Credits:

Gil Rose

Description:

An opera composed by Dominic Argento in 1974, commissioned by the Minnesota Opera to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the United States founding. The story centers on the final voyage to Baltimore, which Poe is said to have undertaken shortly before his death. Although the premiere was a resounding success, performances were suspended for over 30 years afterward; however, the opera was revived in 2024 by Odyssey Opera and the Boston Contemporary Orchestra Project. This CD features a studio recording performed by virtually the same cast as that revival. With a fluid sound reminiscent of Debussy and early Berg, the orchestrationwhich masterfully employs dissonance and atonal techniquesis richly colorful and striking. The singers have this opera completely under control, making for a thoroughly enjoyable listening experience. The absence of the typical difficulty associated with contemporary music