My private series, also known as "forgotten cd's on the shelve" continues with Spanish mid-19th century "Nationalist" composer Emilio Arrieta. Not his greatest success "Marina" but "La conquista di Granata" created in 1850. Moslems and Christians fight over the legendary city. Passionate tenors and sopranos and baritones called Gonzalve, Zulma and Boabdil are in love over religious and "ethnic" barriers. Queen Isabel(la) - the one who later sponsored Columbus - puts in an appearance as a contralto. All the time the cast is erupting into strongly melodical arias and brilliant ensembles - not so much like Donizetti as early/middle Verdi or possibly Mercadante, but with lots of Moorish/Spanish color over the Italian framework. Strange that Arrieta was accused of being "academic" and not sufficiently "Spanish" - did they only like zarzuela? The 2006 complete performance is not on youtube apart from one aria http://youtu.be/_ql4zEDmMN8 and http://youtu.be/DZGwNcxPE9k
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