Handel: Fernando, rè di Castiglia

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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... — BBC Music Magazine, March 2007, 4 out of 5 stars More…

Release Date: 5th Feb 2007
Catalogue No: 3654832
Label: Erato
Length: 2 hours 28 minutes

Handel: Fernando, rè di Castiglia

Work length2:28:59

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Antonio Abete (bass), Neal Banerjee (tenor), Filippo Adami (tenor), Lawrence Zazzo (countertenor), Marianna Pizzolato (mezzo-soprano), Max Emanuel Cenčić (countertenor), Veronica Cangemi (soprano)
Il Complesso Barocco
Alan Curtis
Recorded: 2005-04-28
Recording Venue: 20-28 April 2005, Tonhalle of San Gallen

Overture - Largo

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Overture - Allegro

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Overture - Allegro

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Rec. Alfonso

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Accompagnato

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Coro militare

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Rec. Isabella ed Elmire

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Accompagnato Isabella

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Aria: "Rendi 'I sereno al ciglio"

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Fernando, re di Castiglia, Atto primo, Scena III: Rec. Isabella, Elvida

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Fernando, re di Castiglia, Atto primo, Scena IV: Rec. & aria: Forte inciampo al suio furore"

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Rec. Altomaro & Sancio

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Aria: "Fra l'ombre e gl'orrori"

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Rec. Sancio e Fernando con seguito

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Aria: "Si, si minaccia" Sancio

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Rec. Fernando e Dionisio

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Aria: "Il mio valore"

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Rec. Dionisio solo

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Aria: "La turba adultarice"

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Fernando, re di Castiglia, Atto primo, Scena IX: Rec. Alfonso con squadra d'uffiziali portoghesi...Rec. Alfonso, Isabella ed Elvida - Replica del Coro militare - rec. Alfonso

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Fernando, re di Castiglia, Atto primo, Scena X: Aria: "Due parti del core"

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Rec. Elvida sola

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Aria: "Dite pace, e fulminate"

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Fernando, re di Castiglia, Atto secondo, Scena I: Aria: "Padre, germano e sposo"

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Fernando, re di Castiglia, Atto secondo, Scena II: Sinfonia

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Fernando, re di Castiglia, Atto secondo, Scena III: Rec. Isabella, Elvida? Alfonso e seguito

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Fernando, re di Castiglia, Atto secondo, Scena IV: Duetto: "Se m'ascolti...E udir potrei?"

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Rec. Sancio con ufficiali, e detti

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Aria: "Se discordia ne disciolse"

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Rec. Altomaro & Sancio

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Aria: "Sò ch'il Ciel ben spesso gode Altomaro

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Rec. Altomaro solo

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Aria "Sento il cor che lieto gode"

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Rec. Fernando & Elvida

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Duetto: "Per le porte del tormento"

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Rec. Isabelle e detti

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Aria: "Alle sfere della Gloria"

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Fernando, re di Castiglia, Atto secondo, Scena X & XI: Rec. Isabella

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Fernando, re di Castiglia, Atto secondo, Scena XII: Aria: "Vado al campo"

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Rec. Fernando / Elvida

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Aria: "In mille dolci modi"

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Rec. Elvida sola

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Aria: "Vola l'augello dal caro nido"

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Fernando, re di Castiglia, Atto terzo, Scena I: Sinfonia

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Rec. Isabella e detti

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Aria: "S'io cadrò per tuo consiglio"

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Rec. Isabella, Sancio e guardie

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Aria: "Cuor di madre, e cuor di moglie"

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Rec. Sancio solo

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Aria: "Sincero affetto"

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Fernando, re di Castiglia, Atto terzo, Scena V & VII: Rec. Alfonso

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Fernando, re di Castiglia, Atto terzo, Scena VII: Aria: "M'oppprrò da generoso"

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Rec. Elvida sola

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Aria: "Vorrei, né pur saprei"

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Rec. Dionisio / Altomaro / Sancio

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Aria: "Tiene Giove in mano il folgore"

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Fernando, re di Castiglia, Atto terzo, Scena X, XI & XII: Rec. Dionisio e Sancio

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Duetto: "Tu caro, caro sei / Sì, sì cara"

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Rec. Elvida / Fernando

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Coro

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About
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About

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.

Reviews

March 2007

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.

2010

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.

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.

Handel: Fernando, rè di Castiglia

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