Teatro La Fenice:Villaume - Il Crociato In Egitto

Meyerbeer created his operas as vast, elaborate woven tapestries - showered with detail and colour - the result of years of painstaking work. This landmark recording of The Crusader in Egypt was made in January 2007 during a performance starring American male soprano Michael Maniaci and a cast of renowned Italian singers at the Teatro La Fenice, Venice, where this spectacular grand opera was premiered in 1824. One of 19th century opera's long-forgotten major masterpieces, Il crociato was composed at the close of Meyerbeer's Italian phase shortly before he embarked upon his triumphant career in Paris.Emmanuel Villaume is among the most sensitive and intelligent opera conductors on the planet Spoleto Festival USA