Peter Lundin wrote:

>Wich label are the opera on and are there more recordings availible
>with Battiato's music? Can You relate his music to someone else
>(Italian/School/emotion) that we might have heard of?

The only cd I have is on the Fonit Cetra label.  I am still looking for the
two other cd's which I know of ("Gilgamesh" opera 1992, and "Messa Arcaica"
(archaic mass) 1994, both on EMI ITALY label), but it doesn't seem an easy
task to find them.  His last work, the opera "Il cavaliere dell'intelletto"
(The knight of the intellect) has not been recorded yet.

"Genesi" was performed at the Teatro Regio of Parma on Apr, 26th 1987.
"Gilgamesh" was performed at the Teatro dell'Opera of Rome on Giu, 5th
1992.  "Il cavaliere dell'intelletto" was commissioned in 1994 by the
Region of Sicily for the 8th centenary of the birth of Frederick II of
Suevian (the libretto is by the philosopher Manlio Sgalambro), and the
opera was performed in the Cathedral of Palermo.

Battiato (he is 56 now) is active since the early '70 as an avanguardist.
In 1978 he was awarded the Stockhausen prize for his piano work "L'Egitto
prima delle sabbie" (Egypt before of the sands).  Surprisingly, he has been
recording more or less commercial songs as well, and he become very popular
here in Italy.

The only work I know, "Genesi", is scored for two sopranos, tenor,
baritone, speaking voice and choir.  There is the usual mix of computer
and orchestra, but it doesn't seem to relate to any other work I am
familiar with (but then, I am not an expert here).  Texts are in Italian,
Greek, Persian and Sanskrit.

Roberto Strappafelci