Claudio Monteverdi:
L’Orfeo - Toccata and Prologue "Dal mio Permesso amato" (La Musica)

Giulio Caccini:
L’Euridice - Prologue "Io che d’alti sospir" (La Tragedia)

Francesco Cavalli:
La Didone - Sinfonia and Prologue "Caduta e Troia" (Iride)
L’Eritrea - Prologue "Nelle grotte arimaspe" (Iride)
L’Ormindo - Sinfonia and Prologue "Non mi e Patria l’Olimpo" (L’Armonia)

Stefano Landi:
Il Sant’Alessio - Sinfonia and Prologue "Roma son io" (Roma)

Luigi Rossi:
Il palazzo incantato overo La guerriera amante - Prologue "Vaghi rivi" (La Pittura)

Pietro Antonio Cesti:
Il Pomo d’oro, Sinfonia and Prologue "Amore et Imeneo" (La Gloria Austriaca)
L’Argia - Sinfonia e Prologo "De’ gotici splendori" (Amore)

Alessandro Stradella:
Sinfonia a due violini e basso
Prologo per musica. La Pace incatenata che dorme, si risveglia e dice "Con meste luci"

Alessandro Scarlatti:
Gli equivoci in amore, o vero La Rosaura - Sinfonia and Prologue "Cessate, oh fulmini!" (Venere)

The prologue is a unique feature of early baroque opera: an opening scene where an allegorical figure enters the stage to prepare the audience for the musical drama to come. Thus Prologue is the musical introduction of Italian star soprano Francesca Aspromonte and her exclusive, long term engagement with Pentatone, promising great joy as well as drama in the years to come.

Prologue is a highly original album consisting of several prologues from early-baroque operas by Monteverdi, Caccini, Cavalli, Landi, Rossi, Cesti, Stradella and Scarlatti. Strung together, they form a representation in a single act, a theatre full of small, complete dramas: the opera before the opera.

Francesca Aspromonte is quickly establishing herself as a shining star in the Baroque firmament. She has curated this album together with musical director Enrico Onofri, who leads il pomo d’oro, one of the most important and successful period ensembles of today.

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This album was recorded at the Teatro delle Voci, Treviso, 19-22 December 2016.