Cristóbal Colón (1984-1986) is the first of Spanish-American composer Leonardo Balada's two operas based on the life of the explorer. (The second, La Muerte de Colón [1992-1993], is also available on the Naxos label.) The recording of the first work comes from its premiere production in 1989 at Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona, and boasts two international superstars, José Carreras and Montserrat Caballé, in the leading roles of Columbus and Queen Isabella. Balada's musical style had been conventionally modernist until the ...
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Cristóbal Colón (1984-1986) is the first of Spanish-American composer Leonardo Balada's two operas based on the life of the explorer. (The second, La Muerte de Colón [1992-1993], is also available on the Naxos label.) The recording of the first work comes from its premiere production in 1989 at Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona, and boasts two international superstars, José Carreras and Montserrat Caballé, in the leading roles of Columbus and Queen Isabella. Balada's musical style had been conventionally modernist until the mid-'70s, when he adopted melody into his compositional arsenal, and since then a significant part of his output has been operatic. Cristóbal Colón is an eclectic piece, combining lyrical vocal gestures with inventive orchestration, a broad palette of modernist techniques, and suggestions of traditional Spanish folk music. Balada is a skilled composer, and his approach here is one that might well succeed in producing a compelling opera. There's almost always something interesting...
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