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Handel: Faramondo

Max Emanuel Cencic (Faramondo), Philippe Jaroussky (Adolfo), Sophie Karthäuser (Clotilde), Marina de Liso (Rosimonda), Xavier Sabata (Gernando), Terry Wey (Childerico), In-Sung Sin (Gustavo), Fulvio Bettini (Teobaldo)

Choeur de la Radio Suisse, Lugano & I Barocchisti, Diego Fasolis

…overall a decent account is given of this worthwhile rarity. — BBC Music Magazine, May 2009, 3 out of 5 stars More…

Release Date: 23rd Feb 2009
Catalogue No: 2166112
Label: Erato
Length: 2 hours 46 minutes

Gramophone Magazine

July 2009

Editor's Choice

Handel: Faramondo, HMV 39, Act 1

Work length1:05:59

$33.80

$44.20

Max Emanuel Cenčić (countertenor), In-Sung Sim (bass), Fulvio Bettini (bass-baritone), Philippe Jaroussky (countertenor), Xavier Sabata (countertenor), Marina De Liso (mezzo-soprano), Max Emmanuel Cencic (countertenor), Terry Wey (vocals), Sophie Karthäuser (soprano)
Coro Della Radio Svizzera, I Barocchisti
Diego Fasolis
Recorded: 2008-10-24
Recording Venue: 19 -24 October, 2008. Radio della Svizzera Italiana, Auditorio Stelio Molo, Lugano

Ouverture. Larghetto - Allegro - Andante e piano

Track length5:59

$1.30

$1.70

Scene I: Recit. Popolo, figlio (Gustavo, Adolfo)

Track length0:27

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Scene I: Accompagnato. Ascolta dagli Elisi (Gustavo)

Track length0:46

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Scene I: Coro. Pera, pera

Track length0:45

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Scene II: Recit. Mio Rè, pronta qui (Teobaldo, Gustavo, Adolfo, Clotilde)

Track length1:15

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Scene II: Aria: Viva sì, che nel mio seno (Gustavo)

Track length3:29

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Scene III: Recit. Siam pur fuori (Adolfo, Clotilde)

Track length1:01

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Scene III: Aria. Conoscerò, se brami (Clotilde)

Track length3:56

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Scene IV: Recit. Perdoni all'amor mio (Adolfo)

Track length0:15

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Scene IV: Aria. Chi ben ama (Adolfo)

Track length4:43

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Scene V: Recit. Finchè avrò spirto (Faramondo, Rosimonda, Childerico)

Track length2:11

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Scene V: Aria. Vanne, che più ti miro (Rosimonda)

Track length4:03

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Scene VI: Recit. Faramondo infelice! (Faramondo, Gernando)

Track length1:38

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Scene VI: Aria. Rival ti sono (Faramondo)

Track length3:12

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Scene VII: Recit. Va pur; prevenirò (Gernando)

Track length0:22

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Scene VII: Aria. Voglio che mora (Gernando)

Track length5:10

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Scene VIII - Scene X

Track length3:43

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Scene XI: Recit. Rosimonda, tu sei libera (Faramondo, Rosimonda) - Aria. Sì tornerò a morir (Faramondo)

Track length2:45

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Scene XII: Recit. Qual nemico m'han dato (Rosimonda)

Track length0:21

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Scene XII: Aria. Sento che un giusto (Rosimonda)

Track length3:38

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Scene XIII - Scene XIV: Recit.

Track length1:10

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Scene XIV: Aria. Vado a recar la morte (Teobaldo)

Track length2:20

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Scene XV. Recit. Dalla cittade, e solo (Clotilde, Adolfo)

Track length0:23

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Scene XV: Aria. Mi parto lieta (Clotilde)

Track length5:42

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Scene XVI - Scene XVII: Recit.

Track length2:04

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Scene XVII: Aria. Se ben mi lusinga (Faramondo)

Track length4:41

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Handel: Faramondo, HMV 39, Act 2

Work length48:52

$22.10

$28.90

Max Emanuel Cenčić (countertenor), In-Sung Sim (bass), Sophie Karthäuser (soprano), Xavier Sabata (countertenor), Philippe Jaroussky (countertenor), Max Emmanuel Cencic (countertenor), Marina De Liso (mezzo-soprano), Terry Wey (vocals), Fulvio Bettini (bass-baritone)
I Barocchisti
Diego Fasolis
Recorded: 2008-10-24
Recording Venue: 19 -24 October, 2008. Radio della Svizzera Italiana, Auditorio Stelio Molo, Lugano

Sinfonia. A tempo ordinario

Track length3:01

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Scene I

Track length1:59

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Scene II: Recit. Principessa, a tuoi lumi (Gernando, Rosimonda) - Aria. Sì l'indentesti (Rosimonda)

Track length3:32

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Scene III: Recit. Sì, sdegna Rosimonda (Gernando)

Track length0:25

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Scene III: Allegro. Non inganar mi, nò (Gernando)

Track length5:18

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Scene IV - Scene VII: Recit.

Track length2:15

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Scene VII: Aria. Poi che pria di morire (Faramondo)

Track length5:46

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Scene VIII: Recit. Rosimonda, il suo duolo non basta (Clotilde, Rosimonda)

Track length0:30

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Scene VIII: Aria. Comabttuta da due venti (Clotilde)

Track length6:57

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Scene IX: Recit. Faramondo, è in catene (Gustavo, Adolfo)

Track length1:10

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Scene IX: Aria. Se à piedi tuoi morrò (Adolfo)

Track length3:45

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Scene X: Recit. Signor, umil ti chiedo (Clotilde, Gustavo)

Track length1:22

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Scene X: Aria. Sol la brama di vendetta (Gustavo)

Track length3:31

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Scene XI

Track length0:41

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Scene XII: Recit. Apri mi quelle porte (Gernando, Childerico) - Aria. Nella terra, in ciel (Gernando)

Track length4:50

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Scene XIII - Scene XIV: Recit.

Track length1:35

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Scene XIV: Aria. Vado e vivo con la speranza (Faramondo, Rosimonda)

Track length2:15

$1.30

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Handel: Faramondo, HMV 39, Act 3

Work length51:17

$19.50

$25.50

Fulvio Bettini (bass-baritone), Philippe Jaroussky (countertenor), Max Emanuel Cenčić (countertenor), Terry Wey (vocals), In-Sung Sim (bass), Xavier Sabata (countertenor), Max Emmanuel Cencic (countertenor), Marina De Liso (mezzo-soprano), Sophie Karthäuser (soprano)
I Barocchisti, Coro Della Radio Svizzera
Diego Fasolis
Recorded: 2008-10-24
Recording Venue: 19 -24 October, 2008. Radio della Svizzera Italiana, Auditorio Stelio Molo, Lugano

Sinfonia. A tempo ordinario

Track length3:17

$1.30

$1.70

Scene I - Scene II: Recit.

Track length1:11

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Scene II: Duetto. Caro, cara (Clotilde, Adolfo)

Track length5:52

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Scene III: Recit. Signor, non t'inoltrar (Teobaldo, Gernando, Faramondo)

Track length1:04

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Scene III: Aria. Così suole a rio vicina (Gernando)

Track length5:36

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Scene IV - Scene V: Recit.

Track length0:38

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Scene V: Aria. Voglio che sia l'indegno (Faramondo)

Track length7:27

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Scene VI - Scene IX: Recit.

Track length1:41

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Scene IX: Aria. Se ria procella sorge nell'onde (Adolfo)

Track length4:32

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Scene X: Recit. Non isdegnar, Gustavo (Faramondo, Gustavo, Rosimonda, Clotilde)

Track length1:52

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Scene X: Aria. Sappi crudel io t'amo (Rosimonda)

Track length3:12

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Scene XI

Track length1:51

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Scene XII: Recit. Misera! ei corre a morte (Clotilde, Adolfo) - Aria. Un' aura placida (Clotilde)

Track length6:33

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Scene XIII

Track length1:57

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Scene ultima:Rec. Figlia, di Faramondo (Gustavo, Rosimonda, Faramondo)-Aria. Virtù che rende (Faramondo, Coro)

Track length4:34

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$1.70

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About

Handel’s opera Faramondo (Pharamond), still rarely performed, is set in 5th century France. The title role, a mythical king, is taken by Zagreb-born countenor Max Emanuel Cencic, an alumnus of the Vienna Boys’ Choir, who took a starring role in Virgin Classics’ recent DVD of Landi’s Sant’Alessio and in September 2007 released a thrilling recital of virtuoso Rossini arias. On stage he has performed a number of Handel operas: Giulio Cesare, Tamerlano, Fernando and Serse (written shortly after Faramondo). The other star countertenor on this recording is Philippe Jaroussky, whose Virgin Classics album Carestini – The Story of a Castrato included arias by Handel and who was recently named Singer of the Year in Germany’s Echo Klassik awards.

This production of Faramondo is probably unique in recording history – and maybe also in the performing history of Handel’s operas since the 18th century. It finally gives us a complete recording of a Handel opera with men singing all the male characters cast for singers with high voices: Phillippe Jaroussky in the soprano role of Faramondo’s son, Adolfo; Xavier Sabata in the dramatic alto role of the vicious King Gernando, and Max Emanuel Cencic in the mezzo soprano role of Faramondo. At the opera’s first performances in London in 1738, Faramondo was sung by the star castrato Caffarelli, but the other two parts were sung by women dressed as men, since Handel could not afford to pay for additional castrati, who were the highest-paid stars of the day. Since then, women have generally been engaged to sing the highest male roles in Handel operas, with countertenors often being allocated the characters with music in the alto range.

As with female singers, there were alto, mezzo soprano and soprano castrati. Until recently, countertenors have tended to take the lower-lying roles that Handel and other Baroque composers wrote for castrati. Now, a growing number of countertenors also sing in the mezzo and soprano ranges. Cencic, Jaroussky and Sabata are part of this generation of ‘operatic countertenors’ who can provide the vocal agility and range of colour which have perhaps been more readily associated with the female voice.

Beyond the countertenors, there are talented young singers in all the other roles: the Belgian soprano Sophie Karthäuser (already featured in the Virgin Classics catalogue in Haydn’s Creation with William Christie), who has a pure, but vibrant sound; two Italians – powerful mezzo Marina de Liso and expressive bass-baritone Fulvio Bettini; In-Sung Sim from South Korea, a basso profundo who can sing superb coloratura and Swiss-born Terry Wey, another young countertenor (he is just 23) and also a former member of the Vienna Boys’ Choir, who takes the role of Childerico, sung in Handel’s time by a boy treble.

Diego Fasoli, also from Switzerland, conducts his orchestra I Barocchisti. Le Monde, describing their Handel, has written of “ a tonal subtlety and a palette of emotional colour that compel admiration ... While being lively and playful, it is never aggressive or superficial.”

Reviews

May 2009

…overall a decent account is given of this worthwhile rarity.

2010

Faramondo (1738) was written after the remnants of the Opera of the Nobility and Handel's opera company merged together for one peculiar and unsuccessful season at the King's Theatre. Virgin Classics has made much of the fact that this is the first Handel opera recording in which all the male characters are sung at the correct pitch by male singers, but several of the illustrious countertenors involved occasionally drop a few notes down an octave in order to conserve their larynxes.
I Barocchisti's playing of the fine concertogrosso-style Overture is zesty. Handel's scoring of the chorus 'Pera, pera' doesn't include the drums and trumpets employed here, and a few more euros could have been saved by not using unhistorical organ and guitar in the continuo group. Sophie Karthäuser's light navigation of Clotilde's arias provides some nice moments ('Combattuta da due venti' is eloquent rather than tempestuous, but none the worse for a bit of measured clarity and detail in its oscillating orchestral figures). Philippe Jaroussky and Max Emanuel Cencic each give attractive performances of virtuoso arias. Adolfo's slow aria 'Se a' piedi tuoi morrò' is delightful for its polished orchestral playing and Jaroussky's pleasant singing. Cencic's high-lying tessitura and brilliant coloratura are almost flawless (the tender cavatina 'Sì, tornerò a morir' is beautifully judged by singer, orchestra and conductor; the heroic 'Se ben mi lusinga' is dazzling, but the duet 'Vado e vivo' has a few hints of strain).
Xavier Sabata demonstrates his muskier voice in the enraged 'Voglio che mora, sì', but hams up his da capo too much. Marina de Liso gives a stunning performance of Rosimonda's turbulent 'Sì, l'intendesti, sì' (in which Diego Fasolis brings out exciting details in the accompaniment), and the bass villain Gustavo is resonantly sung by In-Sung Sim. Fasolis's direction is exemplary for its warmly authoritative expressiveness and fluent mastery over detail. Faramondo is revealed as a much better score than previously thought.

July 2009

Philippe Jaroussky and Max Emanuel Cencic each give attractive performances of virtuoso arias. Marina de Liso gives a stunning performance of Rosimonda's turbulent "Si, l'intendesti, sì" (in which Diego Fasolis brings out exciting details in the accompaniment), and the bass villain Gustavo is resonantly sung by In-Sung Sim. Fasolis's direction is exemplary for its warmly authoritative expressiveness and fluent mastery over detail. Faramondo is revealed as a much better score than I had previously realised.

2010

a cast of fresh young singers giving stylish performances with no suspicion of aspirated coloratura...[The title-role] is very well taken by Max Emanuel Cencic, coping well with the exceptionally low-lying register

10th April 2009

A cool, brilliant operatic game, it's devastatingly realised by Diego Fasolis and I Barocchisti in a recording that for many will seem like countertenor heaven. Most people will probably want to hear it for either Max Emanual Cencic in the title role or Philippe Jaroussky's Adolfo. The star turns, however, come from Xavier Sabata's chameleon-like Gernando and from Marina de Liso as firebrand Rosimonda and Sophie Karthäuser as the irritatingly virtuous Clotilde. The whole thing is a revelation.

18th February 2009

Composed towards the end of Handel's long operatic career, Faramondo has enjoyed few modern revivals – a neglect which the Handel scholar Jonathan Keates ascribes to the weakness of its tortuous libretto and pallid characterisation rather than any musical shortcomings.
This lively and attractive recording certainly reveals an invigorating score, swiftly paced with a wealth of incisive, tuneful arias and a welcome absence of dry recitative.
The cast is notable for the flamboyant contributions of the impressive young countertenors Max Emanuel Cencic (in the title role) and Philippe Jaroussky. Strongly recommend to diehard Handel fans.

Handel: Faramondo

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