Kraus, J M - Arias and Overtures - Groop, Monica (mezzo-soprano)

Joseph Martin Kraus was one of the most talented and progressive composers of the 18th century, and Haydn considered him one of two geniuses he knew, alongside Mozart. After the successful audition of his opera Proserpina, Kraus became a close associate of the court of Gustav III in Stockholm. The highly dramatic Funeral Cantata Overture was the composer's emotional response to the assassination of his sovereign. The vocal works include pieces that are being performed for the first time in over two centuries, ranging from Italian concert arias to rare surviving works from the Royal Dramatic Theater.