Shannon Barry, Teologia

A North-American premiere of an Alessandro Scarlatti oratorio. La Santissima Trinità, one of his last oratorios, is thoroughly deserving of revival, despite its unpromising subject of five allegorical characters debating the existence of the Holy Trinity. Such high-flown dissertations were falling out of fashion by 1715 when the work was written. La Santissima Trinità presents a simpler, more dramatically vital show- down between Faithlessness—who, needless to say, does not believe in the Trinity—and Faith, Divine Love, Time and Theology, who do.

“Scarlatti responds with music which is pacy, varied and engaging. The format is conventional – recitatives alternate with arias, duets and occasional larger ensembles – but no single number lasts significantly longer than four minutes and the action never dawdles. Nor is there any danger of monotony, since the orchestra of strings and continuo is used with great resource; one duet is gorgeously adorned with solo violin birdsong and a cello for a river, and later two cellos conjure gently billowing waves.

The vocal writing, for a full range of voice-types, sparkles like summer wine. If, as seems possible, Scarlatti was composing for an off-duty operatic cast, it clearly inspired him to suitably extrovert and dramatically vivid heights. Likewise joyously inspired is the performance under the dedicated direction of Fabio Biondi, a Scarlatti interpreter of experience and flair who drives the work forward with unerring momentum, energy and care. Leading from the violin, he summons orchestral playing of vibrancy and energy, and is blessed with top-class Baroque singers, strongly communicative and evidently believing in the music. It is hard to imagine this work being better performed or presented”

— https://www.gramophone.co.uk/review/scarlatti-a-la-santissima-trinit%C3%A1