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Giulio Cesare, the most popular of Handel’s operas, is named after the great Roman emperor, but its most memorable character is Cleopatra. In this production by Laurent Pelly from Paris’ splendid Palais Garnier, the role of the Egyptian queen is assumed for the first time by Natalie Dessay, described by the Telegraph as “a supreme vocal enchantress”. Giulio Cesare is the opera that, over the quarter century, has led the vigorous revival of interest in Handel’s works for the stage. Now in the repertoire of theatres around the world, it offers a dazzling array of dramatic situations and moods – with music to match – and the seductive and captivating character of Cleopatra exemplifies its (to quote Shakespeare) “infinite variety”. Natalie Dessay chose to make her stage debut in the role of the Egyptian queen at Paris’s Palais Garnier, an opera house of legendary splendour and beauty and, seating an audience of less than 2,000, well suited to the intimacy of baroque opera. Dessay had already recorded all the character’s arias for Virgin Classics with conductor Emanuelle Haïm (catalogue number 5099990787225), who was also in charge of the performances at the Palais Garnier in early 2011. “Every note is as clear and lustrous as a freshly polished crystal chandelier,” said the Toronto Star of the soprano’s recorded performance, while the Telegraph (UK) enthused that “Dessay proves a supreme vocal enchantress”. She proved a svelte physical enchantress, too, in the staging by Laurent Pelly – who, notably, directed Dessay in the sparkling production of Donizetti’s La Fille de régiment that was seen in London, New York and Vienna and released on DVD by Virgin Classics (catalogue No. 5099951900298). His witty and stylised conception of Handel’s opera was described thus by the Wall Street Journal: “The curtain opens on the vast storeroom of an Egyptian museum, stuffed to the rafters with statuary and paintings, crates and frames. As a guard reads his newspaper, a statue of Julius Caesar comes alive – plaster gray from top to toe, including his Roman soldier's garb. Caesar bursts into song, and sculpted heads and busts aligned on storage shelves follow suit, singing along in chorus. We're off into the wacky world of director Laurent Pelly's new production of Handel's 1724 Giulio Cesare at the Paris Opéra ... there is never a dull moment.” The newspaper went on to praise the excellence of the cast: “not just the stellar Ms. Dessay but also counter-tenor Lawrence Zazzo as Caesar, mezzo-soprano Varduhi Abrahamyan as Cornelia and especially mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard as Sesto”. In The Sunday Times (UK), Hugh Canning, an enthusiast for Handel’s operas, wrote that: “At the end of Act II, Cleopatra has one of Handel's most sublime arias, the great G minor lament ‘Se pietà di me non senti’, and Dessay sang it as well as I have ever heard in the theatre. She is an artist who understands the synergy of notes and text.” “finely managed and skilfully delivered by a strong team of singing actors. None more so than Natalie Dessay's Cleopatra, maybe past her first flush of vocal youth but still looking glamorous and singing with considerable technical and expressive command. Lawrence Zazzo's Caesar matches her...Many good things, then, not least in Emmanuel Haïm's conducting” BBC Music Magazine, Christmas 2012 *** “this is a radical production in that, instead of American oil barons or Bollywood dancers moonlighting in Vegas, the characters look surprisingly like ancient Romans and Egyptians. Zazzo's outstandingly imperious title-hero is the best sung and acted countertenor performance of the part I've encountered...Haim's admirable pacing and sensitivity for shapely phrasing are offset by convoluted continuo intruding during recitatives” Gramophone Magazine, December 2012 “Dessay brings real star quality to the part of Cleopatra, and Isabel Leonard is similarly inspired as Sextus; both project plenty of fire into their faster arias, and both are suitably plangent in their slower ones...Haim and her musicians do a good job by the score” MusicWeb International, December 2012 | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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Following its successful full length opera, ‘Artaxerxes’, Classical Opera return with the first in an epic series of Mozart operas ‘Apollo et Hyacinthus’. Classical Opera has mounted two staged productions of Mozart's Apollo et Hyacinthus (1998 and 2006), with both receiving wide critical acclaim. This recording has been eagerly awaited since its 2007 debut CD, ‘The A-Z of Mozart Opera’ was released, described by David Vickers in Gramophone as ‘glorious...fresh, diverse, insightful and illuminating’. The company features a mix of seasoned and young performers including Klara Ek (Melia), Sophie Bevan (Hyacinthus), Lawrence Zazzo (Apollo), Christopher Ainslie (Zephyrus) and Andrew Kennedy (Oebalus). Classical Opera was founded in 1997 by conductor Ian Page. It specialises in the music of Mozart and his contemporaries, performing with its own period-instrument orchestra, and is considered one of Britain's most exciting and highly regarded young arts organisations. “With inspiriting conducting lissom and, where apt, punchy orchestral playing, and first-rate singing from company regulars, their performance of this thoroughly charming intermedio could hardly be bettered...the bright, extrovert Lawrence Zazzo contrasts well with the more contained, rounded tones of Christopher Ainslie...Klara Ek and Sophie Bevan bring to their arias a poise and panache” Gramophone Magazine, July 2012 “It's an astonishing piece for an 11 year-old, of course, though not in the same league as Mozart's mature works. The Classical Opera Company principals do very nicely by it. Tenor Andrew Kennedy, sopranos Sophie Bevan and Klara Ek and countertenor Lawrence Zazzo are all excellent, and Ian Page's band is neat and stylish.” BBC Music Magazine, July 2012 **** “Even by the standards of Mozart's astonishingly precocious childhood, this is an extraordinary achievement...Ian Page, setting out on an epic Mozart series for Linn, conducts a top cast, ...with the crisp and alert Classical Opera orchestra driven along by the fine harpsichordist Steven Devine.” The Observer, 10th June 2012 “This scintillating recording of the 1767 Latin opera reveals just how early Mozart's instinct for character was formed...The cast is beautifully contrasted...Andrew Kennedy sings Oebalus with authority and elegance.” The Independent, 28th July 2012 “the present cast have a full understanding of the potential dramatic power of the work. There are no weak links, with all making the most of the musical and dramatic opportunities provided...[a] splendid version of an unfairly neglected work.” MusicWeb International, July 2012 | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Caro AmorDas Schonste aus Handels Opern
Nuria Rial, Annette Dasch, Maria Bayo (sopranos), Angelika Kirchschlager, Vesselina Kasarova, Marjana Mijanovic (mezzo), Lawrence Zazzo (countertenor), Ian Bostridge (tenor), Byrn Terfel (bass-baritone) Il Complesso Barocco, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Kammerorchester Basel | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Handel - Duetti Amorosi
Handel: | Caro amico amplesso! (from Poro) Romilda infida Troppo oltraggi la mia fede (from Serse) Quivi, tra questi soltari orr Ah, sì, morrò (from Admeto) Alma mia (from Floridante) Ma come a mar (from Muzio Scevola) Ritorna, caro e dolce mio tesoro (from Rodelinda) Non ti bastò (from Rodelinda) Io t'abbraccio (from Rodelinda) Fuggi, mio bene Il fugir, cara mia vita (from Arminio) Ritorna nel core vezzosa (from Arminio) Parte Agilea Te credo, si ben mio (from Teseo) Commanda, dunque, o bella (from Teseo) Quest’è dunque la fede (from Admeto) Addio, mio caro bene (from Teseo) Teseo Arminio : Overture |
Romantic duets from Handel’s operas, including Serse, Rodelinda, Arminio and Teseo. Performed by Nuria Rial and Lawrence Zazzo, who recently appeared on deutsche harmonia mundi’s recording of rare Handel opera Riccardo Primo (88697174212) in which Zazzo takes the title role. Accompanied by the Chamber Orchestra of Basel conducted by Handel specialist Laurence Cummings. Rial and Zazzo are two of the leading exponents of the Baroque genre. The soprano has sung with the early music conductors René Jacobs and Giovanni Antonini. The repertoire of the Philadelphia-born countertenor Zazzo ranges from the operas of Monteverdi, Scarlatti and Handel to numerous twentieth-century works. He will be appearing at the Royal Opera House during the Autumn of 2008 in a production of Cavalli’s La Calisto. “The aching longing and ecstatic intertwining of soprano and alto (castrato) voices in the sublime duets for Poro (1731) and Cleofide, and for Rodelinda (1725) and Bertarido, are among the era’s most moving “romantic” music. With her bright, pristine soprano, Rial blends perfectly with Zazzo’s plush countertenor. They are delightful in the comical Romilda/Arsamene duet, from Serse (1738), and moving in the yearning farewell of Clizia and Arcane, from Teseo (1713). Unexpected and enjoyable.” Sunday Times, 10th August 2008 **** “In duet or solo, two fine singers impress in a delightfully planned Handel recital. Laurence Cummings provides expert musical direction from the harpsichord, ensuring that everything is paced to perfection…” Gramophone Magazine, Awards Issue 2008 “The voices of Rial and Zazzo are engaging on their own and evenly balanced in ensemble… excelling in the…composer's tenderly reflective music such as in the ravishing duet 'Io t'abbraccio' from Rodelinda (1725). Cummings directs all with sensibility and stylistic assurance.” BBC Music Magazine, October 2008 **** “'Duetti amorosi' is an imaginative and thoughtfully chosen programme of operatic duets (although the singers also get two arias each).
Nothing predictable is included here, except perhaps the two items from Rodelinda, but the lovely performance of 'Ritorna, o cara' and the pathos-laden 'Io t'abbraccio' more than justify their presence. Picking a diverse selection of repertoire that skilfully conveys the expressive and stylistic breath of Handel's writing is certainly one of the often-ignored secrets of planning a successful Handel recital programme, and the performers' enthusiasm for reviving numbers from Arminio (including its fine overture), Teseo, Muzio Scevola, Poro (the gorgeous 'Caro amico amplesso') and Admeto deserves high praise.
Rial and Zazzo sing well, both individually and together: in the duets they are obviously listening sympathetically to each other; they seem to know when to emphasise vocal contrasts or blend closely. Laurence Cummings provides expert musical direction from the harpsichord, ensuring that everything is paced to perfection, and that the musico-dramatic characteristics presented in each piece speak with transparency to the listener; none of these performances would feel out of place in context of their parent works. The policy to dump the texts and translations onto a PDF is detestable.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010 | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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Fernando, re di Castiglia is not a title most opera-goers will be familiar with. Alan Curtis has prepared his own edition of Fernando, which is set in late 13th century Portugal. The characters are loosely based on historical figures. For whatever reason two thirds of the way through the composition of Fernando Handel decided to change the characters and location to mythical antiquity, and the opera eventually became the more well-known work Sosarme. “If the libretto is not of the best then the same cannot be said of Handel's music which offers a veritable banquet. The cast of singers is always effective… and the instrumentalists in all but one of two instances unanimous and sympathetic. Curtis directs all with stylistic assurance.” BBC Music Magazine, March 2007 **** “Fernando is the abandoned first draft of Handel's opera Sosarme (1732). We do not know why Handel changed almost all the character names, the location of the action and the title during the composition process, but in either guise the opera is full of top-drawer music.
Alan Curtis has decided to reconstruct Fernando for philological reasons, although maybe the desire to bring us another 'premiere' had something to do with it.
Curtis's pacing and shaping of Handel's music is consistently subtle, astutely rhetorical and firmly connected to the libretto text. Although it might be possible to explore firmer muscularity and create a more vivid sense of surprise in the quicker music, there is something to be said for Curtis's shrewd reservation of such effects for when it is truly vital for the drama. For instance, Marianna Pizzolato's powerful arias 'Vado al campo' and 'Cuor di madre e cuor di moglie' are potently delivered moments of severe agitated passion that are all the more effective for the sweeter elegance that pervades much of this lovely score. The sublime duet 'Per le porte' is sung with poetic intimacy by Lawrence Zazzo and Veronica Cangemi. Zazzo sings his elegantly heroic aria 'Alle sfere della gloria' with supple clarity. Max Emanuel Cencic is impressive as the reticent Sancio, unwilling to be used as a pawn in his ruthless grandfather Altomaro's Machiavellian plans to tear the royal family apart. Antonio Abete gives an ideal account of the villain's arias.
The only weak link is Filippo Adami's vocally deficient Dionisio: natural Italian declamation in his extrovert recitatives is not enough to carry him through under-achieving blustery accounts of magnificent arias that deserve better. Il Complesso Barocco are excellent: ritornelli are intelligently weighted and phrased and instrumental contributions are patiently integrated with the singing.
There are a few cuts to recitatives, but overall Fernando is one of Curtis's most consistent and pleasing Handel opera recordings.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010 “Curtis draws lively playing from his period band, with a first-rate line-up of soloists. In the title-role Lawrence Zazzo is a masterly countertenor, coping superbly with the elaborate divisions, while Veronica Cangemi...has a gorgeously creamy soprano which is not only beautiful in her lyrical numbers but also flexible in the brilliant ones.” Penguin Guide, 2010 *** | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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René Jacobs follows the highly theatrical Saul, and ecstatic reviews for the neglected La Clemenza di Tito, with Messiah, in the 1750 version with two alto soloists. “Jacobs has the advantage of the excellent choir Rutter trained at Clare College, one of the best in the country. They sing superbly, and the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra also make an impressive contribution. Jacobs's solo team are excellent” Penguin Guide, 2010 **/* | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Pergolesi: Stabat Mater & Salve Regina in C minor
Two singers who, at the time of recording, were bright young stars of the early music world and have since gone on to make successful careers adorn this recording of Pergolesi’s most famous work and indeed one of the few that can be attributed with any confidence to his slender catalogue of works, cut short as it is by his death at the age of 26. Sadly much else is lost, and after his death the heavy demand for his music lead to publishers passing off works by lesser composers as being by Pergolesi. Recent study has suggested that of the 150 works published in his name, only about one in five is a genuine Pergolesi. The Stabat Mater was composed in the last two months of his life, in 1736 at the Franciscan monastery near Pozzuoli. Initially the work attracted criticism as it cast conventional religious musical styles aside, and, to many, it sounded more like operatic music set to a religious text. It is possible to detect the world of opera in some of the numbers, but the critics were being unfair. The predominating minor key gives the work a serious character befitting the text. What Pergolesi achieved was to tie music and text together in an emotional bond that is both very effective and touching. The work was published with many examples of the tampering that afflicted much of Pergolesi’s music. For example, oboes were added to the score. This recording is of the original version. | 
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| |  | David Greilsammer: Mozart In-between
In David’s relatively short career, he has already established himself a name for his unique interpretation and presentation of Mozart’s works. In 2008 he caused a sensation in Paris by performing Mozart’s entire keyboard sonatas (all 18 of them) in one marathon day. On Greilsammer’s 2nd recording for Sony Classical he explores his “infinite love” for Mozart- directing his ensemble “L’Orchestra Chambre de Genève” through a varied programme of the composer’s early works, including the “Jeunehomme” piano concerto (which Greilsammer plays/directs from the keyboard), Symphony No. 23 and an early castrato aria from „Mitridate” opera sung by countertenor Lawrence Zazzo, amongst other works. Continuing Greilsammer’s philosophy of combining music from different eras to provide new and enlightened listening experiences – the addition of Denis Schuler’s world premiere recording “In-Between” serves as a contemporary mirror on Mozart’s early works. Greilsammer himself explains the concept and title: “This recording presents a voyage that invites the listener to meet a Mozart we never expected: ambiguous, uncertain, overcome by fear and lost between distant worlds.” “Greilsammer has dug up some little-known music, including two numbers from [Thamos] which are a real revelation...Both pieces are performed frenetically fast, and that confrontational style characterises Greilsammer's disc as a whole...All in all, a stimulating disc, though those of a nervous disposition should steer clear.” BBC Music Magazine, February 2013 *** “his reading as a whole abounds in imaginative phrasing and spontaneous-sounding interaction with the Geneva CO, though the more extrovert passages can sound overblown...Greilsammer's playing in the finale is suitably thrilling, with dramatic interjections from the horns.” Gramophone Magazine, February 2013 “Greilsammer directs a convincing performance of No.23, making the symphony sound more powerful than I remember” MusicWeb International, March 2013 “Being a David Greilsammer disc, this is no ordinary recording of Mozart...Greilsammer’s conducting and piano playing generate a freshness and imagination that allow each of the works to be enjoyed as a dynamic interpretation in its own right.” The Telegraph, 8th November 2012 **** | | | Usually despatched in 3 - 4 working days. |
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