Raff completed the score of Die Eifersüchtigen (‘The Jealous Ones’) a few weeks before his death. He wrote the libretto himself and was scrupulous in differentiating his characters through their music and adopting a precise formal construction. With tight organisational control, a strong grasp of musical and dramatic relationships, and speech melodies based entirely on German prosody, Raff’s final opera is marked by clarity, concision and economy of means.

Raff’s symphonic cycle is migrating from Marco Polo to Naxos: ‘Raff’s “Lenore” Fifth Symphony of 1872 has a story to tell, and does so with immense character and melodic charm. It is winningly performed here, as is his Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott Overture’ (BBC Music Magazine on 8555541).

Conductor Joonas Pitkänen won a distinction in the 11th Grzegorz Fitelberg International Competition for Conductors in November 2023. In April 2023 he won first prize ex aequo in Cítta de Brescia – Giancarlo Facchinetti conducting competition.

‘He has a natural musical instinct; he is a passionate musician with a lively imagination and an inquisitive mind which radiates through his conducting’, wrote Ari Rasilainen.

Cast:
- Beppino: Matthias Bein (baritone)
- Ninetta: Mirjam Fässler (mezzo-soprano)
- Donna Rosa: Serafina Giannoni (soprano)
- Donna Bianca: Raìsa Ierone (mezzo-soprano)
- Don Claudio: Benjamin Popson (tenor)
- Don Geronimo: Martin Roth (bass)
- Don Giulio: Balduin Schneeberger (baritone)