ritorno di Tobia

Invernizzi � Karthäuser � Hallenberg

Dahlin � Borchev VokalEnsemble Köln � Capella Augustina

Andreas Spering

3 CDs

8.570300-02 2 2

Franz Joseph

HAYDN(1732-1809)

Il ritorno di Tobia

Oratorio in Two Parts, Hob. XXI/1 (1775/1784)Text by Giovanni Gastone Boccherini

Raffaelle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Roberta Invernizzi, Soprano

Sara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sophie Karthäuser, Soprano

Anna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ann Hallenberg, Alto

Tobia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anders J. Dahlin, Tenor

Tobit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nikolay Borchev, Bass

VokalEnsemble Köln (Chorus Master: Max Ciolek)

Capella Augustina � Andreas Spering

Recorded by Deutschlandfunk, Sendesaal des Funkhauses Köln, Germany in September 2006

A co-production with DeutschlandRadio

Producer: Wolfgang Mitlehner � Editing: Claudia Pohl

This recording was made possible by the generous support of the Kunststiftung NRW

and the Deutsche Leasing AG

CD 1 55:28

Parte prima

1 Sinfonia 6:58

2 1. Coro: 5:31Pietà d’un’infelice(Anna, Tobit, Ebrei)

3 2a. Recitativo: 5:40Né comparisce(Anna, Tobit)

4 2b. Aria: Sudò il guerriero 7:11(Anna)

5 3a. Recitativo: Deh modera il dolor 0:52(Tobit)

6 3b. Aria:Ah tu m’ascolta 4:45(Tobit)

7 4a. Recitativo: Non è quello Azaria 4:07(Anna, Raffaelle)

8 4b. Aria:Anna, m’ascolta! 7:49(Raffaelle)

9 5a. Recitativo: Che disse? 1:19(Anna)

0 5b. Aria: Ah gran Dio 7:47(Anna)

! 5c. Coro: Ah gran Dio! 3:30(Ebrei)

CD 2 58:16

1 6a. Recitativo:Sara, mia dolce sposa 0:59(Tobia, Sara)

2 6b. Aria: Quando mi dona un cenno 12:05(Tobia)

3 7a. Recitativo:Somme grazie ti rendo 0:24(Sara)

4 7b. Aria:Del caro sposo 9:42(Sara)

5 8. Recitativo:Rivelarti a Dio piacque 5:01(Raffaelle, Tobit, Sara, Anna, Tobia)

6 9. Coro: Odi le nostre voci 6:46(Ebrei, Tobia, Anna, Tobit, Sara, Raffaelle)

Parte seconda

7 10a. Recitativo: Oh della santa fé stupendi effetti! 3:19(Anna, Sara, Raffaelle)

8 10b. Aria: Come se a voi parlasse 7:33(Raffaelle)

9 11a. Recitativo: Ad Azaria nel volto 1:19(Anna, Sara)

0 11b. Aria: Non parmi esser fra gl’uomini 11:08(Sara)

8.570300-023

8.570300-02 4

CD 3 55:20

1 12a. Recitativo: Che soave parlar! 1:07(Anna, Tobia)

2 12b. Aria:Quel felice nocchier 6:52(Tobia)

3 13a. Recitativo: Giusta brama l’affretta 3:14(Anna)

4 13b. Aria: Come in sogno un stuol m’apparve 3:57(Anna)

5 13c. Coro: Svanisce in un momento 5:03(Ebrei)

6 14a. Recitativo: Ah dove corri, oh padre? 4:01(Tobia, Tobit, Raffaelle)

7 14b. Aria: Invan lo chiedi, amico 6:35(Tobit)

8 15a. Recitativo: Che fulmine improvviso! 1:59(Tobia, Anna)

9 15b. Duetto: Dunque, oh Dio 7:22(Tobia, Anna)

0 16. Recitativo: Qui di morir si parla 8:33(Sara, Anna, Tobia, Tobit, Raffaelle)

! 17. Coro: Io non oso alzar 6:36(Sara, Anna, Tobia, Tobit, Ebrei)

8.570300-025

Joseph Haydn’s place in the history of the oratorio hasbeen secured by his great vocal masterpieces TheCreation (1798) and The Seasons (1801), which are aconsiderable contribution to the genre and are wellenough known. His first appearance, however, on theMount Parnassus of oratorio a good quarter of a centurybeforehand is among the better-kept secrets of musichistory. Unlike The Creation and the almost equallypopular The Seasons, both of which are still widelyperformed nowadays, Tobia did not establish itself in therepertoire following the first performance in 1775.

Il ritorno di Tobia had a promising enough start: inApril 1775 Haydn directed the first two performances ofhis work, written for the Vienna Tonkünstler-Societät, attwo benefit concerts “for the upkeep of their widows andorphans”, which brought the society a remarkablefinancial profit of 1712 gulden together withconsiderable artistic success for the composer. On 6thApril 1775 the Viennese Realzeitung reported that inthis work, the “famous kapellmeister Hayden” had“shown the ability for which he is famous to bestadvantage once more. Expression, Nature and Art wereso skilfully finely combined throughout his work thatthe audience was compelled to enjoy and wonder at allof these. His choruses in particular glowed with a flamethat could only be compared with Handel. In short, theentire uncommonly numerous audience was delighted.”

This success was no mere accident: Haydn hadtailored his first oratorio as much as possible to suitViennese taste. At this time Vienna was, to a certainextent, the bastion of the Italian oratorio north of theAlps. Such was the extent of preference for the Italianlanguage here that performances of works, such as thoseof George Frideric Handel mentioned in the review,were not given in the original English or Germantranslation, but in Italian. An Italian libretto wastherefore indispensable, and for his subject matter,Haydn had chosen the exceptionally popular story ofblind Tobias: in the eighteenth century, the OldTestament Book of Tobias was found everywhere, inpainting, sculpture, literature and music; in Vienna alone

it had been set to music dozens of times.This story was employed for the libretto in

accordance with every rule of the classical Italiantradition by Giovanni Gastone Boccherini, who plied histrade as poet to the court theatre in Vienna; he was abrother of the famous composer for the cello, LuigiBoccherini. First and foremost Boccherini reduced thenumber of characters involved: the parents Anna andTobit (the father, originally also called ‘Tobias’, isrenamed here to distinguish him from his son) find theirplace opposite their son Tobias and his wife Sarah; theonly additional character is Tobias’s travellingcompanion Asaria, who reveals himself as theArchangel Raphael at the end of the piece. The plot isalso considerably curtailed so that the fourteen, at times,highly dramatic chapters of the extensive story of Tobiasare reduced in Boccherini’s version to his return fromabroad and the curing of his blind father. We hear aboutTobias’s journey and the numerous adventures that hehas to endure on it, as well as his joyful marriage toSarah only from retrospective accounts. Whereas thisparing down admittedly leads to a loss of dramaticopportunity, it does, however, allow for the Aristotelianprincipal of the unity of time, place and action: theparents waiting for Tobias, his return and the curing ofthe father can all, to a certain extent, be portrayed in‘real time’.

Haydn sets this model of classicism according to theform favoured at the time, whereby he allows the chorusto appear at the main points in the action as pillars withinthe framework at the beginning, in the middle, and at theend of the piece; apart from this, he uses the standardalternation of recitative and aria for the soloists for themost part. At the same time, the composer’s avoidanceof dramatic effects in the recitatives, which are mostlyaccompanied by the whole orchestra, allows greaterflexibility in their descriptions of emotional turmoil andthe forces of nature; the wide-ranging arias are of suchvirtuosity that Tobia places great demands on soloists tothis day. For the first performance Haydn brought toVienna his own singers from Prince Esterházy’s opera

Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)

Il ritorno di Tobia

8.570300-02 6 2

company, for whom he had, so to speak, tailor-made theparts to a certain extent.

It is no wonder then that the first performance was anotable success. Within a short space of time copies ofthe score were circulating throughout Europe and Haydnhimself counted the work among his most successful. Itis also no surprise, however, that as early as 1781 aplanned repeat performance in Vienna failed owing tothe subsequent change in public taste; and besides this,as it took almost three hours to perform, the work wasconsidered simply too long. The Tonkünstler-Societättherefore asked Haydn to shorten the work, somethingwhich was only practical and not uncommon in themusic profession at the time. However, when thecomposer asked for ‘tickets for a benefit concert or someother bonus payment for his trouble’ as a countermove,he was refused. When it appeared that it would not bepossible to find a soloist for the particularly demandingrôle of Anna, there was a reluctance to perform Tobiaagain, and so the fate of this work, rather too suited tothe Viennese taste of the 1770s, was sealed.

Haydn, however, was after all an experienced manof the theatre who had earned his stripes at theEsterházys’ opera house, and as such was perfectlycapable of tackling the reworking of his Tobia in view ofits difficulties. The parts of the Tonkünstler-Societät andHaydn’s autograph testify to this in a variety of ways:Haydn himself made alterations in a number of places inhis score to passages of secco recitative, which, beingaccompanied only by the continuo instrument, allow thesinger greater freedom in which to be creative. On theother hand the orchestral material contains cuts in muchof the extravagant coloratura, and also the repeatedsections in the arias. Not only did this bring about theshortening of the work deemed necessary, it alsoreduced the technical demands of the arias significantly,and so made the rôles easier to cast. It is no longerpossible to reconstruct beyond doubt when exactly andfor which performance these alterations were made.

Only for the two supplementary choruses Ah granDio! and Svanisce in un momento has it been ascertainedthat they were written particularly for a repeatperformance of Tobia in 1784. The insertion of thesemovements into the middle of the first and second parts

respectively represents a loosening up of the originalhighly formal structure and serves to break up theconstant alternation of recitative and aria; they are also amagnificent and valuable musical addition to theoratorio. This is made abundantly clear by AndreasSpering, who, while certainly abiding by the ‘originalversion’ of 1775 for his new recording of the work onprinciple, does not ignore these two gems of the choralrepertoire, but integrates them at the points Haydnintended. This gives us the opportunity to admire all thetreasures of a masterpiece of oratorio certainly forgottenduring the nineteenth century, which makes itsrediscovery in our time all the more worthwhile.

According to the wordbook for the first performance, theoratorio is set in Nineveh: “The scene of the action is theground floor hall of Tobit’s house with several doors,some leading to rooms above, others to the road.” Evenif the action is not set directly scene by scene, Il ritornodi Tobia still provides moments of striking theatricality.In matters of text setting, the Italianate oratorio of theeighteenth century followed the opera seria closely: thisbegins with the sequence of recitatives and arias andcontinues with the ways in which these formal elementsare given shape. The recitative is characterized from theoutset by dialogue and the dramatic structure imposedby the characters’ immediate reactions to one other. Thisis not even altered by the fact that repeated eventsalready bygone are brought back to life in the recitatives.

Following the sinfonia and an initial chorus ofsupplication Pietà d’un’infelice, afflitta genitrice (Havepity on an unhappy, tormented mother, No. 1), wewitness Tobit and Anna waiting longingly for the returnof their son Tobias who has gone to the town of Rages toattend to business for his blind father. Anna is in despair:Né comparisce, oh Dio! (He does not come, oh God!,No. 2a). In the simile aria Sudò il guerriero (The warriorsweats, No. 2b) she reproaches her husband, saying thatunlike the warrior, the seafarer and the farmer, thesuffering he bears by trusting in God will bring him noreward. Tobit tries to console her: Deh modera il dolor(Restrain thy grief, No. 3a). But he is not heard: becauseof his blindness, he has not noticed that his wife hasgone. In his despair, he begins to pray: Ah tu m’ascolta,

oh Dio (Hear me, oh God, No. 3b).This scene would be incomprehensible to the

listener if the librettist Giovanni Gastone Boccherini hadnot expressly written Parte (She leaves) followingAnna’s aria Sudò il guerriero. This type of remark ismore typical of opera than oratorio, and in this scene itbecomes particularly clear just how close to operaJoseph Haydn’s Il ritorno di Tobia is and how seriouslywe must take this proximity. The action of the charactersis also described in detail: we learn that blind Tobit isguided by two maidservants, and that Anna looksanxiously across the road into the distance while shewaits for her son. There she catches sight of Tobias’stravelling companion Asaria alone for the first time: Nonè quello Azaria (Is that not Asaria, No. 4a) and fears theworst: if Asaria returns alone, it can only mean thatTobias has suffered an accident. But Asaria, who is infact the Archangel Gabriel in disguise, has good news:Tobias has slain a monster in the course of his journeyalong the Tigris and married his kinswoman Sarah.What is more, Asaria prophesies that Tobias will curehis father’s blindness: Quel figlio a te sì caro (That son,so dear to thee, No. 4b). Anna is now prepared to believethis promise: Che disse? (What does he say?, No. 5a)and praises God for it: Ah gran Dio (Great God, No. 5b).The chorus that follows (No. 5c) takes up the text ofAnna’s previous aria as well as its prominent wide leaps,a musical depiction of God’s grandeur.

Haydn takes the opera as his model not only for thedialogical texture but also for the aria’s structure. Thus,Tobias’s aria Quando mi dona un cenno il labbro tuosoave (When your sweet lips hint to me, No. 6b) iswritten in a modified da capo form characteristic ofopera seria in the 1770s. There is an extantcontemporary version of this aria with virtuosoembellishments. Performance practice was thereforesimilar in opera and oratorio in that singers were able toshow their abilities in the best light. Finally, theprinciple of not writing two arias for the sameprotagonist in succession complies with the conventionsof opera. Eventually Sarah introduces herself to theaudience with her aria Del caro sposo son fra le mura (Iam in my dear husband’s house, No. 7b).

Unlike the opera seria of the time, in which the

involvement of the chorus is reserved for particularlyfestive types such as the Festa teatrale, in the Italianateoratorio both parts traditionally concluded with achorus; usually the choir also played a part in theopening scene. Besides this, the inclusion ofcontrapuntal techniques is typical of oratorio, whichHaydn makes use of in turn in the final chorus from thefirst part, Odi le nostre voci (Hear our prayer, No. 9): hesets the Hebrews’ plea Rendi a Tobit la luce, oh dellaluce Autor (Give Tobit his sight again, oh Author oflight) as a closing fugue, thereby giving voice to themany whose prayer this is.

In the second part of the oratorio we witness aconversation between Anna, Sarah and Raphael: Ohdella santa fé stupendi effetti (Oh the marvellousworkings of blessed faith, No. 10a) as well as anapocalyptic promise from the Archangel: Come se a voiparlasse un messagier del Cielo (As if to you amessenger from heaven would speak, No. 10b),illustrated with rushing figures in the accompaniment.Haydn gives emphasis to Sarah’s aria Non parmi esserfra gl’uomini (I appear not to be amongst mankind, No.11b) by its rich scoring for winds - pairs of flutes, oboes,cors anglais, bassoons and horns – accompanied for thetime being only by muted pizzicato strings. Followinganother simile aria, Tobias’s Quel felice nocchier (Thehappy boatswain, No. 12b), Haydn again takes theopportunity to display his capabilities in the immediacyof text setting in Anna’s aria Come in sogno (As in adream, No. 13b): hideous nightmares have frightenedAnna and filled her with terror; she is, however, nowable to give thanks to God. In Svanisce in un momento(In a moment disappear, No. 13c), Haydn andBoccherini depict the fading confidence of the culprit interms of a storm at sea.

There is still one major hurdle to negotiate: thecuring of Tobit by his son, which constitutes thedramatic culmination of the oratorio. After long years ofblindness, Tobit’s eyes are no longer accustomed to thedaylight, which explains why he experiences onlyburning pain at first instead of great joy: Che fulmineimprovviso (The sudden thunderbolt, No. 15a). ButAsaria has the answer: acting on his advice, Sarah ties ablack cloth round Tobit’s eyes, so that by its gradual

8.570300-027

8.570300-02 8 2

loosening, Tobit is able to adjust to the unfamiliarbrightness: Qui di morir si parla (Death is spoken ofhere, No. 16). Raphael’s mission to mankind is fulfilled.In opera, the directive “A cloud descends from heaven,it covers him, and he ascends in it” would be a cue forstage machinery. In the closing chorus, those whoremain give thanks to their God: Io non oso alzar leciglia (I dare not lift my eyes, No. 17).

Il ritorno di Tobia was performed in Vienna at theKärtnertortheater in 1775 and in 1784 at theHofburgtheater, where it was heard again in 1808conducted by Haydn’s pupil, Sigismund Neukomm.Theatres were the usual venues for oratorio in theeighteenth century, and they were a popular alternativeduring Lent when opera was not permitted in manyplaces. A theatre bill announced the event in thecustomary manner: “On this day, Tuesday 4th of April1775, in the privileged theatre next to the Kärtnerthorwill be held for the benefit of the privilegedTonkünstlergesellschaft, established for the purpose of

the upkeep of the widows and orphans of the society, agrand musical academy at which will be sung for the lasttime an oratorio for five voices by Mr Johann GastonBoccherini, poet to the Imperial Theatre Royal, called:The Return of Tobias. The music, the voices andinstruments which are estimated to consist of more than180 persons, is quite new and has been composed by MrJoseph Haydn, Kappelmeister [sic] to His SereneHighness, Prince Esterhazzy von Galantha. (…)Following the first part of the oratorio, Mr XaverMartau, known as Hamer, chamber musician to HisSerene Highness, Prince Esterhazy will be heard in anew concerto on the violoncello. The prices foradmission will be the same as those for the grandoperas.”

Annette Oppermann, Christine Siegert(Joseph Haydn-Institut Köln)

English translation: Neil Coleman

Roberta Invernizzi

Born in Milan, Roberta Invernizzi studied piano and double bass before turning tosinging, studying with Margaret Heyward. She went on to specialise in baroque andclassical repertoire and is now one of the most sought after soloists in the field of earlymusic. She has sung in many of the most important theatres in Europe and the UnitedStates, working with conductors such as Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Ton Koopman, GustavLeonhardt, Andrew Parrot, Jordi Savall, Alan Curtis, Giovanni Antonini, Fabio Biondi,Antonio Florio, Rinaldo Alessandrini and Ottavio Dantone and collaborating regularlywith ensembles such as Concentus Musicus Wien, Accademia Bizantina, Il GiardinoArmonico, Cappella de’ Turchini, Concerto Italiano, Europa Galante, La Risonanza, ISonatori della Gioiosa Marca, Archibudelli and RSTI Lugano. In 2005/2006 she sang

the rôle of Armida in Handel’s Rinaldo at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Minerva in Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria inCremona and Ottavia in L’incoronazione di Poppea in Italy with O. Dantone, Galuppi’s Olimpiade at the Teatro LaFenice with Andrea Marcon, Mozart’s C Minor Mass and Davide Penitente at the Musikverein in Vienna andStyriarte Festival with Nikolaus Harnoncourt, and Vivaldi’s La Senna Festeggiante at the Lufthansa Festival inLondon with Ivor Bolton. Recent opera performances include principal rôles in Handel’s Aci, Galatea e Polifemo atthe Salzburg Festival with Il Giardino Armonico, Cavalli’s La Statira (title rôle) at the Teatro San Carlo in Napleswith Cappella de’ Turchini, Scarlatti’s La Santissima Trinità (EMI Virgin recording) at the Théâtre des ChampsElysées in Paris and in Palermo with Europa Galante, Handel’s Trionfo del Tempo with Martin Haselböck at theSalzburg Festival, and Scarlatti’s La Vergine dei Dolori at Teatro San Carlo in Naples with Rinaldo Alessandrini.Roberta Invernizzi has made over sixty recordings with major record companies, many of which have beenrecognised by the musical press with awards such as Diapason d’Or de l’Année, Choc du Monde de la Musique,Goldberg’s Five Stars, Deutsche Schallplatten Preis and Gramophone awards. Her solo CD Dolcissimo Sospiro withAccademia Strumentale Italiana and Alberto Rasi won the renowned Midem Classical Awards 2007. She givesmaster-classes in singing at the Civica School in Milan.

Sophie Karthäuser

With the financial support of the British Council and the Belgian Foundation for Talent,soprano Sophie Karthäuser completed her studies with Noelle Barker at the GuildhallSchool of Music and Drama. In September 2003, she received the audience prize andthe third prize at the Wigmore Hall competition, one of the most important songcontests. Sophie Karthäuser has worked with ensembles such as the Academy ofAncient Music, Les Arts Florissants (William Christie), the European BaroqueOrchestra (Roy Goodman and Edward Higginbottom), Archibudelli (Anner Bylsma)and the Philharmonic Orchestra of Liège (Louis Langrée). Sophie Karthäuser also givesrecitals with her pianist Eugene Asti in places such as the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie,the Palais des Beaux Arts, the Flanders Opera and the Opéra de Lille. Sophie Karthäuser

took part in Thésée (Lully) with William Christie and the European Baroque Academy of Ambronay. At theGuildhall School she performed the rôles of Almirena in Handel’s Rinaldo and Nina in Donizetti’s Il GiovedìGrasso. After her first Barbarina at the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie, she was invited back to sing in L’enfant et lessortilèges under the direction of Marcello Viotti, in Monteverdi’s Orfeo (La Musica, Euridice, Echo) with RenéJacobs, and Zerlina in Mozart’s Don Giovanni. In 2005 she made her debut as Pamina in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte

8.570300-029

8.570300-02 10

at the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels to much acclaim. (“... La vraie reine de cette Flûte estincontestablement la Pamina, que campe la jeune soprano belge Sophie Karthäuser, jolie comme un cœur. UnePamina aux aigus lumineux, fraîche, tendre et sensible – un peu de finesse dans ce monde de brutes.” Marie-AudeRoux - Le Monde “...mais il y a beaucoup d’espoirs à fonder sur la Pamina de la jeune Belge Sophie Karthäuser,dont les aigus cristallins à la Gundula Janowitz resteront comme les rares moments de poésie d’une soirée sansmagie.” Christian Merlin - Le Figaro). In December 2000 Sophie Karthäuser made her début at the FrankfurterOper singing Papagena in Die Zauberflöte. The 2003/2004 season has been very exciting for her: she performed inPeter Grimes (2nd niece) at La Monnaie and in Bilbao, Zerlina in Don Giovanni at the Opéra de Lille and at theGrand Théâtre de Luxembourg, Eritea in Cavalli’s Eliogabalo with René Jacobs at La Monnaie and at theInnsbrucker Festwochen, Hanako in Hanjo (Hosokawa) at the Festival International d’Art Lyrique of Aix-en-Provence, Amore in the Monteverdi trilogy at the Grand Théâtre de Genève and at the Opéra de Caen with IlGiardino Armonico, Hosokawa’s Hanjo in Brussels. Her recording of Grétry arias received some very warmcomments from the international press, including a “diapason découverte” from the French magazine Diapason.She also recorded Myslivecek’s La Passione with Christoph Spering.

Ann Hallenberg

The Swedish mezzo-soprano Ann Hallenberg has appeared at opera houses such as theTeatro alla Scala Milan, Teatro Carlo Felice Genoa, Opéra National Paris, Opéra deLyon, Opéra du Rhin Strasbourg, Opernhaus Zürich, Semperoper Dresden, VlaamseOpéra Antwerp, Staatsoper Stuttgart, Komische Oper Berlin, Opéra Garnier Monaco,Opéra Montpellier, Norwegian National Opera, Royal Swedish Opera, DrottningholmTheatre Stockholm, and festivals such as Wiener Festwochen, DresdenerMusikfestspiele, Festival d’opéra baroque de Beaune, Utrecht Festival for Old Music,Tanglewood Festival, and Boston Early Music Festival. She has also appeared atconcert venues throughout Europe and North America. Ann Hallenberg has workedwith conductors such as Riccardo Muti, Christophe Rousset, Emmanuelle Haïm,

William Christie, Marc Minkowski, Andreas Spering, Christoph Spering, Philippe Herreweghe, Fabio Biondi, AlanCurtis, Ivor Bolton, Ottavio Dantone, Paul McCreesh, Alessandro De Marchi, Federico Maria Sardelli, MichaelHofstetter, Jean-Christophe Spinosi, Roy Goodman, Arnold Östman, Patrick Fournillier, Francesco Corti, Jos vanVeldhoven, Marcus Creed, and Kwame Ryan. Her repertoire includes Isabella in L’italiana in Algeri, Orfeo inGluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice, the title rôle in Gluck’s Aristeo, the title rôle in Carmen, Charlotte in Werther, Orlofskyin Dei Fledermaus, the title rôle in Vivaldi’s Juditha Triumphans, Bradamante in Vivaldi’s Orlando Furioso,Servilia in Vivaldi’s Tito Manlio, Clarice in The Love for Three Oranges, Isseo in Antonio Salieri’s EuropaRiconosciuta, and Deianira in Cavalli’s Ercole Amante. Her many Handel rôles include Dejanira in Hercules,Ruggiero and Bradamante in Alcina, the title rôle in Orlando, Tauride in Arianna, Tedata in Flavio, Cornelia inGiulio Cesare, Tirinto in Imeneo, Storgé in Jephta, Arsamene in Serse, the title rôle in Siroe, Irene in Tamerlano,Cyrus in Belshazzar, and Piacere in Il tronfo del tempo e del disinganno. Ann Hallenberg studied at the UniversityCollege of Opera in Stockholm with Kerstin Meyer and Erik Sædén, as well as with Joy Mammen in London.

Anders J. Dahlin

The young Swedish tenor Anders Dahlin studied at the Music Conservatory in Falun,at the Norwegian State Academy of Music in Oslo, and at the Royal Danish Academyof Opera. He has worked with conductors such as Christophe Rousset, Hervé Niquet,Sir John Eliot Gardiner, William Christie, Frans Brüggen, Philippe Herreweghe,Alessandro De Marchi, Adam Fischer, Robert King, Manfred Honeck, Philip Pickett,Stephen Layton, Iona Brown, Erik Eriksson, Tõnu Kaljuste, Philippe Pierlot, AndreasSpering, Christoph Spering, Eric Hull, and Roy Goodman. Engagements have takenhim to Sweden, Norway, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria,Switzerland, Holland, Belgium, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Poland, the UnitedStates, Morocco, and Japan. Anders Dahlin regularly sings with major orchestras

throughout Europe. As a concert singer he has appeared at the Tonhalle Zürich, Konzerthaus Berlin, Palais desBeaux Arts Brussels, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, De Doelen Rotterdam, Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, St John’sSmith Square London, Philharmonic Hall Liverpool, Teatro de la Maestranza Sevilla, Auditorio Zaragoza, TeatroCarventes Málaga, Palacio dela Opera La Coruña, Auditorium de Lyon, Opéra Royal Versailles, National TheatreWarsaw, Oslo Concert Hall, Berwald Hallen Stockholm, and the Danish Radio Concert Hall. He has received muchacclaim as the Evangelist in Bach’s Passions, as the tenor soloist in Britten’s Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings,and in French baroque music. He has also had enormous success with a programme with songs by Dowland andMonteverdi. His opera engagements have included the title rôle in Rameau’s Zoroastre in Amsterdam as well as atDrottningholm Theatre in Stockholm, Atis in Rameau’s Les Paladins on tour in Europe, Oberon, The Chinese manand Phoebus in Purcell’s The Fairy Queen in Bilbao, Málaga and Salamanca, Coridon and Un Insulaire in Lully’sRoland at the opera in Lausanne as well as in concerts in Amsterdam, Brussels, and Montpellier, the Nurse inL’incoronazione di Poppea in Toulouse, Un Habitant and Un Plaisir in Henry Desmarest’s Venus et Adonis at theOpéra de Nancy, Lucano and First Soldier in L’incoronazione di Poppea at the Opéra de Lyon, the title rôle inRameau’s Platée at Oper Kiel, Carlos and Tacmas in Rameau’s Les indes galantes in Holland and Italy, CorinthienI, Captif de l’Amour III and un Démon in Charpentier’s Médée in Metz, Lyon, Versailles, and Rouen, TomWingfield in Antonio Bibalo’s opera The Glass Menagerie at the Norwegian National Opera, and Abel in the worldpremière of Henrik Hellstenius’ opera Sera with Opera West, Bergen.

Nikolay Borchev

The Russian baritone Nikolay Borchev was born in 1980. His musical education startedat the age of seven at the Music Academy of Moscow with piano, flute, and organ. Atthe age of sixteen he started to train his voice at Moscow’s Tchaikovsky Conservatory,continuing at the Hanns Eisler Hochschule für Musik in Berlin. He took part in severalmaster-classes, and was first prize-winner at the international 1998 Moscow Bella VoceSinging Competition, taking second prize at the Sylvia Geszty International SingingCompetition in 2002 in Murcia, with other prizes from the Hanns EislerMusikhochschule, DAAD and the 2005 Festival Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. He hasappeared with the Moscow Ave Maria Vocal Ensemble in Austria, Belgium, France,Germany, Latvia, Luxembourg, and Russia. Nikolay Borchev’s concert repertoire

includes C.P.E. Bach’s Magnificat, J.S. Bach’s St John Passion, Magnificat, St Matthew Passion, and ChristmasOratorio, Beethoven’s C Major Mass, Brahms’s Ein deutsches Requiem, Fauré’s Requiem, Handel’s Alexander’s

8.570300-0211

8.570300-02

Feast and Dettinger Te Deum, Haydn’s The Seasons, Mahler’s Des Knaben Wunderhorn, Mendelssohn’s Elijahand Paulus, Pärt’s Passio Domini nostri Jesu Christi secundum Johannem, Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle, andSaint-Saëns’ Oratorio de Noël. His recital repertoire includes Beethoven’s An die ferne Geliebte, Mahler’s Liedereines fahrenden Gesellen, Ravel’s Don Quichotte à Dulcinée, Shostakovich’s Spanish Songs, Schubert’s Dieschöne Müllerin, Die Winterreise, Schwanengesang, Schumann’s Dichterliebe and Liederkreis, and Wolf’s ItalianSongbook. On stage Nikolay Borchev has sung Belcore in L’elisir d’amore, Malatesta in Don Pasquale, Guglielmoin Così fan tutte, the title rôle in Don Giovanni, Count Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro, Papageno in DieZauberflöte, Dandini in La cenerentola, Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Taddeo in L’italiana in Algeri, the titlerôle in Eugene Onegin, and Elezkiy in Pique Dame. Since the season 2004/05 Nikolay Borchev has been a memberof the Bavarian State Opera in Munich. He has performed with the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, FreiburgerBarockorchester, London Mozart Players at the Festwochen für Alte Musik in Innsburck, Brühler Schlosskonzerte,Festspiele-Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Göttinger Händel-Festspiele, Salzburger Pfingstfestspiele, and worked withconductors such as Ivor Bolton, Fabio Luisi, René Jacobs, Zubin Mehta, Kent Nagano, Andreas Spering, andMarcello Viotti.

VokalEnsemble Köln

The VokalEnsemble Köln has made a number of recordings and television appearances, working with conductorssuch as Patrick Davin, Michael Schneider and Reinhard Goebel. The ensemble was founded in 1997 by Max Ciolekand has performed at festivals in Spain, Hanover, Brühl and Bonn, making its début at the Cologne Philharmonicin a millennium concert. Its world première recording of Johann Christian Bach’s opera L’Endimione under BrunoWeil was awarded the Echo 2000 Classical Prize of the German Phonoakademie. There has been a particularlyfruitful collaboration with Andreas Spering, under whom recordings have been made of Handel’s opera Imeneo,Haydn’s cantatas for the Esterházys and, for Naxos, Haydn’s Creation (8.557380-81), acclaimed as 2006 CD of theYear by the Classical Internet Award. They have also recorded the opera Andromeda und Perseus under ReinhardGoebel.

Max Ciolek

The founder and director of the VokalEnsemble Köln, Max Ciolek, studied church music and is today a tenor ofinternational repute. He has sung in almost all European countries, in the United States, China and Morocco, andat the Leipzig Gewandhaus and Amsterdam Concertgebouw. He is a frequent guest at international festivals andhas drawn encouragement and inspiration in his work as a singer and choral conductor through collaboration withconductors such as Ton Koopman, Philippe Herreweghe, Hermann Max, Sigiswald Kuijken, Thomas Hengelbrockand Peter Neumann.

12

Capella Augustina

The Capella Augustina, the orchestra of the Brühler Schloss Concerts, was founded in 1996 by Andreas Spering,who has remained closely associated with these musicians, who have served as members of other well knownensembles. With a repertoire ranging from the Baroque to the twentieth century, they pay considerable attention tocorrect historical performance practice and to the relevant instrumentation. Baroque opera and oratorio of the Viennaclassical period form an important element in the work of the Capella Augustina, reflected in recordings such as thatof Handel’s Imeneo in 2003 and Haydn’s Creation. In 2005 the ensemble recorded the two orchestral Serenades ofBrahms. In 2006 the Capella Augustina collaborated in performances of Haydn’s marionette opera Die Feuersbrunstat the Potsdam Festival, followed by Handel’s oratorio Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno at the Lower SaxonyFestival.

8.570300-0213

Andreas Spering

The German conductor Andreas Spering is among the leading specialists in earlymusic. He was strongly influenced by his studies with Gerd Zacher in Essen, and hisposition as harpsichordist with Musica Antiqua Köln and Reinhard Goebel from 1990to 1994. Since 1996 he has served as artistic director of the Brühl Castle Concerts aswell as with the Capella Augustina, which he founded. Joseph Haydn holds animportant place in the summer concerts, establishing the first and only festival inGermany dedicated exclusively to that composer. As an opera conductor Spering hasundertaken guest engagements in Essen, Berne, Kiel and Potsdam. In Gothenburg heconducted Mozart’s Entführung aus dem Serail and Beethoven’s Fidelio, at the opera-houses in Antwerp and Ghent Handel’s Rinaldo and Mozart’s Don Giovanni, and at the

Leipzig Opera Mozart’s Mass in C minor. In 1999 he was appointed Music Director of the Handel Festival at theBaden State Theatre in Karlsruhe, where he has conducted Scarlatti’s Il trionfo dell’onore, many other Handeloperas, and in 2004 a highly acclaimed new discovery, Reinhard Keiser’s opera Octavia. In the concert hall AndreasSpering has appeared as a guest conductor with the radio orchestras in Hanover, Leipzig, Munich and Kaiserslauten,as well as with the West German Radio Symphony Orchestra. Other guest engagements have taken him to thesymphony orchestras of Lahti, Stavanger, Antwerp, Winterthur, Frankfurt/Oder and Osnabrück, as well as to theBasle Chamber Orchestra and the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra. His recordings include Handel’s Siroe and Imeneo,as well as the world première recording of Reichardt’s Erwin und Elmire. In 2005 he recorded for Naxos aninternationally acclaimed release of Haydn’s The Creation (8.557380-81), and other recordings include a group ofearly Haydn cantatas and the two Serenades of Brahms.

8.570300-02

IL RITORNO DI TOBIA

CD 1

1 Sinfonia

Parte prima

2 1. Coro (Tobit, Anna e Coro d’Ebrei.)Anna, Tobit, EbreiPietà d’un’infelice,Afflitta genitrice,Pietà d’un padre misero,Oh Padre d’Israel!Ritorni omai Tobia,Salvo Tobia ritorni:Cessin del pianto i giorni,Oh sommo Re del Ciel.

EbreiCalma e perdona i palpitiD’un cor materno e debole;Premia la speme intrepidaD’un genitor fedel.

3 2a. RecitativoAnnaNé comparisce, oh Dio! (Osserva per la via di campagna.)Oh Dio, Tobit, il lusingarsi è vano. (Tornando a Tobit.)Il caro figlio, il nostro Amabile Tobia, dolce sostegno Di nostra etade, ed unico conforto Di nostra schiavitù, misero, è morto! (Piange.)

TobitAnna, consorte, ah credi a me, non piangere;(Scende, e s’avanza sempre guidato da due servi.)Non tormentar te stessa Con ingiusto timore. Il figlio vive, E starà poco assente;Credil come l’avessi omai presente.

AnnaChi sa, s’ei giunto in Raghida Gabael ricuperò quell’oro,che a richieder mandasti?

TobitIo non ne temo.

AnnaTu nulla temi; eppur da che sperai Veder tornar Tobia, tornò l’aurora Quindici volte, ed ei non riede ancora!Vuoi di sinistri eventi Certezza più funesta?

TobitForse il figlio soggiorna in gioia e in festa.

AnnaE creder puoi...

TobitSognai, che Sara, figlia Di Raguel mio cugino,Per celeste consiglio Ad onta d’Asmodeo sposò mio figlio.

AnnaOh vani sogni! Quello spirto immondo Sai pur che uccide quanti sposi a Sara Ardiscano accostarsi?Or sì, che morto piangerei Tobia,Se amante sconsigliatoA Sara dato avesse incauta fede.

TobitA lui s’appartenea d’esserne erede.

AnnaErede d’una sposa Che in dote arreca morte?

TobitTaci, amata consorte...

14

8.570300-0215

AnnaTaci tu co’ tuoi sogni e le tue vane Mal fondate speranze. Il figlio estinto Lasciami lacrimar. Tu lo volesti Allontanare a mio dispetto, ed ora Vorresti anche ingannare il cor materno?Ah parla chiaro il mio dolore interno.

TobitEppur...

AnnaFolle, perdesti Per soverchia pietà degl’insepolitiLa luce de’ tuoi lumi;Forse invidiavi a me la dolce vistaD’un tal figlio?

TobitMa...

AnnaTorna Col rischio della vitaA seppellir gli estinti e a dargli tombaInvece di cibarti. Un’altra volta Ninive, anzi l’Assiria Ti pagherà di scherni. E dove sono L’elemosine tue? Le tue bell’opre, Quando mai ti fruttaro,Se non un frutto acerbo, aspro ed amaro?

4 2b. AriaSudò il guerriero, Ma gloria ottenne;Tremò il nocchiero, Ma s’arricchì.Geme talora L’agricoltore;Ma lo ristora La messe un dì.Tu passi gl’anni Fra pene e pianti,E sono i danni

La tua mercé.Chiaro si vede Che fra’ tuoi vantiUn vero merito Giammai non c’è.(Parte.)

5 3a. RecitativoTobitDeh modera il dolor; non contristarmiCon rimproveri falsi ed ira insana.Alfine il caro figlio Gl’occhi tuoi rivedranno. Al grand’Iddio Grazie ne renderai con somma lode.Anna, sentimi almeno! Anna non m’ode.

6 3b. AriaAh tu m’ascolta, oh Dio,E in questo mio CordoglioDal tuo supremo soglioVolgi uno sguardo a me.Io t’amo, e credo, e spero In te, gran Dio Verace.Deh mostra, se ti piace,Che invan non spero in te.(Parte.)

7 4a. Recitativo (Anna e poi Raffaelle.)AnnaNon è quello Azaria, l’uom mercenario,(Osservando verso la campagna d’onde viene Raffaelle.)Compagno eletto di Tobia? Gran Dio! Solo ritorna. Oh mio Troppo giusto timore! Io manco... Ah tempo È questo di costanza. Uniamo al core Tutta di mia virtù la forza estrema.Udiam da forte... Oh come il cor mi trema!

Raffaelle (detto Azaria)Anna...

AnnaUccidimi alfin. Che fu del figlio?Parla, t’affretta. Ah no. Taci, Azaria, Taci se dir mi vuoi: morto è Tobia.

RaffaelleGiunti che fummo al Tigri,Ei s’immerse nell’onda;Ed ecco un mostro algoso in aspre guise Gli s’avventò...

AnnaLo divorò, l’uccise?

RaffaelleNo. Spaventollo solo. Io lo difesi,E a pugnar l’eccitai, vincer gli appresi:Tal ché inesperto giovinetto imbelle Del ceto trionfò, lo trasse a terra, E sviscerollo ancor.

AnnaRespiro.

RaffaelleE giunto Tuo figlio in Ecbatana,Inspirato da Dio, chiese ed ottenne La figlia di Raguel.

AnnaCiel! Vide in sogno Tobit il vero! E non son morti a SaraNel momento primiero Degli sponsali sette sposi?

RaffaelleÈ vero. Ma per ragione di retaggio ardito,non temendo Tobia restare afflitto...

AnnaAh fu l’ottavo a rimaner trafitto?

RaffaelleNo. Per consiglio mio la fatal notteA pie’ del nuzial letto arse quel core Del mostro ucciso, e colla sposa orando Asmodeo lo trovò: L’odore, il fumo Lo sbigottì; confuso De’ sacri carmi al suon fuggì deluso.

AnnaOh Dio benigno! E il figlio?

RaffaelleGià torna colla sposa; io lo prevenni Accelerando i passi.

AnnaAndiamo... Ah sento L’eccesso del contentoChe mi trae fuor di me. Tobia voliamo Ad incontrar. No, vanne, Cerca Tobit, il venerabil cieco Guida sull’orme mie. Correr vorrei Al figlio ed al consorte in una volta;E di piacer mi perdo.

Raffaelle8 Anna, m’ascolta!

4b. AriaQuel figlio a te sì caro,Che alfine il Ciel ti rende,Al padre, che l’attende,La vista renderà.Sarà ministro il figlio Dell’opra portentosa,E la sua man pietosaL’opra compir saprà. (Parte.)

9 5a. RecitativoAnnaChe disse? Il figlio mio del cieco padre Monderà le pupille?L’opra tentata invan dalle più dotte

8.570300-02 16

Mediche mani ei compirà? Mio Dio! Sì, crederlo vogl’io. Troppo mi pento Di mia debol fiducia e de’ rinfacci, Onde il cor punsi del consorte. A lui Ne chiederò perdono; a te, buon Dio, Lo chiedo intanto, e dal tuo amor lo spero.Increato Fattor, se d’un tal figlioMi riconcedi il dono,Allor che degna io sono De’ castighi più fieri,Quando di tua pietà fia ch’io disperi?

0 5b. AriaAh gran Dio, se un core ingratoCome il mio rendi felice:Quai contenti sperar liceAd un’anima innocenteDalla tua benignità?Sol Tu sei quello che sei:Vero, grande, onnipotente,E non ponno i labbri mieiEsplicar la tua bontà. (Parte per la via di campagna.)

! 5c. CoroAh gran Dio!Sol Tu sei quello che sei:Vero, grande, onnipotente,E non ponno i labbri mieiEsplicar la tua bontà.

CD 2

1 6a. Recitativo(Sara e Tobia da altro lato.)TobiaSara, mia dolce sposa, eccoti alfine Nel mio paterno albergo.

SaraE dov’è il padre?Dov’è la madre tua?

TobiaForse Azaria Per il calle comune a noi gli affretta,E la scelta da me più corta viaGli allontanò da noi.

SaraCaro Tobia, Riedi, cercagli intorno, impaziente Al par di te son io d’essergli al piede.

TobiaMia degna sposa, in ubbidirti io sentoIl contento maggior d’ogni contento.

2 6b. AriaQuando mi dona un cennoIl labbro tuo soaveSpira virtude e senno,Grazia, dolcezza e amor.Mi forza con diletto A compiacerti amando,E mostra un tuo comando,Quant’hai gentile il cor. (Parte per la via di campagna.)

3 7a. RecitativoSaraSomme grazie ti rendo,Padre del padre Adam. Tu prosperasti Il mio viaggio, ancora Piacciati prosperar la mia dimora.

4 7b. AriaDel caro sposoSon fra le mura,E m’assicuraLa sua virtù.Ma in te ripongo, Mio Dio, la speme,Che d’ogni bene Fonte sei Tu. In atto di partire.

8.570300-0217

8.570300-02

5 8. Recitativo(Raffaelle e Tobit, Sara e poi Anna conducendo Tobia.)RaffaelleRivelarti a Dio piacque il ver nel sonno. (A Tobit.)

TobitE acquisteran le mie pupille il lumePer mano di Tobia?

RaffaelleNon dubitarne.

Sara (da sé)Quello è Tobit!

RaffaelleTobit, è a te presenteLa sposa del tuo figlio.

TobitAmabil padre Del mio sposo adorato, accetta i primi, Ch’a’ tuoi piedi offerisco,Di rispettoso amor sinceri omaggi.(S’inginocchia, e bacia la mano a Tobit.)Sia benedetto Dio, che a noi ti guidae ti protegge, oh Sara.

RaffaelleEcco TobiaFra gl’amplessi materni.

AnnaAh venga, o figlio,Venga pur la mia morte; io vissi assai Or che ti rimirai.

TobiaMadre amorosa,Quella al pie’ di Tobit è la mia sposa;Lascia ch’io pur imprima i dolci baci Di riverente affettoSulla paterna man.

(Lascia Anna e va ad inginocchiarsi a Tobit.)

TobitFiglio diletto, Sara gentil, venite...

AnnaA’ piedi tuoi (S’inginocchia anch’essa a Tobit.)Vengo a prostrarmi anch’io, saggio consorte.Oh quanto a torto io t’oltraggiai! PerdonaI miei ciechi trasporti.

TobiaAh genitor... (Stringendoli la mano.)

AnnaTobit... (Come sopra.)

SaraSuocero amato... (Come sopra.)

TobitNuora... figlio... consorte... Ah qual mi toglieSpettacolo di gioia e tenerezza Il mio crudel destin! Sorgete almeno, E stringetevi tutti a questo seno.(Tutti s’alzano ed abbracciano Tobit.)

TobiaSì, ti conforta, o genitor. La cara Luce degl’occhi tuoi renderti io spero.

TobitFiglio, mio caro figlio, e sarà vero?

TobiaVieni, si effettui l’opra.(In atto di condurre via Tobit.)

18

AnnaFiglio, la tua stanchezza e la tua sposaChiede riposo e cibo.

TobiaII dolce ufficio Prima compir desio. Con preci e voti Imploriamo devotiL’assistenza del Cielo in tal periglio.

TobitDi degno figlio mio degno consiglio.

6 9. CoroEbreiOdi le nostre voci,Tu che dai legge ai fatiFra’ cherubini alati, In trono di splendor.

TobiaSe il tuo voler beneficoL’opra a tentar m’induce:Rendi a Tobit la luce,Oh della luce Autor.

EbreiRendi a Tobit la luce,Oh della luce Autor.

AnnaNon temeraria supplicaÈ il chiederti un prodigio;E dov’è un tuo vestigioSenza un prodigio ancor?

EbreiRendi a Tobit la luce,Oh della luce Autor.

TobitOh Tu, che il sole illuminiE fai rifulger gli astri,Dà fine a’ miei disastri,Dà fine al mio dolor.

EbreiRendi a Tobit la luce Oh della luce Autor.

SaraDa chi sperar potrebbesi,Se non dalla tua mano,Un atto sovrumano,Un’opra di stupor?

EbreiRendi a Tobit la luce Oh della luce Autor.

RaffaellePer te il superbo SatanaIn tenebre arde e freme;Ma un uom, che t’ama e teme,Non viva in fosco orror.

EbreiMira le calde lagrimeChe il popol tuo produce.Rendi a Tobit la luce Oh della luce Autor. (Partono.)

Parte seconda

7 10a. Recitativo(Anna, Sara e Raffaelle.)AnnaOh della santa fé stupendi effetti!Già ferma speme inonda Ogn’alma ed ogni core. I fidi Ebrei Attendon lieti a questo albergo intornoVeder con franco pié correr veloceSenza scorta Tobit.

SaraMa intanto sono Dileggiati e schernitiDagl’increduli ed empi Niniviti.

8.570300-0219

8.570300-02

RaffaelleIl portento imminente Confonderà gl’infidi; e in gloria e gioia Dio cangerà gli scherni,Ch’or soffre il popol suo.

AnnaMa dov’è il figlio?

RaffaelleDe’ suoi cammelli a disgravare il dorso,E mezzi all’opra ad apprestar.

AnnaMa dimmi: Chi mai ti suggerì sì gran consiglio?Chi te ne apprese i modi?

RaffaellePiù non cercar. Ti basti, Che Tobit ti vedrà cogli occhi suoi:Che il consiglio è di Dio, che i modi io detto Inspirato da Dio, che a darvi parte Di sua beneficenza Iddio mi elesse.E Dio non manca mai le sue promesse.

8 10b. AriaCome se a voi parlasseUn messagier del Cielo:Credete a quel ch’io svelo,Tremate al mio parlar.Un dì, sanguigna e torbidaCintia risplenderà,E Febo in nere tenebreI raggi avvolgerà:Cadran le stelle fulgide,E agli astri ed alle sfereIl Cielo mancherà,Mancherà il suolo agl’uomini,Mancheran l’onde al mar;Ma le parole vereDel sommo Dio veridicoMai non potran mancar.

9 11a. Recitativo (Anna e Sara.)AnnaAd Azaria nel volto Rifulge un tal seren; tal suon celeste Hanno gli accenti suoi, che, mentre parla, È forza prestar fedePerfino a quel, ch’ogni credenza eccede.

SaraMa da chi nacque un uom sì giusto e saggioE da Dio favorito?

AnnaEi d’esser vanta Progenie d’Anania,German del mio consorte.

SaraAbbiam comune La stirpe e la tribù.

AnnaTobia lo scelse Pel cammin della MediaSuo compagno e sua guida;E sceglier non potea scorta più fida.

SaraSuocera, è vero. Io non discerno in questa Fortunata famiglia,Chi più splenda in virtù. Del pari ammiro I pregi d’AnaniaE d’Anna e di Tobit e di Tobia.

0 11b. AriaNon parmi esser fra gl’uominiDella tribù di Neftali;Mi sembra esser fra gl’angioliDella magion del Ciel.Ah, se fra voi mi licePassar la vita mia:Son io la più feliceDel popol d’Israel.(Parte.)

20

CD 3

1 12a. Recitativo(Anna e Tobia.)AnnaChe soave parlar! Io non sapreiAl figlio desiar più degna sposa.

TobiaAh cara madre, osserva: è questo il fieleDello squamoso mostro Che sviscerai nel Tigri:Deggio spremerne il succo Negli occhi al genitor. Dove rimane?

AnnaAi miseri or dispensa argento e pane.

TobiaAddio.(In atto di partire.)

AnnaDove?

TobiaA Tobit. Io non ho pace, Se non compisco l’opra,Che da me attende il popolo d’intorno,Degl’infedeli a scorno,E per gloria e trionfoDel nostro Dio clemente ed immortale.Ah, la tardanza esser potria fatale.

2 12b. AriaQuel felice nocchier, che da lungiScorge il porto bramato e compianto:Si conforti; ma pensi, che intantoVede il porto, ma in porto non è.Se allor pigro di più non s’affanna,L’aura altrove trasporta il naviglio,E gl’invola con nuovo periglioDe’ perigli la dolce mercé.

3 13a. RecitativoAnnaGiusta brama l’affretta; e voglio anch’ioAl delicato ufficio esser presente.Una moglie assistente Forse giovar potrà... Ma qual m’ingombra Tetro pensiero! Ah fuggi, Fuggi dalla mia mente! In quale, oh Dio,Profondo orrido abissoDi confusion, di duolo e di rossoreCadrebbe ognun che t’ama,Se l’opra invano si tentasse! Ah troppo, Troppo n’andria giocondo e baldanzoso Il popol infedele!Giusto Dio d’Israele, Non ci umiliar così; per gloria tua Fa trionfar la speme, Che fu tuo don. Ti sento, ah sì, ti sento, Benignissimo Dio: mi parli al core, E dolcemente dici:No, non trionferanno i miei nemici.

4 13b. AriaCome in sogno un stuol m’apparveD’ombre, spettri, mostri e larve;E all’aspetto di terroreIl mio coreInorridì.Ma disparve In un momentoL’atro stuolo e lo spavento:Più non temo, e non vaneggio,Chiari veggioI rai del dì. (Parte.)

5 13c. CoroSvanisce in un momentoDei malfattor la spemeCome il furor del vento,Come tempesta in mar.De’ giusti la speranzaNon cangia mai sembianza,Costante ognor si fa;

8.570300-028 21

8.570300-02

Ed è lo stesso IddioLa lor tranquillità.

6 14a. Recitativo(Tobit fuggendo da Tobia, e Tobia lo seguita.)TobiaAh dove corri, oh padre? Almen paventa Qualche mortale inciampo.

TobitNon più, Tobia! Non seguitarmi! È vana La cura tua: più sopportar non posso L’aspro ardente dolor, che mi trapassa Penetrando pungenteDalle pupille al cor quel sugo amaro.

TobiaAh genitore, una sol goccia ancoraSoffri ch’io stilli ne’ tuoi lumi.

TobitÈ questo Troppo acerbo dolor. Lasciami, o figlio,Lasciami viver cieco. Ah se persisti Nel soverchio desio di risanarmi,Di duol m’ucciderai.

Tobia (da sé)Misero! Che farò?

(Raffaelle e detti.)

RaffaelleTobia, che fai?Guarda di compir l’opra. Io ti sostengo Il genitor; ma tempo È di fortezza e zelo,Non di pietà, né di timor. (Regge il capo a Tobit.)

TobiaCoraggio (Spreme il fiele negli occhi a Tobit.)

Tu me l’inspiri. (A Raffaelle.)

TobitOh Dio! Che pena! Oh Dio! Che insoffribil martir!

RaffaelleCaddero i panni.

TobiaPadre, libero sei: fine agli affanni.

TobitCome?

RaffaelleSchiudi le ciglia.

Tobia (da sé)Io sono in porto.

TobitStelle! Che foco! Eterno Dio, son morto!(Apre gli occhi, gli richiude e cade.)

RaffaelleTobit! (Sostenendolo.)

TobiaOh Ciel! Che avvenne?

TobitAppena monde Le mie pupille, il sol di più funesta Cecitade ferì!

RaffaelleDel primo raggio T’abbaglia lo splendore.

22

TobiaUn’altra volta Disserra il ciglio.

TobitAhi! Quante spine acceseMi trafiggono! Oh Dio! (Apre gli occhi e gli richiude.)Incapace son ioDi tollerare il dì.

RaffaelleTenta.

TobiaRiprova.

TobitNon lo sperate più; prima vorrei Mille volte morir, che un altro istante Soffrire il lampo del diurno lume.

RaffaelleMa l’antico costumeA poco a poco racquistar dovrai.

TobiaSchiudi, oh padre, i tuoi lumi.

RaffaelleApri i tuoi rai.

7 14b. AriaTobitInvan lo chiedi, amico,Invan lo speri, o figlio;Io pria d’aprire il ciglioCostante morirò.Aborro i rai del giorno,Amo le mie tenebre;Già schiuder le palpebreE viver non potrò. (Parte seguito da Raffaelle.)

8 15a. Recitativo (Tobia ed Anna.)TobiaChe fulmine improvviso! Il colpo (oh Dio!)Il misero cor mio non attendea!

Anna (da sé)Perché piange Tobia?

TobiaMia genitrice, Sono un figlio infelice: odio la vita.

AnnaL’opra tentasti invan?

TobiaL’opra ho compita.Vidi cadere al suolo Da’ rai del genitor gl’immondi panni; Ma de’ raggi di FeboAl primiero abbagliar richiuse i lumi,E ritentato invano Di resistere al dì, fu l’uomo invitto Vinto dal suo dolore; e omai contento Delle tenebre sue, sdegna ogni cura: Ricusa il giorno, e reso Incapace a soffrirlo, Lo disprezza, l’aborre, Ed a voler morir pria si riduce,Che a ritentar di tolerar la luce.

AnnaOh novella funesta!

TobiaRimasi anch’io sol di tremar capace.

AnnaAh di Ninive audace Il popolo dirà, che noi sedotti Da folle speme e temeraria fedeAbbiam Tobit ridotto In cecità più ria.

8.570300-026 23

8.570300-02

TobiaChe trambusto fatal!

AnnaChe fier tormento!TobiaMi sento inorridir!

AnnaMorir mi sento!

9 15b. DuettoTobiaDunque, oh Dio, quando speraiDi provar le gioie estreme:È perduta ogni mia speme,E schernita è la mia fé!

AnnaDunque, oh Dio, de’ nostri laiGl’infedeli esulteranno,E confusi rimarrannoQuanti, oh Dio, fidaro in te!

TobiaOh, che orror!

AnnaChe duol...

TobiaChe affanno...

Anna, TobiaImpossibile a soffrir!

TobiaPiangi, ah madre!

AnnaAh piangi, oh figlio!

TobiaN’hai ragione.

AnnaÈ giusto il pianto.

Anna, TobiaIo son pronta/o a pianger tanto,Che si plachi Iddio sdegnato.Oh, si versi dal mio ciglio,L’alma mia disciolta in pianto.Ah sarà mia gran ventura,Se di duolo avvien ch’io moiaQuel momento, che di gioiaDubitai dover morir.

0 16. Recitativo (Sara e detti.)SaraQui di morir si parla, e tutto esulta Il popol d’Israel.

AnnaPerché?

TobiaChe dici?

SaraAll’afflitto Tobit, che pria l’ardente Foco sofferto avria del dì lucente,Per cenno d’Azaria D’un nero velo ricopersi il volto,Ed a’ miei prieghi i lumi aprì: sofferse La tenebrosa luce,Che traspirar potea del denso drappo:Io le bende alternai più rade ognora:E più copia di lume ognor sofferse.Alfine al par di noi tutto del soleGode il favor. Già corre, E alle turbe d’Assiria ed alle EbreeL’alta pietà del sommo Dio confessa.

AnnaOh meraviglia!

TobiaOh gaudio!

24

8.570300-0225

SaraEgli s’appressa.(Tobit correndo franco ad occhi aperti e detti; Corod’Ebrei lo seguita.)

TobitGloria al divin Benefattor! Consorte, Pur ti riveggo alfine!

AnnaOh contentezza!

TobitAnna, la tua bellezza Non sofferse in ott’anni oltraggio alcuno.

AnnaGuarda, qual crebbe... (Accennando Tobia.)

TobitAh figlio, a te degg’io Ed alla sposa tua sì dolce vista;Ma negar non poss’io parte maggioreDel merto ad Azaria: premiarlo bramo.Dimmi or qual premio...

TobiaAh padre, Donagli ancor quanto possiedi; ah mai, Mai donargli potrai Quant’egli meritò. Deggio a quest’uomo Io due volte la vita.

SaraIo deggio a lui L’onor di viver moglie.

AnnaAh, noi dobbiamo Tutto a lui solo.

TobiaEi viene.

TobitOlà, recate Parte ugual del tesor giunto col figlio E i miei più ricchi arredi.(Agli Ebrei che partono e tornano un bacili d’oroscrigni e vasi preziosi.)

(Raffaelle e detti.)

RaffaelleA chieder vengo Congedo e libertà.

TobitL’opere tue Esigono di più. Tutti presenti Abbiam gl’obblighi nostri; e la mercede A te promessa è pronta; e quello è l’oro, Ch’io ti destino in dono; e se, di quanto In mio poter rimiri, altro t’aggrada,Prendilo. Ognun di noi grato per usoT’offre tutto che vuoi.

RaffaelleTutto ricuso.

TobitPerché?

RaffaelleMortal non son.

AnnaMa chi sei?

RaffaelleRaffaelle son io, l’un di quei sette Angioli eletti a presentare a Dio Le più sante richieste.

8.570300-02

Sara, Anna, Tobia, TobitAh, perdono, pietà, guerrier celeste!(S’inginochiano e si coprono il volto.)

RaffaelleNon paventate, udite: Innanzi al trono Del Re de’ Regi, esposi a un tempo istessoI vostri giusti prieghi: e l’infinita Bontà scender m’imposeA difender Tobia, A concedergli Sara, e a render l’uso A’ lumi di Tobit. Addio! Seguite Fidi a servir l’eterno Ben; voi siete I cari figli suoi: soffrite in pace La dura prigionia; tornate pronti A soggiornar col pio Raguel. Lontana L’ora non è, che Ninive superba Sovvertita sarà; ma i vostri degni Pronipoti vedranno D’oro lucente e di preziose gemmeRifabbricata un dì Gerusalemme.(Scende una nuvola dal Ciel della compagna: loricopre, e lo trasporta in alto.)

! 17. CoroEbreiIo non oso alzar le cigliaNell’angeliche sembianze.(Alzandosi a poco a poco.)

TobitOh stupore!

AnnaOh meraviglia!

Sara, TobiaEi qual nube al Ciel sen va.

EbreiDecantiam quel Dio pastore,Che con noi, sua gregge elettaNon fu Dio della vendetta,Ma fu Dio della pietà.E seguiam quai vere agnelleUmilmente il santo amore;Otterem gloria maggioreE maggior felicità.

26

8.554416

Also available

8.557958

8.570300-022 27

8.570300-02 28

8.557380-81

Also available

8.557600-01

Franz Joseph

HAYDN(1732-1809)

Il ritorno di TobiaOratorio in Two Parts, Hob. XXI/1 (1775/1784)

Although Haydn’s place in the history of the oratorio has been secured by his great vocal masterpiecesThe Creation (Naxos 8.557380-81) and The Seasons (8.557600-01), his first oratorio, Il ritorno di Tobia(The Return of Tobias), is among the better-kept secrets of music history. The Italian libretto dealswith the return of Tobias and the curing of his blind father, an exceptionally popular story ineighteenth century Vienna. With its vivid portrayal of the protagonists’ emotional turmoil, achievedlargely through wide-ranging arias of great virtuosity, Il ritorno di Tobia is a work of considerablebeauty and dramatic impact. This recording includes the two magnificent choruses Ah gran Dio! andSvanisce in un momento written for a performance of Tobia in 1784.

A full track list can be found on pages 3 and 4 of the bookletRecorded by Deutschlandfunk, Sendesaal des Funkhauses Köln, Germany in September 2006

A co-production with DeutschlandRadio � Producer: Wolfgang Mitlehner � Editing: Claudia PohlThis recording was made possible by the generous support of the Kunststiftung NRW

and the Deutsche Leasing AGCover image: The young Tobias heals his blind father by Harmensz van Rijn Rembrandt (1606-1669)

(akg-images / Erich Lessing)

DDD

�&

�2007 N

axos Rights International L

td.B

ooklet notes and synopsis in English

Italian libretto includedM

ade in Canada

ww

w.n

axos.co

mPlaying Time

2:49:04

8.570300-02

VokalEnsemble Köln [Chorus Master: Max Ciolek]

Capella Augustina � Andreas Spering

Raffaelle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Roberta Invernizzi, SopranoSara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sophie Karthäuser, SopranoAnna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ann Hallenberg, AltoTobia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anders J. Dahlin, TenorTobit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nikolay Borchev, Bass

HA

YD

N: Il rito

rno d

i Tob

ia

NAXOS

8.5

70300-0

2

Invernizzi � Karthäuser � H

allenberg � Dahlin � B

orchevV

okalEnsem

ble Köln � C

apella Augustina � A

ndreas Spering

NAXOS

8.5

70300-0

2

CD 1 55:28

1 Sinfonia 6:58

2-! Parte prima

(Beginning) 48:30

CD 2 58:16

1-6 Parte prima

(Conclusion) 34:57

7-0 Parte seconda

(Beginning) 23:19

CD 3 55:20

1-! Parte seconda

(Conclusion) 55:20