FRANCESCO FEO (1691-1761): Passio secundum Joannem.

Description: Italian passion settings are rather rare. Although no date is given for it, the conductor here speculates that it was meant to replace Domenico Scarlatti's Passion of 1685. Its more up-to-date style suggests Pergolesi, who was a friend of Feo's. Recitative and arioso (the chorus has the crowd scenes) are supplemented by the addition of two arias by Feo and one by Francesco Gasparini. The hard-bound, 84-page book includes 27 color plates of what appears to be a group of three-dimensional passion figures from an Italian church. No information about this is provided however. A strikingly expensive presentation. Latin-English texts. Doron Schleifer (countertenor), Mirko Guadagnini, Krystian Adam (tenors), Barbara Schmidt-Gaden (mezzo), Varese Chamber Chorus, la Divina Armonia; Lorenzo Ghielmi.