The Ghosts of Hamlet
Around the myth of Hamlet, fragments of lost and found operas
Francesco Gasparini
Sinfonia : Andante/Presto/Andante/Presto
From l’opéra Ambleto (Venise, 1742)
Giuseppe Carcani
« Segui ad amar costante »
From l’opéra Ambleto (Venise, 1742)
Carlo Francesco Pollarolo
« D’ire armato il braccio forte »
From l’opéra Ambleto (Londres, 1712)
Domenico Scarlatti
Sinfonia in D minor: Allegro/Minuet
(Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale)
Domenico Scarlatti
« Nella mia sfortunata prigionia »
From l’opéra Ambleto (Rome, 1715)
Francesco Gasparini
« Cinto d’amiche rose un dì crescea »
From l’opéra Ambleto (Venise, 1742)
Johann Adolf Hasse
Sinfonia en sol mineur (Edition de Paris, 1740)
Allegro/Andante/Allegro
Georg-Friedrich Handel
« Tu indegno sei dell’allor »
From l’opéra Ambleto (Londres, 1712)
Francesco Gasparini
« Nella mia sfortunata prigionia »
From l’opéra Ambleto (Venise, 1742)
Giuseppe Carcani
« Più fido non poss’io »
From l’opéra Ambleto (Venise, 1742)
Georg-Friedrich Handel
Gavotte and Tamburino
From l’opéra Alcina HWV 34 (Londres, 1735)
Francesco Gasparini
« Stelle voi, che de’ regnanti »
From l’opéra Ambleto (Venise, 1742)
Giuseppe Carcani
« Son sdegnato e son geloso »
From l’opéra Ambleto (Venise, 1742)
Roberta Mameli, soprano
Le Concert de l’Hostel Dieu
Franck-Emmanuel Comte, harpsichord and musical direction
Paolo Vittorio Montanari, musicology and edition
On stage:
1 soloist, 14 instrumentalists (strings, oboe, bassoon, theorbo, harpsichord)
The legend of Prince Hamlet, first told in Saxo Grammaticus’s Gesta Danorum, is the basis for Shakespeare’s famed tragedy, but in the 18th century, the same tale inspired numerous Italian operas. Sadly, these operas have an important point in common: they have all been lost! Musicologist Paolo Vittorio Montanari has worked meticulously to research and reconstitute these works, making possible the creation of a completely original new project, based on musical fragments rediscovered in different Italian libraries. These long-lost scores composed by Scarlatti, Gasparini, Carcani, and Vignati focus primarily on two female characters from Hamlet’s orbit: the romantic Veremonda (who Shakespeare named Ophelia) and Gerilda (Gertrude), Hamlet’s mother, who is torn between love for her son and passion for her cold and unfaithful husband.
Roberta Mameli, a charismatic and passionate soprano, interprets these different figures who inspired Scarlatti and his contemporaries to write expressive, brilliant and charming arias. As well as the pleasure of discovering these completely new musical gems, this project will transport you into the exciting, ambiguous and fascinating world of Hamlet, whose ghosts will enliven this lovely stroll through a rediscovered baroque Italy.
FRANCE MUSIQUE | 18/02/2025 – Emilie Munera
‘The arias that remain from these lost operas are brought to life by the Concert de l'Hostel Dieu and the charismatic soprano Roberta Mameli, who lends her supple voice to the eponymous Danish prince and the strong women who surround him [...]’.
CRESCENDO MAGAZINE | 20/02/2025 – Victoria Okada
‘At the height of her powers, the singer's singing is highly expressive, with clear high notes and a slightly shadowy mid-range. [...] Franck-Emmanuel Comte's direction from the harpsichord highlights the diversity of each piece, to which the musicians respond in perfect harmony'.
STRETTO | 27/02/2025 – Michel Dutrieue
« Naast het plezier van het ontdekken van deze compleet nieuwe muzikale pareltjes, zal dit project u meenemen naar de opwindende, dubbelzinnige en fascinerende wereld van Hamlet, wiens geesten deze mooie wandeling door een herontdekt barok Italië zullen verlevendigen. »
‘As well as the pleasure of discovering these truly original musical gems, this project will plunge you into the bewitching, ambiguous and fascinating world of Hamlet, whose ghosts will enliven this beautiful walk through a rediscovered Baroque Italy'.
PREMIERE LOGE | 28/02/2025 – Marc Dumont
‘In the end, it's quite rare that once you've finished listening to a record, you feel the urge to listen to it again straight away. With this one, it's even more serious, Doctor: it's with each tune that the need arises'.
‘A programme of superb originality, inspired conducting and a vocal performance that is quite simply... pure joy!'
FORUM OPERA | 28/02/2025 – Yvan Beuvard
‘The joy is constant, and we never tire of listening to this captivating recording, with its splendid colours, phrasing and articulation. The exceptional qualities of the performers, the variety of affects, the instrumental pages, all delight us'.
MUSICOLOGIE.ORG | 01/03/2025 – Alfred Caron
‘Although three of these arias are world premieres, the whole of this disc is a real discovery, even beyond the rarity of the repertoire, thanks to the qualities of the performers who defend it’.
LE DEVOIR | 10/03/2025 – Christophe Huss
‘Convincing and impressive on record, the project is even more so on stage thanks to the radiant presence of soprano Roberta Mameli, who takes on the roles of Hamlet's mother, fiancée and even Hamlet himself, when the role was given to a castrato’.
LA SCENA MUSICALE | 11/03/2025 – Heather Weinreb
'[Roberta Mameli] possesses a honey-like tone and superb vocal control which resulted in many lively Baroque ornamentations speckled throughout her performance'.
SEVEN DAYS | 19/03/2025 – Amy Lilly
« People are in for a world-class opera singer, beautiful Baroque music and a different take on the Hamlet story. »
BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE | 20/03/2025 – Berta Joncus
« Stonking performances and brilliant programming unite in this solo album. »
« Comte and Le Concert de l’Hostel Dieu are pure joy. Their exchange of ideas gives this performance its febrile energy. Further enriching the recording, Comte inserts rare sinfonia that, aesthetically, could have worked as overtures to these lost Hamlets. »
The Ghosts of Hamlet in pictures
@William Sundfor
@William Sundfor
@William Sundfor
@William Sundfor
@William Sundfor
THE GHOSTS OF HAMLET ON VIDEO
LISTEN
With the support of the Italian Cultural Institute and SPEDIDAM.
