Porpora: Delphine Galou sings "Salve Regina" from the Marian Assumption Vespers (Venice 1745)

INTRODUCTION & SUNG TEXT/ TRANSLATION:
The performance from which Nicola Antonio Porpora's 1745 setting of the Marian antiphon "Salve Regina" is excerpted, took place on 16 September 2011 during the festival at l'Abbatiale d'Ambronay. The psalms that completed this vesper cycle were "Laudate pueri", "Nisi Dominus", "Laetatus sum" and "Lauda Jerusalem":
The performers were:
Marilia Vargas, Soprano
Delphine Galou, Alto (performing here)
Michiko Takahashi, Soprano
Female chorus: Maîtrise de Bretagne
Jean-Michel Noël, Direction
Le Parlement de Musique
Martin Gester, Direction
Porpora originally composed these vespers for the venetian Ospedale dei Derelitta in 1745 on the occasion of the feast of Virgin Mary's Assumption into Heaven. Like music Vivaldi composed for the city's Ospedale della Pietà, Porpora's works from the Ospedale dei Derelitta were set for its female members, and conductor Martin Gester arranged his recent concert performance accordingly. Both soloists (two sopranos and one alto) and chorus (Maîtrise de Bretagne) consisted of women only. After the initial performance, the musical manuscripts were dispersed, and had to be recolleced from various European libraries. This detective and reconstruction work was undertaken by Gester and musicologist Kurt Markstrøm before the modern premiere at the 2011 Ambronay Festival.
The whole vesper cycle will probably be released on CD by Ambronay Editions in 2012.
------------------------------------------------------------
SUNG TEXT & TRANSLATION
"SALVE REGINA"
I) Salve regina, mater misericordiae;
Vita dulcedo et spes nostra, salve.
II) Ad te clamamus exules, fili Hevae;
III) Ad te sospiramus, gementes et flentes
in hac lacrimarum valle.
IV) Eia ergo advocata nostra
V) illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte et Jesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui Nobis post hoc exilium, ostende.
VI) O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria,
Amen
--------------
TRANSLATION
"HAIL O QUEEN"
I) Hail O Queen, mother of pity;
Our life, delight and hope, hail (0 min- 4,30 min).
II) To thee we cry, Eve's children, Sin's exiles;(4,30 min- 5,40 min)
III) To thee we sigh, moaning, weeping in this vale of tears.(5,40 min- 8,33 min)
IV) See then how we call to thee (8,33 min- 9,48 min)
V) and turn thou those pitying eyes on us and Jesus, blessed fruit of thy whomb, show us after this our exile. (9,48 min- 12,35 min)
VI) O merciful, O faithful, O sweet maiden Mary.
Amen. (12,35 min- 15,23 min)
-----------------------------------------------
Paintings:
I) Giambattista Tiepolo: The Assumption of the Virgin (detail)
II) Giambattista Tiepolo: The Immaculate Conception
III) Anonymous ex voto to Virgin Mary (detail)
IV) Anonymous ex voto: Madonna avvocata
V) Caravaggio: Madonna di Loreto/ Madonna dei pellegrini (detail)
VI) Giambattista Tiepolo: The Virgin in Glory (detail)

[@DanielBaroque]

She has the perfect sound for this music with just the bit of androgyny that suits this music. And she is a fabulous technician and a fine musician.
I'm so glad to see her out there as much as she is this past year. With Marijana Mijanovic gone from the scene, our treasure trove of true contraltos remains preciously few.

[@ВОЛК-и5к]

Великолепно!!!!!

[@bernardberny2199]

L'élégance et la beauté.

[@mario4798]

Bellezza paradigmatica! Porpora è fra i più grandi di sempre.

[@RoSario-vb8ge]

Thank you for your information up front, very interesting. Love your version!

[@carlosvillasanti4807]

Hermosa, fantastica inigualable voz una cancion sublime gracias por subir alzar

[@igorsich]

Wow! So much strength in the voice

[@marcosdealencarpelisson2752]

👏👏👏👏

[@STIANVF]

@DanielBaroque Glad you liked the videos. All I've heard by Galou confirms what you said initially. I would add that in my opinion female (contr)altos & mezzos ought to be engaged more frequently in performances/ CDs of major baroque compositions. Although I also enjoy singers like Jaroussky & Cencic, these are exceptions to the rule. Most countertenors, despite musical understanding, lack the sustained notes, flexibility & virtuosity the parts were written for. But maybe I'm just old-fashioned?

[@ВОЛК-и5к]

Терпеть не могу контртеноров,,, Обажаю контральто!!!!!

[@DanielBaroque]

I agree wholeheartedly with your assessment of low female voices versus countertenors. First of all there were no countertenors singing except in some sacred roles, the countertenor did not exist in opera. With the continued fascination for high and loud, lower female voices have lost the luster they held even 30 years ago. This seemed to coincide with the rise of the countertenor and the current craze for that voice type. A contralto has the power and natural sound needed for these parts.

[@carlosvillasanti4807]

Svianvf gracias

[@scheepalicious]

What do you mean, Marijana Mijanovic's gone from the scene? Has she retired from baroque?

[@pragmatic]

I believe she teaches voice now