Eleonora Bellocci; Margherita Maria Sala; Jeffrey Francis; Luigi De Donato; Coro Maghini; Claudio Chiavazza; Innsbruck Festival Orchestra; Alessandro De Marchi - Georg Friedrich Handel: Il Messia (Florence Version 1768)

When Georg Friedrich Handel's Messiah first premiered on the European continent, 24 years had passed since its debut. On August 6, 1768, Il Messia brought il caro Sassone (the dear Saxon) back posthumously to the land of his early triumphs. Before the memorable performance in Florence's Palazzo Pitti could take place, the content had to be adapted to Catholic doctrines and the expansive form to national customs. Abate Antonio Pillori achieved this in collaboration with tenor and composer Salvatore Pazzaglia. The result was incredible: their Messia is so well-abridged and singable in Italian that the compact form, recorded two years ago at the Innsbruck Festival, could be considered an authentic version that Handel himself might have produced if needed.