Ferdinando Paer (1 July 1771 – 3 May 1839) was an Italian composer of Austrian descent known for his operas and oratorios. Using the same subject matter as Beethoven did for his ‘Fidelio’, Paer’s opera is called ‘Leonora’ and received its world premiere recording under Peter Maag for Decca with a star-studded cast that included Siegfried Jersualem and Edita Gruberová. Here, it receives its first release on CD. The score was discovered by Maag in Parma, Paer’s birthplace. Eloquence has been systematically releasing the recorded repertoire of Peter Maag and this is an important step in that journey.
PAER
Leonora
Leonora: Ursula Koszut
Marcellina: Edita Gruberová
Florestano: Siegfried Jerusalem
Rocco: Giorgio Tadeo
Pizzarro: Norbert Orth
Fernando: John van Kesteren
Giacchino: Wolfgang Brendel
Bayerisches Symphonieorchester
Peter Maag
Recording Producer: Ray Minshull
Assistant Producer: Michael Haas
Balance Engineers: James Lock, Stanley Goodall, Martin Atkinson
Recording Location: Herkulessaal, Munich, Germany, June & July 1978
‘Maag directs a piece for which he has an obvious affection with a care for both its lyrical and histrionic possibilities’ Gramophone