NewOlde.com - Early Music Baroque Opera Reviews, CD New Releases 2016, Historically-informed Stagin

Time 2021-08-21 13:06:27

Web Name: NewOlde.com - Early Music Baroque Opera Reviews, CD New Releases 2016, Historically-informed Stagin

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Festkantaten. cpo 777 958-2 (1 CD, February 2017). Bernhard Klapprott, Cantus Thuringia, Capella Thuringia. Monika Mauch, soprano; Margot Oitzinger, mezzo-soprano; Mirko Ludwig, tenor. "Ich will dem Herrn lobsingen" (Einführungsmusik Klefeker 1771, Wq. deest / H. 821b); Kantate "Dich rühmen wir großer Schöpfer" (Einführungsmusik Willerding 1787, Wq. deest / H. 821o). US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP 2017). Booklet (pdf). Christophe Rousset, Les Talens Lyriques, Choeur de Chambre de Namur. Malvina: Karine Deshayes, soprano; Uthal: Yann Beuron, tenor; Larmor: Jean-Sébastien Bou, baritone; Ullin: Sébastien Droy, tenor; Le Chef des Bardes / Le Troisième Bard: Philippe-Nicolas Martin, baritone; Le Premier Barde: Reinoud Van Mechelen, tenor; Le Deuxième Barde: Artavazd Sargsyan, tenor; Le Quatrième Barde: Jacques-Greg Belobo, bass. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Mondonville. Isbé (Pastorale heroïque, Paris 1742). Glossa GCD 924001 (3 CDs, January 2017). Booklet (pdf). György Vashegyi, Orfeo Orchestra, Purcell Choir. Isbé: Katherine Watson, soprano; La Volupté / Charité: Chantal Santon-Jeffery, soprano; Céphise / Ma Mode: Blandine Folio Peres, mezzo-soprano; L'Amour / Une bergère / Climène / Une nymphe: Rachel Redmond, soprano; Coridon: Reinoud Van Mechelen, tenor; Adamas: Thomas Dolié, bass; Iphis / Troisième Hamadryade: Alain Buet, baritone; Tircis / Premier Hamadryade / Un dieu des bois: Artavazd Sargsyan, tenor; Deuxième Hamadryad: Komáromi Márton, tenor.US UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Signum SIGCD 480 (1 CD, March 2017). Details. Paul McCreesh, Gabrieli Consort Players, Wroclaw Baroque Orchestra, National Forum of Music Choir. Carolyn Sampson, soprano; Jeremy Ovenden, tenor; Andrew Foster-Williams, bass. Based on the large scale performances conducted by Haydn in Vienna in the early 19th Century, with a huge string ensemble, triple winds, and 10 horns. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP La liberazione di Ruggiero dall'isola di Alcina (Firenze 1625). Glossa GCD 923902 (1 CD, January 2017). Booklet (pdf). Elena Sartori, Allabastrina, La Pifarescha. Alcina: Elena Biscuola, mezzo-soprano; Ruggiero: Mauro Borgioni, baritone; Melissa: Gabriella Martellacci, contralto; Sirena / Una Damigella: Francesca Lombardi Mazzulli, soprano; Oreste / La Dama disincantata: Emanuela Galli, soprano; Nettuno / Un Pastore / Una Pianta incantata: Raffaele Giordani, tenor; Fiume Vistola / Astolfo: Yiannis Vassilakis, baritone. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP 2016). Details. Video. Mario Sollazzo Stefano Zanobini, Ensemble Alraune. Alcina: Federica Carnevale, mezzo-soprano; Ruggiero: Nicholas Spanos, countertenor; Bradamante: Arianna Donadelli, soprano; Melissa: Carla Nahadi Babelegoto, soprano; Astolfo: Matteo Desole, tenor; Doro: Gaicomo Schiavo, tenor. Yet another fake baroque production from Europe. Some baroque-like costumes and sliding sets, but spoiled by modern toe dancers and absence of baroque gesture. UK | FR | DE unser Gott - Festkantaten zum Reformationstag Michaelisfest. Christophorus CHR 77405 (1 CD, January 2017). Booklet (pdf). Susanne Rohn Arno Paduch, Johann Rosenmüller Ensemble, Kammerchor der Erlöserkirche Bad Homburg. Simone Schwark, soprano; Johanna Krell, contralto; Hans Jörg Mammel, tenor; Markus Flaig, bass; Wolfgang Weiss, bass. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP (Venice 1778). dhm 889853322824 (3 CDs, November 2016). Booklet (pdf). Werner Ehrhardt, L'Arte del Mondo. Contessa: Francesca Lombardi Mazzulli, soprano; Conte: Emanuele d'Aguanno, tenor; Blasio: Federico Sacchi, bass; Ernestina: Roberta Mameli, soprano; Lumaca: Florian Götz, bass; Carlotta: Milena Sorti, soprano; Tenente: Patrick Vogel, tenor. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Cantatas BWV 106, 150, 131, 12. Alpha 258 (1 CD, November 2016).Booklet (pdf). Lionel Meunier, bass director, Vox Luminus. Zsuzsi Tóth, soprano; Kristen Witmer, soprano; Daniel Elgersma, countertenor; Barnabás Hegyi, countertenor; Reinoud Van Mechelen, tenor; Robert Buckland, tenor; Philippe Froeliger, tenor; Tomáš Král, bass; Sebastian Myrus, bass. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Francesco Durante (1684-1755). Requiem Mass in C minor; Organ Concerto in B flat major. Coro COR 16147 (1 CD, October 2016). Booklet (pdf). Stephen Darlington, Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Oxford, Oxford Baroque. Alexandra Kidgell, soprano; Katy Hill, soprano; William Purefoy, countertenor; Mark Dobell, tenor; Ben Davies, bass; Clive Driskill-Smith, organ. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP La Deposizione dalla Croce di Gesù Cristo (Mannheim 1748). Supraphon SU 4204-2 (2 CDs, October 2016). Video 1. Video 2. Roman Válek, Czech Baroque Ensemble. Giovanni: Philipp Mathmann, countertenor; Maddalena: Kateřina Kněžíková, soprano; Nicodemno: Lenka Cafourková Ďuricová, soprano; Simone: Piotr Olech, countertenor; Giuseppe d'Arimatea: Jaroslav Březina, tenor. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Grandi. Motets. Raumklang RK 3601 (1 CD, October 2016). Alexander Schneider, countertenor director, Ensemble Polyharmonique. Joowon Chang, soprano; Magdalena Podkościelna, soprano; Piotr Olech, countertenor; Sören Richter, tenor; Vincent Eugène Lesage, tenor; Sebastian Myrus, bass; Matthias Lutze, bass. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Classics CC 72265 (1 CD, September 2016). Details. Ton Koopman, Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra. Yetzabel Arias Fernandez, soprano; Klaus Mertens, baritone. This is the first recording of a newly-discovered, early version of Tu fedel? Tu constante?. Three of the four arias differ from the arias in the well-known version, HWV 171. Also includes: Tacete, ohimè, tacete HWV 196; Dalla guerra amorosa HWV 102a; Nel dolce dell'oblio HWV 134; Giù nei Tararei regni HWV 187; Aure soavi, e liete HWV 84; Cuopre tal volta il cielo HWV 98. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Crisostomo. Brilliant 94847 (1 CD, July 2016). Claudio Astronio, Harmonices Mundi. Eudosia / First soprano solo: Francesca Cassinari, soprano; Crisostomo: Renato Dolcini, baritone; Inviato di Roma: Carlo Vistoli, countertenor; Teofilo: Alessio Tosi, tenor; Testo / Second soprano solo: Arianna Lanci, soprano; Second alto solo: Christine Marsoner, contralto. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP (Venice 1730). Dynamic 7715/1-3 (3 CDs, February 2016). Italian-English Libretto. Corrado Rovaris, Ensemble Barocco dell'Orchestra Internazionale d'Italia. Artaserse: Anicio Zorzi Giustiniani, tenor; Mandane: Maria Grazia Schiavo, soprano; Artabano: Sonia Prina, contralto; Arbace: Franco Fagioli, countertenor; Semira: Rosa Bove, mezzo-soprano; Megabise: Antonio Giovannini, countertenor. Artabano's first aria, S'impugni la spada, sounds as if it might have been composed by Vivaldi, especially the slow B section. Artabano orginally was performed by Nicolini, who apparently never sang in a Vivaldi opera. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP (Paris 1746). Alpha 960 (3 CDs, December 2015). Booklet (pdf). Sébastien d'Hérin, Les Nouveaux Caractères. Scylla: Emöke Baráth, soprano; Vénus / Dorine: Virginie Pochon, soprano; Circé: Caroline Mutel, soprano; L'Amour / Témire: Marie Lenormand, mezzo-soprano; Glaucus: Anders J. Dahlin, tenor; Hécate / Coryphée: Frédéric Caton, bass. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP fb 1601729 (1 CD, January 2016). Audio excerpt. Details, with libretto in Italian, English German. Roberto Zarpellon, Ensemble Lorenzo da Ponte, Coro Accademia dello Spirito Santo. Orfeo: Vivica Genaux, mezzo-soprano; Euridice: Francesca Lombardi Mazzuli, soprano; Imeneo: Jan Petrika, tenor. Based on the same Calzabigi libretto set by Gluck. Bertoni's Orfeo was originally performed by Guadagni, Gluck's original Orfeo, on his retirement from the stage. 6/2016: I just listened to Bertoni's Orfeo for the first time and highly recommend it to anyone familiar with Gluck's Orfeo. There are numerous references to Gluck's work, both in the music and in the sequence of musical themes, but with many surprising developments and resolutions. This is quite a pleasant surprise. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP other sacred works. Stradivarius STR 37048 (1 CD, July 2016). Riccardo Leone, Ensemble L'Apothéose, Ensemble Vocal Ricercare. Alessandra Saba, soprano; Caterina Calvi, contralto; Nicola Usula, countertenor tenor; Alessandro Porcu, bass. Prélude en G sol bèmol H.528, Miserere H.157, Recordare, Domine H.95, Prélude pour le Domine salvum H.535, Nisi Dominus H.150, Prélude devant l'ouverture H.520, Antiphona in honorem Beatae Virginis H.25, Prélude pour le Salve Regina H.23a, Laudate Dominum, omnes gentes H.159, Sub tuum praesidium H.20. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP April 2016). Booklet (pdf). Ira Hochman, Barockwerk Hamburg. (Oratorium "Hebt an, ihr Chöre der Freuden"; Serenata "Der Trommeln Schlag, der Pfeifen Spiel.") The first work, "Hebt an", was recorded by Michael Scheider on Sony dhm in 2014 on the 2-CD set with a 1736 work by Telemann. We can expect a superior booklet with English translation from cpo. No translation was provided by the cheapskates at Sony. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP J.S. Bach, Buxtehude, Christian Geist. L'Apocalypse - Bach Cantatas BWV 19 130. K617 CDB 003 (1 CD, January 2016). Booklet (pdf). Sigiswald Kuijken, Trondheim Barokk. Le Choeur Vox Nidrosiensis (OVPP): Siri Thornhill, soprano; Ingeborg Dalheim, soprano; Ebba Rydh, contralto; Hugo Hymas, bass; Håvard Stensvold. UK | FR | DE | JP (BWV 199), Telemann. Herzens-Lieder - German Baroque Cantatas. Christophorus CHR 77399 (1 CD, March 2016). Booklet (pdf). Miriam Feuersinger, soprano. Peter Barczi, Capricornus Consort Basel. The familiar setting by Bach of "Mein Herz schwimmt im Blut" by the Darmstadt poet Georg Christian lehms (1684-1717), plus a setting by Graupner of the same text that apparently was performed once, in Darmstadt. Also includes a fine cantata by Kuhnau and a concerto for two violins by Telemann. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Johann Friedrich Doles (1715-1797), J.S. Bach. Kantaten. Querstand VKJK 1511(1 CD, January 2016). Booklet (pdf). Albrecht Koch, Batzdorfer Hofkapelle, Capella Vocale des Freiberger Domchores. Doerthe Maria Sandmann, soprano; Annekathrin Laabs, contralto; Patrick Grahl, tenor; Tobias Berndt, bass. Cantatas by Doles and Bach's BWV 29. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP CD, March 2016). Booklet (pdf). Arno Paduch, Johann Rosenmüller Ensemble. Gabriel Archangelus: Simone Schwark, soprano; Elizabeth: Johanna Krell, mezzo-soprano; Isaias Propheta: Rolf Ehlers, countertenor; Evangelista Lucas: Georg Poplutz, tenor; Zacharia Sacerdos: Markus Flaig, baritone; Maria virgo: Sabine Götz, soprano. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP 49a, London 1718); Cantata "Sarei troppo felice" HWV 157. cpo 777 877-2 (2 CDs, October 2015). Booklet (pdf). Stephen Stubbs, Paul O'Dette, Boston Early Music Festival. Galatea: Teresa Wakim, soprano; Acis: Aaron Sheehan, tenor; Damon: Jason McStoots, tenor; Coridon: Zachary Wilder, tenor; Polyphemus: Douglas Williams, bass. Cantata: Amanda Forsythe, soprano. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Rameau. Le Temple de la Gloire (Versailles 1745, revised Paris version 1746). Ricercar RIC 363 (2 CDs, November 2015). Details. Booklet (pdf). Guy Van Waas, Les Agrémens, Choeur de Chambre de Namur. Lydie / Plautine: Judith Van Wanroij, soprano; Une Bergère / Une Bacchante / Junie: Katia Velletaz, soprano; Arsine / Erigone / La Gloire: Chantal Santon-Jeffrey, soprano; Apollon / Bacchus / Trajan: Mathias Vidal, tenor; L'Envie / Bélus / Le Grand-Prêtre de la Gloire: Alain Buet, bass. This is the first complete recording of the 1746 version, heavily revised by Rameau to adapt Voltaire's allegorical drama for Versailles into a lyrical opera with greater public appeal. (It also failed.) From the liner note by Julien Dubrugque: "The Namur Chamber Choir, Les Agrémens and Guy Van Waas have respected the score completely in this recording; today this is a rare occurrence, for Rameau’s music is too often disfigured by exactly those who claim to belong to the movement for historically informed performance. Here the ports de voix or appoggiature are long and not short; the harpsichord plays only when Rameau has indicated this with a figured bass in the score, this being when there are soloists to accompany instead of tinkling away continuously and industriously. In Rameau, the basso continuo is as a rule absent from choruses and purely instrumental sections. Guy Van Waas has not allowed himself to add various folk percussion instruments to each dance." US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Salieri, Kreutzer, Gluck, Lemoyne, J.C. Bach, Méhul, Spontini, Hérold. Romantic Heroines from the Revolution to the Empire. Ricercar RIC 150 (1 CD, September 2015). Booklet (pdf). Jennifer Borghi, mezzo-soprano. Guy Van Waas, Les Agrémens. Download only. Details. 2015). Booklet (pdf) - still no modern English translation, but only the original English version. Riccardo Minasi, Il Pomo d'Oro. Partenope: Karina Gauvin, soprano; Rosmira: Teresa Iervolino, mezzo-soprano; Arsace: Philippe Jaroussky, countertenor; Armindo: Emöke Baráth, soprano; Emilio: John Mark Ainsley, tenor; Ormonte: Luca Tittolo, bass. Watch for review on Voix des Arts. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP November 2015). Videos. Details. Booklet (pdf). Gaétan Jarry, Ensemble Marguerite Louise. Cécile Achille and Virginie Thomas, sopranos; Anaïs Bertrand, mezzo-sprano; David Witczak Marduk Serrano Lopez, basses. Pour un Reposoir H.523, Ave Verum Corpus H.329, Domine Dominus Noster H.163, Domine Dominus Noster H.163, Gaude Virgo Mater ChristiH.330, De Profundis H.232,Quam Dilecta H.186, Usquequo Domine H.196. Jacque Boyvins: Extraits du Premier Livre d'orgue: Plein jeu du 4e ton, Dialogue de Récits et de trios,Tierce en taille,Dialogue et fugue. Superb recording! US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Motetten Op. 5. Pan Classics 10337 (4 CDs, November 2015). Daniela Dolci, Musica Fiorita. Gabriele Hierdeis, Ulrike Hofbauer, Jessica Jans, Agnieszka Kowalczyk, Susanne Rydén, sopranos; Daniel Cabena Denis Lakey, countertenors; Hans-Jörg Mammel, tenor; Raitis Grigalis Ulrich Messthaler, bass. Two disks are reissues and two are new recordings. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Garcia. Ópera no Brasil Colonial. Numérica (1 CD, 2015). Miriam Abad, soprano. Marcio Páscoa, Orquestra Barroca do Amazonas. Details. Galant Arias and Concertos of the Luso-Brazilian Eighteenth Century. OBA (1 CD, 2015). Miriam Abad, soprano; Armando Possante, baritone. Marcio Páscoa, Orquestra Barroca do Amazonas. Details. Mozart. Les Mystères d'Isis - French adaption and pasticcio based on Die Zauberflöte (Paris, 1801). Glossa GCD 921630 (2 CDs, October 2015). Booklet (pdf). Diego Fasolis, Le Concert Spirituel. Pamina: Chantal Santon-Jeffrey, soprano; Mona (Papagena): Marie Lenormand, mezzo-soprano; Myrrène (Queen of the Night): Renata Pokupić, mezzo-soprano; Isménor (Tamino): Sébastien Droy, tenor; Bochoris (Papageno): Tassis Christoyannis, baritone; Zarastro: Jean Teitgen, bass. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP September 2015). Booklet (pdf). Details. Video. Christophe Rousset, Les Talens Lyriques, Choeur de Chambre de Namur. Zaïs: Julian Prégardien, tenor; Zélidie: Sandrine Piau, soprano; Oromasès: Aimery Lefèvre, baritone; Cindor: Benoît Arnould, baritone; Une Sylphide / La Grande Prêtresse de L'Amour: Amel Brahim-Djelloul, soprano; L'Amour: Hasnaa Bennani, soprano; Un Sylphe: Zachary Wilder, tenor. Highly recommended, based on the November 2014 radio broadcast from Amsterdam, which featured substantially the same cast, except that Marie Arnet replaced Sandrine Piau as Zélidie. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Rameau. Anacréon (Ballet héroique 1754) - libretto by Louis de Cahusac - completely different from the previously recorded 1757 Anacréon with libretto by Pierre-Joseph-Justin Bernard. Signum SIGCD 402 (1 CD, September 2015). Booklet (pdf). Jonathan Williams, OAE. Anacréon: Matthew Brook, bass; Chloë: Anna Dennis, soprano; Bathylle: Agustín Prunell-Friend, tenor. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Handel. Agrippina. (HWV 6, Venice 1709-10). Accent ACC 26404 (3 CDs, September 2015). Booklet (pdf). Details. Laurence Cummings, FestspielOrchester Göttingen. Agrippina: Ulrike Schneider, mezzo-soprano; Nerone: Jake Arditti, countertenor; Poppea: Ida Falk Winland, soprano; Ottone: Christopher Ainslie, countertenor; Narcisso: Owen Willetts, countertenor; Pallante: Ross Ramgobin, baritone; Claudio: João Fernandes, bass; Lesbo: Ronaldo Steiner, baritone. First recording of the new HHA edition, edited by John E. Sawyer. These forces could have made a fine studio recording. Unfortunately, the live recording is spoiled by frequent applause and stage noise from the goofy modern staging. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP DG-Archiv 479 5315 (3 CDs, September 2015). Video. Details. Booklet (pdf). Laurence Equilbey, Insula Orchestra. Orfeo: Franco Faglioli, countertenor; Euridice: Malin Hartelius, soprano; Amore: Emmanuelle de Negri, soprano. Includes commonly performed excerpts from the Paris version. I (Vienna version): 66:38; II (Vienna version plus excerpts from Paris version): 38:02; III (continuation of II): 47:16. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JPDeluxe edition with DVD (cancelled?): FR dell'Universo (Attione Sacra per lo Santo Sepolcro, Vienna 1668). Fra Bernardo 1511291 (1 CD, October 2015). Booklet (pdf). Details. Video. Francesco Baroni, Gambe di Legno. L'Elemento dell'Acqua: Alberto Allegrezza, tenor; L'Elemento della Terra / San Pietro: Mauro Borgioni, bass; L'Elemento del Foco / La Beatissima Vergine: Emanula Galli, soprano; L'Elemento dell'Aria / San Giovanni: Gabriella Martellacci, contralto; L'Humana Natural: Letizia Verzellesi, mezzo-soprano; La Divina Misericordia: Anna Simboli, soprano; La Divina Giustizia: Sonia Tedla, soprano. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP (1 CD, August 2015). Booklet (pdf). Jordi Savall, Hespèrion XXI, Le Concert des Nations, La Capella Real de Catalunya. Hanna Bayodi-Hirt, soprano; Marianne Beate Kielland, mezzo-soprano; Pascal Bertin, countertenor; David Sagastume, countertenor; Nicholas Mulroy, tenor; Lluis Vilamajó, tenor; Daniele Carnovich, bass; Antonio Abete, bass. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Giovanni Paolo Colonna (1637-1695). Triumphate Fideles - Complete Motets for Solo Voice and Instruments. Brilliant 94647 (2 CDs, August 2015). Carlo Centemeri, Astarium Consort. Francesca Cassinari, soprano; Elena Carzaniga, contralto; Paolo Borgonovo, tenor; Salvo Vitale, bass. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Campra. Tancrède (Paris 1702, revised version of 1729). Alpha 958 (3 CDs, June 2015). Details. Video. Booklet (pdf). Olivier Schneebeli, Orchestre les Temps Présents. Tancrède: Benoît Arnould, baritone; Clorinde: Isabelle Druet, mezzo-soprano; Hermine: Chantal Santon, soprano; Argant: Alain Buet, baritone; Isménor: Eric Martin-Bonnet, bass. Concerning the video, I'm not sure which is worse: the typical modern French productions where the characters take off their clothes and fornicate while singing arias, or the Versailles "historically-inspired" productions that are as fake as the new Frauenkirche organ or two-handed "baroque trumpets" with finger holes. It's particularly painful to watch modern dancers perform Swan Lake while dressed in 18th Century costumes. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP (Rome 1728). Decca 478 8194 (3 CDs, May 2015). Details. Booklet (pdf). Video. Review by Brian Robins. Riccardo Minasi, Il Pomo d'Oro. Cesare: Franco Fagioli, countertenor; Catone: Juan Sancho, tenor; Marzia: Valer Barna-Sabadus, countertenor; Fulvio: Martin Mitterrutzner, countertenor; Emilia: David DQ Lee, countertenor; Arbace: Max Emanuel Cenčić, countertenor. Perhaps the only actual link to ancient history, the suicide of Cato, happens in Vinci's setting of the Metastasio libretto, whereas Vivaldi's subsequent setting was revised to have a happy ending. (Alan Curtis's 2013 recording of the Vivaldi setting is the best recent Vivaldi opera recording.) Note that Pompey's widow is named Emilia and has no son in Metastasio's libretto, whereas she is named Cornelia and is the mother of Sesto Pompeo in Bussani's libretto to Guilio Cesare in Egitto. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP (3 CDs, April 2015). Booklet (pdf). Video 1. Video 2. Details. Carlo Ipata, Auser Musici. Asteria: Giuseppina Bridelli, soprano; Irene: Ewa Gubańska, mezzo-soprano; Clearco: Benedetta Mazzucato, contralto; Zaida: Giorgia Cincirpi, mezzo-soprano; Andronico: Antonio Giovanni, countertenor; Tamerlano: Filippo Mineccia, countertenor; Leone: Raffaele Pè, countertenor; Bajazet: Leonardo De Lisi, tenor. Borosini (Bajazet) brought the libretto and probably the score with him to London. When he arrived, Handel had already completed the autograph of Tamerlano based on Gasparini's 1711 version. Handel borrowed from the 1719 version primarily in the opening and closing scenes. (Strohm 1985, p.50). It's noteworthy that recordings of little-known settings of the two most famous baroque suicide librettos are coming out virtually simultaneously. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Singulares ES 1016 (2 CDs, August 2014). Details. Didier Talpain, Solamente Naturali, Musica Florea, Svetoslav Obretenov Choir. Laméa: Chantal Santon, soprano; Démaly: Philippe Do, tenor; Olkar: André Heyboer, baritone; Rustan / Un Chef indien: Mathias Vidal, tenor; Ixora / Première Baydère: Katia Velletaz, soprano; Divané / Deuxième Bayadère: Jennifer Borghi, mezzo-soprano; Dévéda / Troisième Bayadère: Mélodie Ruvio, mezzo-soprano; Le Brame Hydérane: Frédéric Caton, baritone; Rutrem: Thomas Bettinger, tenor; Salem / Un Officier maratte / Iranès: Éric Martin-Bonnet, bass; Narséa: Thill Mantero, baritone; Une Coryphée / Une Bayadère: Kareen Durand, soprano. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP in Patria. Linn CKD 451 (3 CDs, April 2015). Booklet (pdf). Martin Pearlman, Boston Baroque. Ulisse: Fernando Guimarães, tenor; Penelope: Jennifer Rivera, mezzo-soprano; Telemaco: Aaron Sheehan, tenor; Minerva: Leah Wool, soprano; Nettuno / Il Tempo: João Fernandes, bass; Giove: Owen McIntosh, tenor; Guinone / La Fortuna: Sonja DuToit Tengblad, soprano; Ericlea: Krista River, mezzo-soprano; Melanto: Abigail Nims, mezzo-soprano; Eurimaco: Daniel Shirley, tenor; Eumete: Daniel Auchincloss, tenor; Iro: Marc Molomot, tenor; L'Humana Fragilità: Christopher Lowrey, countertenor; Amore: Sara Heaton, soprano. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Gottes-Dienst (Hamburg, 1725-26). Complete recording of all 72 cantatas by Bergen Barokk in progress: Volume 6: Cantatas for high voice, oboe basso continuo I. Toccata Classics TOCC 0180 (1 CD, July 2015). Booklet (pdf). Jan van Elsacker, tenor. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JPVolume 5: The cantatas for high voice, violin basso continuo I. Toccata Classics TOCC 0102 (1 CD, April 2013). Details. Booklet (pdf). Mona Julsrud, soprano. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JPVolume 4: The cantatas for middle voice, transverse flute basso continuo I. Toccata Classics TOCC 0084 (1 CD, February 2012). Details. Booklet (pdf). Franz Vitzthum, countertenor; Peter Holtslag, traverso; Hans Knut Sveen, harpsichord organ; Markku Luolajan-Mikkola, cello viol. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Volume 3: The cantatas for high voice, recorder and basso continuo II. Toccata Classics TOCC 0074 (1 CD, March 2011). Details. Booklet (pdf). Mona Julsrud, soprano; Frode Thorsen, recorder; Thomas Boysen, theorbo; Hans Knut Sveen, harpsichord organ; Markku Luolajan-Mikkola, cello. Handel borrowed opening theme from the first cantata on this disk for "And he shall purify". US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JPVolume 2: The cantatas for middle voice, violin and basso continuo I. Toccata Classics TOCC 0057 (1 CD, July 2009). Details.Booklet (pdf). Franz Vitzthum, countertenor; Bjarte Eike, violin; Hans Knut Svenn, harpsichord organ; Markku Luolajan-Mikkola, cello. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JPVolume 1: The cantatas for high voice, recorder basso continuo I. Toccata Classics TOCC 0037 (1 CD, August 2006). Details. Booklet (pdf). Mona Julsrud, soprano; Frode Thorsen, recorder; Hans Knut Sveen, harpsichord; Markku Luolajan-Mikkola, cello. This is a superb performance and recording. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP 2014). Booklet (pdf). Michael Alexander Willens, Kölner Akademie. Berit Solset, soprano; Nicholas Mulroy, tenor; Andreas Wolf, bass. Performed on Good Friday, 1764 in Schwerin. The booklet note doesn't mention the singers. I wonder if a soprano castrato, perhaps from the Berlin opera, might been engaged, based on the difficult gallant aria, Schallt, ihr freudigen Gesänge! (No. 23). US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Daniel Purcell. Begin the Noble Song - Ode for St. Cecilia's Day, 1698. Henry Purcell. Welcome to all the Pleasures - Ode for St. Cecilia's Day, 1683; Te Deum Jubilate for St. Cecilia's Day, 1694. Timezone TZ 320 (1 CD, February 2015). Thomas Gebhardt, Polygon Barockensemble, Collegium Cantorum Köln. Nadine Balbeisi, soprano I; Anna Herbst, soprano II; Enguerrand Cuisset, countertenor; Mirko Ludwig, high tenor; Lothar Blum, tenor; Christian Walter, bass. UK | FR | DE OA CD 9008 D (3 CDs, March 2015). Booklet (pdf). Thomas Hengelbrock, Balthasar Neumann Ensemble. Niobe: Véronique Gens, soprano; Manto: Amanda Forsythe, soprano; Anfione: Jacek Laszczkowski, countertenor; Creonte: Iestyn Davies, countertenor; Nerea: Delphine Galou, contralto; Clearte: Tim Mead, countertenor; Tiberino: Lothar Odinius, tenor; Poliferno: Alastair Miles, bass; Tiresia: Bruno Taddia, baritone. I: 57:17, II: 71:10, III: 38:51. TT: 167:18. (38:26 shorter than the BEMF recording). US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP 64, London 1748). Accent A2 6403 (2 CDs, March 2015). Booklet (pdf). Laurence Cummings, FestspeilOrchester Göttingen, NDR Chor. Achsah: Anna Dennis, soprano; Othniel: Renata Pokupić, mezzo-soprano; Joshua: Kenneth Tarver, tenor; Angel: Joachim Duske, tenor; Caleb: Tobias Berndt, bass. I will be surprised if this is superior to Cummings' fine 2009 recording on SOMM with all English singers. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP 64, London 1748). ORF CD 3184 (2 CDs, January 2015). Details. Otto Kargl, L'Orfeo Barockorchester, Domkantorei St. Pölten, Cappella Nova Graz. Achsah: Gerlinde Sämann, soprano; Angel: Martina Daxböck, soprano; Othniel: Wiebke Lehmkuhl, mezzo-soprano; Joshua: Daniel Johannsen, tenor; Caleb: Josef Wagner, bass. UK | FR | DE | JP Johann Adam Hiller (1728-1804). Jauchzet dem Herrn, alle Welt; arrangement of Pergolesi, Stabat Mater. MDG (1 CD, February 2015). Rainer Johannes Homburg,Handel's Company, Stuttgarter Hymnus-Chorknaben. Veronica Winter, soprano; Thomas Riede, countertenor; Knut Schoch, tenor; Thomas Laske, bass. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Caldara. Morte e Sepoltura di Christo (Vienna 1724). Glossa GCD 923503 (2 CDs, March 2015). Booklet (pdf). Fabio Biondi, Stravanger Symphony Orchestra (modern instruments). Maria Maddalena: Maria Grazia Schiavo, soprano; Maria di Giacobbe: Silvia Frigato, soprano; Giuseppe d'Arimatea: Marina Belli, contralto; Nicodemo: Anicio Zorzi Giustiniani, tenor; Centurione: Ugo Guagliardo, bass. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Stradella. Qual prodigio è ch'io miri?, Lasciate ch'io respiri, Sonata a otto viole con una tromba. Bongiovanni GB 2474-2 (1 CD, January 2015). Booklet (pdf). Estevan Velardi, Alessandro Stradella Consort. Anna Chierichetti, soprano; Fracesca Ji-Hyun Park, soprano; Gianluca Buratto, bass; Rosita Friani, soprano; Riccardo Ristori, bass. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Adriano in Siria (Opera of the Nobility, London 1735). Fra Bernardo FB 1409491 (3 CDs, November 2014). Booklet (pdf). Details. Excerpt 1. Excerpt 2. Complete audio. Review by Brian Robins. Fabio Biondi, Europa Galante. Adriano (originally Senesino): Sonia Prina, contralto; Farnaspe (originally Farinelli): Ann Hallenberg, mezzo-soprano; Emirena (originally Cuzzoni): Roberta Invernizzi, soprano; Sabina: Romina Basso, contralto; Idalma: Lucia Cirillo, mezzo-soprano; Osroa: Ugo Guagliardo, bass. “The opera of Adriano, now performing with great Applause, particularly for some fine Songs in it, compos’d for Signior Farinello, having been thought by the King [George II] to be rather too long, M. Veracini has shorten’d it, and his Majesty has declar’d his Intention of being present at it [on Tuesday, December 16]." From Graydon Beeks, Some overlooked references to Handel. Also from Beeks, Sir Henry Liddell reported that the role of Idalma was sung by "a new performer from la Pietà at Venice", Signora Santa Tasco detta La Santini, "who sings with good judgment a very tolerable voice for a second." If she was from the Pietà, she would have broken the prevailing rule that their girls were not supposed to become opera singers. NewOlde Award: Worst CD Booklet since FNAC folded: The CD booklet is printed in nearly unreadable, tiny yellowish type on a black background. To read it, I had to scan the booklet, invert colors, and blow it up. After much fiddling with brightness and contrast, the results are still mediocre. Furthermore, the libretto is in Italian only, and the text is center aligned to make it even more difficult to follow. The idiotic cheapscates at Fra Bernardo didn't even include the English version from the original wordbook, which is in the public domain and easily accessible online. If your public library is a subscriber, you can download the original 74-page wordbook as a pdf file from Gale Cengage 18th Century Collections Online. Search for "Adrian in Syria". Otherwise, this is a very good recording and highly recommended. It's an example of a composer undergoing a change of style or perhaps seeking to appeal to a variety of musical tastes. The opera begins with a coro that sounds as if it might have come from a Handel opera or coronation anthem and includes other similarly old-style movements, yet some arias are quite modern and could be mistaken for Pergolesi. I also highly recommend the recent recording of unpublished Veracini violin sonatas by Valerio Losito on Brilliant Classics. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Rameau. Les Fêtes de Polymnie (Paris 1745). Glossa GCD 923502 (2 CDs, January 2015). Booklet (pdf). Video. György Vashegyi, Orfeo Orchestra, Purcell Choir. Stratonice, Oriade: Véronique Gens, soprano; Mnémosine, Hébé, Argélie: Aurélia Legay, soprano; Polymnie, une Nymphe: Emöke Baráth, soprano; Le Chef des Arts, Alcide, Antiochus: Mathias Vidal, tenor; Jupiter, Séleucus, Zimès: Thomas Dolié, baritone; Le Destin: Domonkos Blazsó, bass; La Victoire: Márta Stefanik, soprano. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Giovanni Paolo Colonna (1637-1695). L'Assalonne. Tactus TC 630302 (1 CD, January 2015). Booklet (pdf). Maria Luisa Baldassari, Ensemble Les Nations. Assalone: Laura Antonaz, soprano; Achitofele / Ioabbe: Elena Biscuola, mezzo-soprano; Consigliere: Alberto Allegrezza, tenor; Davide: Mauro Borgioni, bass; Testo: Elena Bertuzzi, soprano. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP (Milan 1770). Signum SIGCD 400 (4 CDs, October 2014). Details. Video. Italian/English libretto (pdf). Booklet (pdf). Ian Page, Classical Opera Company. Aspasia: Miah Persson, soprano; Sifare: Sophie Bevan, soprano; Ismene: Klara Ek, soprano; Arbate: Anna Devin, soprano; Farnace: Lawrence Zazzo, countertenor; Mitridate: Barry Banks, tenor; Marzio: Robert Murray, tenor. Includes a bonus CD with the original settings of seven arias and a duet that Mozart rewrote before the first performance. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Caldara. La Concordia de' Pianetti (Vienna 1723). DG-Archiv 0289 479 3356 4 (2 CDs, October 2014). Booklet (pdf). Details. Andrea Marcon, La Cetra Barockorchester und Vokalensemble Basel. Diana: Verónica Cangemi, soprano; Giove: Ruxandra Donose, mezzo-soprano; Apollo: Franco Fagioli, countertenor; Venere: Delphine Galou, contralto; Marte: Carlos Mena, countertenor; Mercurio: Daniel Behle, tenor; Saturno: Luca Tittoto, bass. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Classics PC 10315 (3 CDs, September 2014). Booklet (pdf). Details. Video. Jörg Meder, Bernard Epstein, United Continuo Ensemble. Sardanapalus: Jan Kobow, tenor; Salomena: Rinnat Moriah, soprano; Didonia / Diana: Cornelia Samuelis, soprano; Agrina / Juno: Theodora Baka, mezzo-soprano; Belochus: Franz Vitzthum, countertenor; Misius / Cupido: Sören Richter, tenor; Arbaces / Mars: Markus Flaig, baritone; Saropes: Philipp Nicklaus, tenor; Belesius: Felix Schwandtke, bass. No translations of the complicated libretto are included. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP L'Heureux Esclavage -- Opéra-ballet (1783). Ricercar RIC 345 (2 CDs, September 2014). Video. Booklet (pdf). Guy Van Waas, Les Agrémens, Choeur de Chambre de Namur. Zélime: Katia Velletaz, soprano; Almaïde: Jennifer Borghi, soprano; Une Esclave italienne: Chantal Santon, soprano; Une Esclave française: Caroline Weynants, soprano; Une Esclave allemande: Julie Calbète, soprano; Tamorin: Reinoud van Mechelen, haute-contre; Saint-Phar: Cyrille Dubois, tenor; Florestan: Tassis Christoyannis, baritone; Le Pacha d'Egypte / Osman: Julien Véronèse, bass; Husca: Alain Buet, bass; Osmin: Philippe Favette, bass; Furville: Anicet Castel, bass. Includes a few variants not in the version recorded by Minkowski in 1991. This may be Grétry's greatest work. Eagerly anticipated. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP (HWV 39, London 1738). Accent ACC 26402 (3 CDs, September 2014). Booklet (pdf). Lawrence Cummings, FestspieleOrchester Göttingen. Radio broadcast. Clotilde: Anna Devin, soprano; Adolfo: Maarten Engeltjes, countertenor; Faramondo: Emily Fons, mezzo-soprano; Rosimonda: Anna Starushkevych, mezzo-soprano; Gerando: Christopher Lowrey, countertenor; Childerico: Iryna Dziashko, mezzo-soprano; Tebaldo: Edward Grint, baritone; Gustavo: Njål Sparbo, bass. I have a favorable impression after listening to the first half hour of the broadcast. Despite stage noise from the Eurotrash production, it's a good recording with some excellent singing. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP de l'Amour ou les dieux d'Égypte (Versailles 1747). Glossa GCD 921629 (2 CDs, September 2014). Video. Hervé Niquet, Le Concert Spirituel. Orthésie / Orie: Chantal Santon-Jeffrey, soprano; L'Amour / Memphis / Une Première Egyptienne / Une Bergère égyptienne: Carolyn Sampson, soprano; L'Hymen / Une Egyptienne / Une Seconde Egyptienne: Blandine Staskievicz, soprano; Myrrine: Jennifer Borgui, mezzo-soprano; Un Plaisir / Agéris / Aruéris: Mathias Vidal, tenor; Osiris / Un Berger égyptien / Un Egyptien: Reinoud van Mechelen, tenor; Canope: Tassis Christoyannis, bass; Le Grand-Prêtre / Un Egyptien: Alan Buet, bass. International edition. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JPFrench edition with book. FR Daniel Purcell. The Judgment of Paris (London 1701). Resonus Classics RES 10128 (Download only, March 2014). Booklet (pdf). Video. Julian Perkins, Spiritato, Rodolfus Choir. Venus: Anna Dennis, soprano; Pallas: Amy Preston, soprano; Juno: Clara Hendrick, mezzo-soprano; Paris: Samuel Boden, tenor; Mercury: Ashley Riches, baritone. Download details. (1684). Aparté AP 094 (3 CDs, September 2014). Details. Booklet (pdf). Christophe Rousset, Les Talens Lyriques, Choeur de Chambre de Namur. Corisande: Hasnaa Bennani, soprano; Arcabonne: Ingrid Perruche, soprano; Oriane: Judith Van Wanroij, soprano; Amadis: Cyril Auvity, tenor; Florestan: Benoît Arnould, baritone; Arcalaüs: Edwin Crossley-Mercer, baritone; Fée Urgande: Bénédicte Tauran, mezzo-soprano; Une Suivante d'Urgande / Une Bergère: Virginie Thomas, soprano; Une Suivante d'Urgande / Une Héroïne: Caroline Weynants, soprano; Un Berger / Un Héros / Un Captif: Reinoud Van Mechelen, tenor; Alquif / Ardan-Canile / Un Geôlier / Un Berger: Pierrick Boisseau, baritone. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP (2 CDs, July 2014). Details. TT: 154:43. Richard Neville-Towle, Ludus Baroque. Beauty: Sophie Bevan, soprano; Deceit: Mary Bevan, soprano; Counsel / Truth: Tim Mead, countertenor; Pleasure: Ed Lyon, tenor; Time: William Berger, bass. This an extremely high quality recording, with fine performances throughout. I was most impressed by Tim Mead, who delivered one of the best recorded examples of falsetto singing. Both Bevan sisters sing beautifully.To squeeze the 1982 Darlow recording (Hyperion, TT: 123:29) on 2 LPs, many movements were partially (or almost completely) cut, and two choruses lifted from Chandos Anthems as well as arias added in 1758 were eliminated. Most are restored here, including: Sorrow darkens every feature (Beauty); Happy Beauty (Deceit); No more complaining (Deceit); Pleasure's gentle Zephyrs playing (Deceit); Tempt me no more (Beauty); Comfort them, O Lord (Chorus). Watkins Shaw liner note to Hyperion recording. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP la Chabotterie 605013 (3 CDs, May 2014). Details. Booklet (pdf). Hugo Reyne, La Simphonie du Marais. Valérie Gabail, soprano; Stéphanie Révidat, soprano; Reinoud Van Mechelen, haute-contre; François Nicolas Geslot, haute-contre; Aimery Lefèvre, baritone; Sydney Fierro, bass. Highly recommended! A fine performance and recording, made in the Vienna Konzerthaus the day before the performance with some movements from the performance, including the encore -- a rollicking reprise of "Les Sauvages" with war whoops and audience participation. From Hugo Reyne's liner notes about producing a new edition: "Actually, the study of the sources and the making of our own edition of Les Indes galantes enabled us to restore the sequence of the Prologue, and that of the Ballet des Fleurs, to restore some deletions and cuts, while cutting some post creation additions, to put back one air hitherto unreleased on CD (Bellona's air 'C'est la gloire'), to reassemble together some viola pieces (Adoration du soleil and Tremblement de terre in Les Incas). I: 77:21; II: 58:21; III: 65:45. Text in French only -- English (excellent) and German translations were included with the 1991 Christie box set. My favorite recent recording - I've listened five times already. For comparison, here is a link to Campra's L'Europe Galante (1697), which has many similarities to its illustrious successor, including a Turkish entrée. (A year after release it still has not been released in the U.S.) US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP der Wüste Wq 238/H.775. dhm (1 CD, March 2015). Booklet (pdf). Christoph Spering, Das Neue Orchester, Chorus Musicus Köln. Erste Israelitin: Anja Petersen, soprano; Zweite Israelitin: Sarah Maria Sun, soprano; Aaron: Daniel Johannsen, tenor; Moses: Johannes Weisser, baritone. "This is the first recording to feature the composer's own ornamentations for the arias, as contained in the new edition of C.P.E. Bach's complete works." US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Strozzi. Palpiti del cuore. Fra Bernardo fb 1409783 (1 CD, November 2014). Magali Arnault Stanczak, soprano. La Botta Forte. Includes cantatas by Handel (Mi palpita il cor HWV 132c) Mancini (Quanto dolcè è quell'ardore), two arias by Strozzi, a Vivaldi cello sonata, two short sonatas by Fontana, and the trio sonata HWV 393 attributed to but probably not by Handel, but nevertheless of high quality. The unreadable light text on black background booklet at least includes English translations, contrary to the Fra Bernardo norm. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Johann Friedrich Agricola (1720-1774). Die Hirten bei der Krippe. cpo 777 921-2 (1 CD, October 2014). Booklet (pdf). Michael Alexander Willens, Kölner Akademie. Berit Solset, soprano; Myriam Arbouz, contralto; Nicholas Mulroy, tenor; Matthias Vieweg, bass. This may be the most signicant recording of the year. The three sacred works on this disk were recovered in the Sing-Akademie Archive and date from Agricola's tenure in Berlin. Agricola was a student of J.S. Bach in Leipzig, but his music is closer stylistically to the works of CPE Bach, with a couple of movements suggesting the CPE Bach Magnificat (e.g., the final Coro of Die Hirten bei der Krippe (score)). (Here are the original parts to Agricola's Magnificat, which would make a difficult editing project.) Agricola married Benedetta Molteni, a soprano from Modena engaged by the Berlin opera, and they both sang in the premiere of Graun's Der Tod Jesu, which Agricola directed. He composed two operas on Metastasio librettos (Cleofide, Berlin 1754 (score), and Achille in Sciro, Berlin 1765) and other operas, intermezzi and oratorios. Based on the works recorded here, others that survive ought to be revived. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Ferrari, Orlandi, Trabaci, Carissimi, Castaldi, Frescobaldi, Huygens, Mayone, Strozzi, Nauwach, Berti, India, Rasi, Merula, Macque, Mazzocchi, Rossi. Dialoghi a Voce Sola. Raumklang RK 3306 (1 CD, October 2014). Ulrike Hofbauer, soprano. Ensemble cetera. UK | FR | DE | CA | JP October 2014). Booklet (pdf). Michael Schneider, La Stagione Frankfurt. Jasmin Hörner, soprano; Kateryna Kasper, soprano; Anne Bierwirth, contralto; Christian Rohrbach, countertenor; Johannes Strauss, tenor; Christian Zenker, tenor; Gotthold Schwarz, bass; Andreas Wolf, bass. Sony really cut corners to save a few cents per copy on this one. The thin printed booklet contains no libretto, while the pdf version includes the libretto in German only with no translations. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP CD, September 2014). Booklet (pdf). Mauro Borgioni, bass. Francesco Baroni, harpsichord. Fra Bernardo produces the world's worst CD booklets, with tiny, yellowish text on a black background that is impossible to read and difficult to scan. Perhaps they believe that if their customers can't read the booklets, they won't notice that there are no translations of the texts, which are center aligned to make reading them an even greater challenge. Their 20-something graphics designer obviously thinks that it's "kewl". US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Meslanges pour la chapelle d'un prince. Harmonia Mundi HMC 902194 (1 CD, August 2014). Video 1. Video 2. Booklet (pdf). Sébastien Daucé, Ensemble Correspondances. Caroline Dangin-Bardot, soprano; Caroline Weynants, soprano; Marie-Frédérique Girod, soprano; Lucile Richardot, mezzo-soprano; Marie Pouchelon, mezzo-soprano; Stephen Collardelle, haute-contre; Davy Cornillot, tenor; Randol Rodriguez, tenor; Étienne Bazola, baritone; Louis-Pierre Patron, baritone; Renaud Bres, bass; Nicolas Brooymans, bass. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP der Busse und Bekehrung. Carus 83.351 (1 CD, May 2014). György Vashegyi, Orfeo Orchestra, Purcell Choir. Gnade: Szilvia Hamvasi, soprano; Christ: Elisabeth Scholl, soprano; Weltmensch: Tünde Szabóki, soprano; Gerechtigkeit: Zita Váradi, soprano; Freigeist: Mária Zádori, soprano. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Hermann Friedrich Raupach (1728-1778); Francesco Domenico Araia (1709-c.1770); Vicenzo Manfredini (1737-1799); Dall'Oglio/Madonis; Cimarosa. St. Petersburg. Decca 478 6767 (1 CD, October 2014). Booklet (pdf). Cecilia Bartoli, soprano. Diego Fasolis, I Barocchisti. Cecila Bartoli is such a dominant figure in opera that she could easily perform nothing but standard repertoire for the rest of her career to standing room crowds. Instead, she has been recording previously unrecorded arias by poorly-known composers. Early music enthusiasts should be grateful for her hard work and determination to bring us music that we otherwise would not have experienced. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Cantata per Natale - Elpino, Tirsi Angelo. Fra Bernardo FB 1409323 (1 CD, September 2014). Video 1. Video 2. Elpino: Silvia Frigato, soprano; Angelo: Elena Biscuola, mezzo-soprano; Tirsi: Alessio Tosi, tenor; Ulrike Knapp, salterio. Alessandro Ciccolini, Gambe di Legno. The booklet is the best yet from Fra Bernardo. It's worthy of a D-, instead of their usual F. At least they got one thing right: black text on a white background. However, the type is too tiny to read without scanning and blowing it up, and the Italian texts are right justified, which probably looks "kool" to a young designer who never reads classical music librettos. While there is an English translation, it's in a separate section and is center justified, which makes it just as difficult to read as if it were right justified. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Rameau's Funeral. Rameau. Music from Castor et Pollux, Dardanus Zoroastre. Jean Gilles. Messe des Morts (Version Paris 1764). Paradizo (1 CD, September 2014). Booklet (pdf). Skip Sempé, Capriccio Stravagante, Les 24 Violons, Collegium Vocale Gent. Judith van Wanroij, soprano; Robert Getchell, haute-contre; Juan Sancho, tenor; Lisandro Abadie, bass. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Sacrifices: Carissimi, Jephte. Filia: Sophie Junker, soprano; Jepthe: Robert Murray, tenor. Charpentier, Sacrifium Abrahae H.402. Sara: Mhairi Lawson, soprano; Abraham: Simon Wall, tenor; Isaac: Nicholas Scott, tenor. Charpentier, Le Reniement de Saint Pierre H.424. Petrus: Nicholas Scott; Jesus: Jonathan McGovern, baritone; Historicus: Timothy Dickinson, bass. Harmonia Mundi MHU 807588 (1 CD, August 2014). Booklet (pdf). David Bates, La Nuova Musica. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP 2464/66-2 (3 CDs, June 2014). Details. Antonio Greco, OIDI Festival Baroque Ensemble. Giasone: Borja Quiza, baritone; Medea: Daniela Dessì, soprano; Isifile: Roberta Mameli, soprano; Egeo: Mirko Guadagnini, tenor; Besso: Luigi De Donato, bass; Delfa: Paolo Lopez, countertenor; Oreste: Luca Tittoto, bass; Alinda/Pittura: Gaia Petrone, mezzo-soprano; Ercole: Masashi Mori, bass; Demo/Architettura: Krystian Adam, tenor; Volano/Satiro: Pavol Kuban, baritone; Sole: Maria Luisa Casali, soprano; Musica: Gabriella Costa, soprano; Poesia/Amore: Giuseppina Bridelli, mezzo-soprano. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP 2014). Booklet (pdf). Lawrence Cummings, FestspielOrchester Göttingen. Siroe: Yosemeh Adjei, countertenor; Emira: Anna Dennis, soprano; Laodice: Aleksandra Zamojska, soprano; Medarse: Antonio Giovannini, countertenor; Cosroe: Lisandro Abadie, baritone; Arasse: Ross Ramgobin, bass. I found fault with much of the singing on Spering's abridged and reorchestrated recording, but at least the cast included Ann Hallenberg. In contrast, this new recording -- still incomplete -- has nothing to recommend it. Pressing the Skip button simply takes you from one imcompetent performance to another. Even if the singing were better, this would still be an unacceptable recording because of the annoying stage noise from the goofy, modern staging that is depicted in numerous color photos in the brochure and folding box. It's amazing how proud the pipsqueak purveyors these staging atrocities are of their silly but expensive, copycat productions. From a detailed and quite accurate review by C. Wake on Amazon.co.uk: "I am severe on these singers, I know; and I have this much sympathy for them, that they have to sing this extreme music while running around the stage in their underwear, covered in fake blood, taking showers, simulating sex acts, and making breakfast – or whatever else the stage director has dreamt up. They needed courage and stamina – but they also needed a level of vocal technique which they do not have and show no signs of achieving. They struggle through Handel like the storm-tossed mariners he often makes them sing about. Not one of them gives any pleasure to the listener." (The laudatory review in Early Music Review shows how far Handel opera reviews in EMR have slipped since the death of Anthony Hicks.) Stick with Spering, which in addition to being a superior performance includes a Senesino aria cut by Cummings. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Handel, arranged by Jacobs. Orlando. (HWV 31, London 1733). DG-Archiv 0289 479 2199 8 (2 CDs, May 2014). Booklet (pdf). Details. René Jacobs, B'Rock. Orlando: Bejun Mehta, countertenor; Angelica: Sophie Karthäuser, soprano; Dorinda: Sunhae Im, soprano; Medoro: Kristina Hammarström, mezzo-soprano; Zoroastro: Konstantin Wolff, bass. A video of the production is online here. I watched about 1/2 hour of the first act before giving up in disgust. The staging is more of the same -- I hope they're not paying for new Star Wars costumes every year. As in other recent Handel operas, Jacobs adds and subtracts instruments, invariably to the detriment of the opera. In addition, he is now adding bars at the beginning and end of some movements, dulling down the impact of the recorder entry in the short sinfonia (which is also lengthened at the end) and the sudden string entry in "Itene pur tremendo". The first significant shock is hearing organ continuo in Zoroastro's "Lascia Amor e siegui Marti". Organ is added here and there, and where the organ isn't heard, there usually is a closely miced lute. It's hard enough to hear the harpsichord in this performance, but Jacobs performs the A section of Dorinda's "Ho un certo rossore" senza cembalo except in tutti passages, then adds the organ in the B section. Sunhae Im struggles in the aria, to which I would give a C- as opposed to A+ for Emma Kirkby's performance with original scoring on the vastly superior 1991 Hogwood recording. (Perhaps I'm guilty of grade inflation, as I gave Im an F for her performance in Spering's Siroe in 2004.) The cavatina "Ritornava al suo bel viso", marked "Largo, e staccato, mà piano" is performed faster and legato, with organ in the tutti passages. That's all I could take. There's so much terribly wrong that I could scarcely complain about Jacobs' cutting the repeat of the second part of the gigue. I find the student performances of Orlando arias from Innsbruck much more satisfying, e.g., here and here. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Vivaldi. L'incoronazione di Dario. (RV 719, Venice 1717). Naïve Vivaldi Edition OP 30553 (3 CDs, April 2014). Details. Booklet (pdf). Ottavio Dantone, Accademia Bizantina. Alinda: Roberta Mameli, soprano; Arpago: Sofia Soloviy, soprano; Statira: Sara Mingardo, contralto; Argene: Delphine Galou, contralto; Oronte: Lucia Cirillo, mezzo-soprano; Flora: Giuseppina Bridelli, mezzo-soprano; Dario: Anders Dahlin, tenor; Niceno: Riccardo Novaro, baritone. The radio broadcast included Hammarström as Statira, Fagioli as Oronte, and Lee as Arpago. A letdown after the previous Naïve release, the superb recording of Catone in Utica by Alan Curtis. Like many recent Vivaldi opera recordings, it features exaggerated dynamics that make for an unpleasant listening experience. The recording often sounds out of balance, with either singers or instruments too loud. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Handel. Tamerlano. (HWV 18, London 1724, 1731 version). Naïve V5373 (3 CDs, March 2014). Details. Booklet (pdf) with English translation by Marcello Simonetta. Video. Riccardo Minasi, Il Pomo d'Oro. Asteria: Karina Gauvin, soprano; Andronico: Max Emanuel Cenčić, countertenor; Irene: Ruxandra Donose, mezzo-soprano; Tamerlano: Xavier Sabata, countertenor; Bajazet: John Mark Ainsley, tenor; Leone: Pavel Kudinov, bass. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP (Naples 1752). dhm (4 CDs, May 2014). Details. Booklet (pdf). Werner Ehrhardt, L'Arte del Mondo. Vitellia: Laura Aikin, soprano; Sesto: Rafaella Milanesi, soprano; Servillia: Arantza Ezenarro, soprano; Annio: Valer Sabadus, countertenor; Publio: Flavio Ferri-Benedetti, countertenor; Tito: Rainer Trost, tenor. This is a great Gluck opera seria with a superb performance by Rafaella Milanesi in the Cafferelli role. While the live recording is very good, with minimal stage noise, it's unfortunate that they didn't record in studio. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP RAM 1303 (2 CDs, March 2014). Details / Video. Booklet (pdf). Peter Van Heyghen, Les Muffatti Vox Luminis. Tochter Zion: Zsuzsi Tóth, soprano; Glaubige Seele: Caroline Weynants, soprano; Glaubige Seele / Maria: Sara Jäggi, soprano; Evangelist: Jan van Elsacker, tenor; Petrus / Glaubige Seele: Fernando Guimarães, tenor; Judas: Robert Buckland, tenor; Gläubige Seele: Hugo Oliveira, bass; Jesus: Peter Kooij, bass; Caiphas / Pilatus / Hauptmann: Lionel Meunier, bass. I think I refer the Rousset radio broadcast. The lute is never as loud at concerts as it is in some recordings like this where it's closely miced. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Ricercar 342 (2 CDs, March 2014). Details / Video. Booklet (pdf). Leonardo García Alarcón, Ensemble Clematis, Cappella Mediterranea, Solistes du Choeur de Chambre de Namur. Circé: Céline Scheen, soprano; Ulisse: Furio Zanasi, baritone; Venere: Mariana Flores, soprano; Dorinda: Alice Foccroulle, soprano; Argesta: Dominique Visse, countertenor; Euriloco / Tritone / Marte: Fernando Guimarães, tenor; Giove: Matteo Belloto, bass; Mercurio / Apollo: Zachary Wilder, tenor; Satiro: Fabián Schofrin, countertenor; Nettuno: Sergio Foresti, bass. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Christophorus (2 CDs, March 2014). Booklet (pdf). Wolfgang Riedelbauch, La Banda, Festivalchor Musica Franconia. Emma Kirkby, soprano; Tim Mead, countertenor; Hans Jörg Mammel, tenor; Markus Simon, bass. While I noticed no wholesale borrowing, every movement contains elements that can be traced to works of Handel, mainly English and instrumental music, including Acis Galatea, various anthems, the Ode on St. Cecilia's Day, Esther, Athalia, and the Water Music. It's quite pleasant listening and virtually a final exam on familiarity with Handel's English works up to 1740. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP J.S. Bach. Academic Cantatas - BWV 205 207. Secular Cantatas vol. 4. BIS-2001 (1 CD, May 2014). Booklet (pdf). Masaaki Suzuki, Bach Collegium Japan. Joanne Lunn, soprano; Robin Blaze, countertenor; Wolfram Lattke, tenor; Roderick Williams, bass. From M. Suzuki's note: "A final brief remark regards the trumpets and horns. Following our recent practice, the brass instruments adopted for this recording are constructed according to original baroque practice, which means that they lack the so-called tone holes (or venting holes) with which the intonation may be adjusted on a modern-day "baroque trumpet". In consequence, it is physically impossible for their 11th (Fa) and 13th (La) overtones to be completely in tune. It is, however, our firm belief that the sound, undisturbed by the use of any holes, remains rounded and vivid, and that the player is able to achieve a more legato and singing character." US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Handel. Teseo Highlights. Philharmonia Baroque Productions (1 CD, May 2014). Nicholas McGegan, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra. Dominique Labelle, soprano; Amanda Forsythe, soprano; Amy Freston, soprano; Drew Minter, countertenor; Robin Blaze, countertenor; Céline Ricci, mezzo-soprano. The radio broadcast from the 2011 Göttingen Festival directed by McGegan featured most of the same singers and is the best recording of Teseo of the few I have heard. It may still be around somewhere on the web, despite the closing of OperaShare. The same cast delivered a polished semi-staged performance at Alice Tully Hall in August 2014, with sufficient cuts (4 arias) to come within the 3-hour union limit. I was especially impressed by the stage presence of Drew Minter, who recently has been directing and teaching more than performing. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Obsidian CD 711(1 CD, February 2014). Booklet (pdf). Lars Ulrich Mortensen, European Union Baroque Orchestra, Choir of Clare College Cambridge. Alex Potter, countertenor. Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne HWV 74; Zadok the Priest HWV 258; Let thy hand be strengthened HWV 259; My heart is inditing HWV 261; The King shall rejoice HWV 260; Concerto grosso Op. 3 Nr. 2. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP L'Euridice. Naïve OP 30552 (1 CD, February 2014). Video. Booklet (pdf). Rinaldo Alessandrini, Concerto Italiano. Euridice / Tragedia: Silvia Frigato, soprano; Venere: Monica Piccinini, soprano; Dafne / Proserpina: Sara Mingardo, contralto; Orfeo: Furio Zanasi, baritone; Arcetro: Giampaolo Fagotto, tenor; Plutone: Antonio Abete, bass; Aminta / Tirsi: Luca Dordolo, tenor; Caronte: Mauro Borioni, baritone; Radamanto: Matteo Bellotto, bass. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Classics PC 10297 (1 CD, February 2014). Details. Booklet (pdf). Filippo Mineccia, countertenor. Stefano Aresi, Stile Galante. The aria "Ti calpesto, oh crudo Amore" from Astianatte (Naples 1725) with two horns contains a musical theme I have only heard elsewhere in Handel's Water Music (London 1717). I wonder if this is a case of Vinci borrowing from Handel, or whether they both borrowed from some previous Italian source. The next aria on the disk, "Non meno risplende" from La contesa de' Numi (Rome 1729), contains a theme later used by Pergolesi in a familiar aria in Adriano in Siria. US | UK | FR | DE | CA | JP Decca (2017?). Brochure (pdf). Jan Tomasz Adamus, Capella Cracoviensis. Germanico: Max Emanuel Cenčić, countertenor; Arminio: Mary-Ellen Nesi, mezzo-soprano; Ersinda: Julia Lezhneva, mezzo-soprano; Rosmonda: Dilyara Idrisova, soprano; Cecina: Hasnaa Bennani, soprano; Segeste: Juan Sancho, tenor. (Milan 1743). Forthcoming? Alan Curtis, Il Complesso Barocco. Creuza: Ann Hallenberg, mezzo-soprano; Timante: Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen, countertenor; Matusio: Vittorio Prato, baritone. Vienna performance cast. Sony. Forthcoming. Details. Claudio Osele, Le Musiche Nove. Semele: Roberta Invernizzi, soprano; Giunone: Karina Gauvin, soprano; Giove: Sonia Prina, contralto. (Second version, HWV 12b, London, December 1720). Forthcoming. Radamisto: Max Emanuel Cencic, countertenor. Keiser. Der Streit der vier Jahreszeiten (Hamburg 1703). cpo. Forthcoming? Recorded in 2010. Thomas Ihlenfeld, Capella Orlandi. Melanie Hirsch, soprano; Olivia Vermeulen, mezzo-soprano; Jan Kobow, tenor; Knut Schoch, tenor; Julian Podger, tenor; Raimonds Spogis, bass; Jörg Gottschick, bass. Il Pomo d'Oro. Solimano: Max Emanuel Cencic, countertenor; Laureen Snouffer, soprano; Vince Yi, countertenor. dei Cantici (1703). Sono Luminus, forthcoming. Details. Matthew Dirst, Ars Lyrica. Sposa: Meghan Lindsay, soprano; Sposo: John Holiday, countertenor; Amor Divino: Jay Carter, countertenor; Eternità: Ryland Angel, countertenor. Performed as part of the Houston Early Music Festival: February 8, 2014. (Naples 1778). DVD forthcoming of the apparently inoffensive modern production in late 2013. Václav Luks, Collegium 1704. Aristea: Simona Houda-Šaturová, soprano; Megacle: Raffaella Milanesi, soprano; Alcandro: Helena Kaupová, soprano; Licida: Tehila Nini Goldstein, mezzo-soprano; Argene: Sophie Harmsen, mezzo-soprano; Clistene: Johannes Chum, tenor; Aminta: Krystian Adam, tenor. Listen online to the 2 May 2013 Prague performance. Megacle's "Superbo di me stesso", written for Luigi Marchesi and performed here at 10:16 by Raffaella Milanesi is a particularly brilliant aria. To replace the lost final chorus, the stage director inserted the final aria in Gluck's Ezio, Fulvia's accompagnato and rage aria "Misera, dove son!" / "Ah'! Non son io che parlo". See the detailed review of a Caen performance by Graham O'Reilly at EMR 155:67, which concludes: "That apart [the Gluck insertion], the stunning singing and playing make this production an exemplar of how all opera should be done.... Don't miss it [the DVD]." Harmonia Mundi. Forthcoming. Performance review. David Bates, La Nuova Musica. Issipile: Lucy Crowe, soprano; Rodope: Rebecca Bottone, soprano; Eurnome: Emilie Renard, mezzo-soprano; Giasone: Lawrence Zazzo, countertenor; Learchus: Flavio Ferri-Benedetti, countertenor; Tonante: John Mark Ainsley, tenor. New edition by Flavio Ferri-Benedetti. Forthcoming? Attilio Cremonesi, Café Zimmermann, ChorWerk Ruhr. Romolo: Marina de Liso, mezzo-soprano; Ersilia: Rosanna Savoia, soprano; Valeria: Robin Johannsen, soprano; Ostilio: Netta Or, soprano; Acronte: Paola Gardina, mezzo-soprano; Curzio: Johannes Chum, tenor. Gluck. Le Cinesi (Serenata, Schlosshof 1754, Vienna 1755). Virgin Classics. Forthcoming? (Uncertain after the death of Alan Curtis.) Il Complesso Barocco. Tangia: Ann Hallenberg, mezzo-soprano. Silango: Topi Lehtipuu, tenor. See Heartz, Haydn, Mozart, etc. pp. 152-3 for his translation of Dittersdorf s detailed description of the staging. (Venice 1744). RCOC. Forthcoming? Details (pdf). Juan Bautista Otero, Real Compañía Ópera de Cámara (RCOC). Danao: Magnus Staveland, tenor; Ipermestra: Verónica Cangemi or Sabina Puértolas, soprano; Linceo: Sunhae Im, soprano; Elpinice: Sara Mingardo, contralto; Plistene: Mari Eriksmoen, soprano; Adrasto: Luciano Botelho, tenor. (Rome 1751). RCOC. Forthcoming? Details (pdf). Juan Bautista Otero, Real Compañía Ópera de Cámara (RCOC). Merope: Verónica Cangemi or Sabina Puértolas, soprano; Epitide: Sunhae Im, soprano; Polifonte: Magnus Staveland, tenor; Trasimede: Anna Bonitatibus, mezzo-soprano; Argia: Ditte Andersen, soprano; Licisco: Mari Eriksmoen, soprano; Anassandro: Xavier Sabata, countertenor. (Lisbon 1757 Cádiz 1768). RCOC. Forthcoming? Details (pdf). Juan Bautista Otero, Real Compañía Ópera de Cámara (RCOC). Solimano: Thomas Randall or Anders J. Dahlin, tenor; Perane: Patricia Petibon or Aleksandrina Pendatchanska, soprano; Selimo: Stéphanie d Oustrac or Monica Bacelli, mezzo-soprano; Barsina: Sunhae Im or Sophie Karthäuser. soprano; Zanghire: Verónica Cangemi, soprano; Osmino: Magnus Staveland, tenor. (Naples 1721). RCOC. Forthcoming? Details (pdf). Juan Bautista Otero, Real Compañía Ópera de Cámara (RCOC). Venere: Verónica Cangemi, soprano; Adonis: Sunhae Im, soprano; Marte: Anders J. Dahlin, tenor; Egle: Blandine Staskiewicz, mezzo-soprano; Palemone: Robin Johannsen, soprano. La Casta (Naples 1696). Forthcoming? Details (pdf). Wolfgang Katschner, Lautten Compagney. Penelope: Dorothee Mields, soprano; Ulisse: Kobie van Rensburg, tenor; Elvida: Cécile van de Sant, mezzo-soprano; Lutezio: Owen Willetts, countertenor; Gismondo: Yosemeh Adjei, countertenor; Orimante: James Elliott, tenor; Gildo: Florian Götz, baritone; Arienne: Bele Kumberger, soprano; Matteo Sassano: Henning Kaiser, tenor. delirante (Naples 1696). Forthcoming? Details. Wolfgang Katschner, Lautten Compagney. Enea: Anne Dietzmann, mezzo-soprano; Acate: Anne Schneider, soprano; Didone: Olivia Vermeulen, mezzo-soprano; Anna: Katharina Boschmann, soprano; Frullo: Matthias Vieweg, bass; Creuso: Yosemeh Adjel, countertenor; Sicambre: Susanne Langbein, soprano. Handel. Acis Galatea (Expanded English/Italian version, HWV 49b, London 1732). In the planning stages. Acis (originally Senesino): Lawrence Zazzo, countertenor. Handel. Agrippina. (HWV 6, Venice 1709-10). Naïve. Forthcoming? (Uncertain after the death of Alan Curtis.) Il Complesso Barocco. Joyce DiDonato, Maite Beaumont, Karina Gauvin, Pallante: Johannes Meisser, baritone. Arianna in Creta. (HWV 32, London 1734). Naïve. Forthcoming? (Uncertain after the death of Alan Curtis.) Il Complesso Barocco. Arianna: , soprano; Teseo: Ann Hallenberg, mezzo-soprano; Carilda: , soprano; Tauride: , mezzo-soprano; Alceste: , soprano; Minos: Johannes Meisser, baritone. Bononcini (1670-1747). Astianatte (London 1727). Naïve. Forthcoming? (Uncertain after the death of Alan Curtis.) Il Complesso Barocco. This is the opera in which the two prima donnas, Cuzzoni and Faustina, fought on stage. Alessandro Melani. Gli Amori di Lidia e di Clori (1682). (4 CDs, forthcoming?). Estevan Velardi, Alessandro Stradella Consort. Clori: Anna Chierichetti, soprano; Lidia: Lavinia Bertotti, soprano; Eurillo: Gianluca Belfiori Doro, countertenor; Rosauro: Gianluca Buratto, bass. Alessandro Stradella. Doriclea (1686). (4 CDs, forthcoming?). Estevan Velardi, Alessandro Stradella Consort. Rosita Frisani, soprano; Cristina Jannicola, mezzo-soprano; Linda Campanella, soprano; Gianluca Belfiori Doro, countertenor; Carlo Putelli, tenor; Vito Priante, bass.Vincent Dumestre by Yutha Tep, Issue 37.Martin Gester by Brian Robins, Issue 36.Sigiswald Kuijken by Brian Robins, Issue 34, in which he discusses the violoncello da spalla and holeless natural trumpet, among other matters.Christophe Rousset by Brian Robins, Issue 33.Also:Jean-François Madeuf by Jeffrey Nussbaum on the Historic Brass Society website (2006). J-FM: I never play [natural trumpet] with holes. I only did that when I was learning this very difficult (but so wonderful) instrument. Early Music World - new website by Brian Robins A note about web browsers. OT: Firefox users: Smooth scrolling, autoscrolling and hardware acceleration, which can cause momentary freezes, are on by default in the latest release. To turn them off: Tools Options Advanced General. ORF and Philips included opera libretto files on multi-session CDs, a now obsolete technology. The non-audio files can t be opened in Windows 8 x64 Explorer, but you can open and extract them with the free version of IsoBuster. If one is to believe the historians of the seventeenth century, stage directors did not yet exist. What a fortunate age! One could attend an opera without having to close one s eyes. One could take delight in it, listen to it and watch it at the same time, without feeling welling up within oneself, scene by scene, crescendo, rinforzando, that dull anger which is very bad for one's peace of mind." Philippe Beaussant (La Monde de la Musique, April 2005), English translation in "Vivaldi in Scena: Thoughts on the Revival of Vivaldi's Operas" by Frédéric Delaméa in Vivaldi, Motezuma and the Opera Seria, Michael Talbot (ed.) at 171-2 (Brepols 2008). I m still waiting for even one of the many conductors of baroque Italian opera performances with organ, guitar, or harp continuo to cite one solitary source in support of an obnoxious fad. At one time, scholars were prominent in the historical performance movement, but increasingly they have been replaced by copycats and greedy salesmen.http://www.newolde.com

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