Capella Cracoviensis / Jan Tomasz Adamus NICOLA PORPORA Germanico in Germania

As interest in the Italian opera serie of the eighteenth century has grown apace in recent years, Handel’s operas are now seen as increasingly mainstream, and several works by Vivaldi and other contemporaries have again seen the light of day, including a few by Nicola Porpora.

However, until now, Germanico in Germania has, with the exception of one or two arias, remained firmly hidden on library shelves scattered around Europe. During his lifetime Porpora was as famous as a teacher of singing as for his compositions, so it is little wonder that his score is a veritable feast of vocal delights ripe for resurrection. Born in Naples on 17August 1686 and educated at the city’s Conservatorio dei Poveri di Gesù Cristo, Porporas first opera, Agrippina , was given at the Neapolitan court in 1708. During the period 1715 to 1721, while maestro di cappella at the Naples Conservatorio di San Onofrio he also gained a reputation as a singing teacher: his most famous pupil was the castrato Farinelli. 

“Mr Cencic is blessed with the finest countertenor voice of our day.” That was the view of the German magazine Opernwelt back in 2008, and ever since Cencic has strengthened his iconic status among present-day countertenors, with a combination of beautiful, pure tone and passionate delivery.
Born in 1976 in Zagreb, Cencic first came to public attention aged six singing the Queen of the Night aria from the Magic Flute. He went on to sing with the Vienna Boys Choir, touring widely and launching his solo career in 1992 as a male soprano, followed in 2001 as a countertenor.
In this world premiere recording, Max Emanuel Cencic unearths Porpora’s opera Germanico in Germania.

Cencic is supported by a world-class cast, including star soprano Julia Lezhneva, and Capella Cracoviensis under the baton of Jan Tomasz Adamus.

Performed on period instruments from a brand new edition, this is a highly authoritative recording.