Audio CD review:
George Frideric Handel, Christopher Hogwood, Academy of Ancient Music, Cecilia Bartoli, David Daniels, Bernarda Fink, Luba Orgonasova, Gerald Finley, Bejun Mehta, Mark Padmore - Handel - Rinaldo / Bartoli, Daniels, AAM, Hogwood

George Frideric Handel, Christopher Hogwood, Academy of Ancient Music, Cecilia Bartoli, David Daniels, Bernarda Fink, Luba Orgonasova, Gerald Finley, Bejun Mehta, Mark Padmore - Handel - Rinaldo / Bartoli, Daniels, AAM, Hogwood

Band: George Frideric Handel, Christopher Hogwood, Academy of Ancient Music, Cecilia Bartoli, David Daniels, Bernarda Fink, Luba Orgonasova, Gerald Finley, Bejun Mehta, Mark Padmore Title: Handel - Rinaldo / Bartoli, Daniels, AAM, Hogwood Rating: Release Date: 10 October, 2000 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: Rinaldo: Ouverture - The Academy Of Ancient Music 2: Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 1: Delle nostre fatiche siam prossimi alla meta (Goffredo) - Bernarda Fink (Goffredo) 3: Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 1: Sovra blaze scoscese e pungenti (Goffredo) - Bernarda Fink (Goffredo) 4: Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 1: Signor, gia dal tuo senno (Goffredo) - Bernarda Fink (Goffredo) 5: Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 1: Combatti da forte - The Academy Of Ancient Music 6: Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 1: Questi saggi consigli accogli net tuo sen (Eustazio) - Daniel Taylor (Eustazio) 7: Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 1: Ogn'indugio d'un amante e una pena - The Academy Of Ancient Music 8: Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 2: Signor, che delle stelle emuli i pregi (Goffredo, Eustazio) - Daniel Taylor (Eustazio) 9: Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 2: Sulla ruota di fortuna va girando la speranza (Eustazio) - Daniel Taylor (Eustazio) 10: Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 3: Sibillar gli angui d' Aletto (Argante) - Gerald Finley (Argante) 11: Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 3: Goffredo; se t'arrise sin qui fortuna (Argante, Goffredo) - Bernarda Fink (Goffredo) 12: Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 3: No, no, che quest'alma scontenti non da (Goffredo) - Bernarda Fink (Goffredo) 13: Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 4: Infra dubbi di Marte resta sospeso il cuore (Argante) - Gerald Finley (Argante) 14: Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 4: Vieni, o cara, a consolarmi (Argante) - Gerald Finley (Argante) 15: Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 5: Furie terribili - The Academy Of Ancient Music 16: Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 5: Come a tempo giungesti, cara (Argante, Armida) - Gerald Finley (Argante) 17: Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 5: Molto voglio, molto spero (Armida) - Luba Organasova (Armida) 18: Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 6: Augelletti che cantate - The Academy Of Ancient Music 19: Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 6: Adorato mio sposo, vieni a bear quest'alma - The Academy Of Ancient Music 20: Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 6: Scherzano sul tuo volto le grazie vezzosette - The Academy Of Ancient Music 21: Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 7: Al valor del mio brando cedi la nobil preda (Armida) - Luba Organasova (Armida) 22: Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 7: Prelude - The Academy Of Ancient Music 23: Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 7: Cara sposa, amante cara, dove sei? - The Academy Of Ancient Music 24: Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 8: Ch'insolito stupore lega gli sensi tuoi (Goffredo, Eustazio) - Daniel Taylor (Eustazio) 25: Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 8: Cor ingrato, ti rammembri, e non scoppii di dolor? - The Academy Of Ancient Music 26: Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 8: lo all'ora impugno il brando (Goffredo, Eustazio) - Daniel Taylor (Eustazio) 27: Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 8: Col valor, colla virtu or si vada a trionfar (Eustazio) - Daniel Taylor (Eustazio) 28: Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 9: Di speranza un bel raggio ritorni - Christopher Hogwood 29: Rinaldo: Act 1 - Scene 9: Venti, turbini, prestate le vostre ali a questo pie - The Academy Of Ancient Music 30: Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 1: Siam prossimi al porto (Eustazio) - Daniel Taylor (Eustazio) 31: Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 2: A quei sasso bramato (Goffredo, Eustazio) - Daniel Taylor (Eustazio) 32: Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 3: Per raccor d'Almirena i piu doici respiri - The Academy Of Ancient Music 33: Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 3: Il vostro maggio de' bei verdi anni - The Academy Of Ancient Music 34: Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 3: Qual incognita forza mi spinge (Goffredo, Eustazio) - Daniel Taylor (Eustazio) 35: Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 3: Il Tricerbero umilato - The Academy Of Ancient Music 36: Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 3: Signor, strano ardimento! (Eustazio) - Daniel Taylor (Eustazio) 37: Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 3: Scorta rea di cieco amore (Eustazio) - Daniel Taylor (Eustazio) 38: Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 3: Cio fu indegna vittoria del barbaro Acheronte (Goffredo) - Bernarda Fink (Goffredo) 39: Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 3: Mio cor, che mi sai dir? (Goffredo) - Bernarda Fink (Goffredo) 40: Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 4: Armida dispietata! (Argante) - Gerald Finley (Argante) 41: Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 4: Lascia ch'io pianga mia cruda sorte - The Academy Of Ancient Music 42: Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 4: Ah! sul bel labbro Amore di possente magia formo le note (Argante) - Gerald Finley (Argante) 43: Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 4: Basta che sol tu chieda (Argante) - Gerald Finley (Argante) 44: Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 5: Cingetemi d'allori le trionfali chiome (Armida) - Luba Organasova (Armida) 45: Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 6: Perfida, un cor illustre ha ben forza bastante (Armida) - Luba Organasova (Armida) 46: Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 6: Fermati - No, crudel (Armida) - Gerald Finley (Argante) 47: Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 7: Crudel, tu ch'involasti al mio core la calma (Armida) - Luba Organasova (Armida) 48: Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 7: Abbruccio, avvampo e fremo - The Academy Of Ancient Music 49: Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 8: Dunque i lacci d'un volto (Armida) - Luba Organasova (Armida) 50: Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 8: Ah! crudel, il pianto mio, deh! ti mova (Armida) - Luba Organasova (Armida) 51: Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 9: Riprendiam d'Almirena il mentito sembiante (Armida) - Luba Organasova (Armida) 52: Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 10: Adorata Almirena, ogni breve dimora (Argante, Armida) - Gerald Finley (Argante) 53: Rinaldo: Act 2 - Scene 10: Vo' far guerra, e vincer voglio (Armida) - Luba Organasova (Armida) 54: Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 1: Quivi par che rubelle la terra s'alzi (Eustazio, Goffredo) - Daniel Taylor (Eustazio) 55: Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 2: La causa che vi spinge in si remota parte (Goffredo, Eustazio) - Daniel Taylor (Eustazio) 56: Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 2: Sinfonia - The Academy Of Ancient Music 57: Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 2: Qui vomita Cocito tutta sua nera peste (Goffredo, Eustazio) - Daniel Taylor (Eustazio) 58: Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 2: Andate, o forti, fra stragi e morti - The Academy Of Ancient Music 59: Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 3: Mori svenata - O Numi! (Armida) - Luba Organasova (Armida) 60: Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 4: Nella guardata soglia come osaste portar sicuro il piede? (Armida, Goffredo, Eustazio) - Daniel Taylor (Eustazio) 61: Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 4: Sorge nel petto certo diletto (Goffredo) - Bernarda Fink (Goffredo) 62: Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 4: Al trionfo s'affretti senza ritardo il corso! - The Academy Of Ancient Music 63: Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 4: E' Un incendio fra due venti - The Academy Of Ancient Music 64: Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 5: Chiuso fra quelle mura langue il comun valore (Argante) - Gerald Finley (Argante) 65: Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 6: Per formentar lo sdegno a fronte d'un sleal anco mi trovo? (Armida, Argante) - Gerald Finley (Argante) 66: Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 6: March - The Academy Of Ancient Music 67: Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 6: In quel bosco di strali (Argante, Armida) - Gerald Finley (Argante) 68: Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 6: Al trionfo del nostro furore or corriamo (Argante, Armida) - Gerald Finley (Argante) 69: Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 7: Di quei strani accidenti se la serie ripiglio (Argante, Armida) - Gerald Finley (Argante) 70: Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 7: Bel piacere e godere fido amor - The Academy Of Ancient Music 71: Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 8: Signor, l'oste nemica con barbari ululati s'avvicina (Eustavio, Goffredo) - Daniel Taylor (Eustazio) 72: Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 8: Di Sion nell'alta sede (Eustazio) - Daniel Taylor (Eustazio) 73: Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 9: March - The Academy Of Ancient Music 74: Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 9: Se cio t' e in gardo, o Prence (Goffredo) - Bernarda Fink (Goffredo) 75: Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 9: Or la tromba in suon festante mi richiama a trionfar - The Academy Of Ancient Music 76: Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 10: Miei fidi, ecco la in campo colmo di mille furti (Argante) - Gerald Finley (Argante) 77: Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 11: Magnanimi campioni, ecco l'ultimo giorno delle vostre fatiche (Goffredo) - Bernarda Fink (Goffredo) 78: Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 11: Solo dal brando, dal senno solo della vittoria (Goffredo) - Bernarda Fink (Goffredo) 79: Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 11: Battaglia - The Academy Of Ancient Music 80: Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 12: Gofferdo, ecco il superbo in lacci avolto (Argante, Goffredo) - Bernarda Fink (Goffredo) 81: Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 13: Ecco, german, la cruda (Eustazio, Argante, Armida, Goffredo) - Daniel Taylor (Eustazio) 82: Rinaldo: Act 3 - Scene 13: Vinto e sol dalla virtu degli affetti il rio livor (Armida, Eustazio, Argante, Goffredo) - Daniel Taylor (Eustazio)

Customer Reviews a voice teacher and early music fan Of George Frederick Handel of England, born Georg Friedrich Handel of Germany, an English critic wrote,"He did bestride our musical world like a Colossus. HIGHLY DRAMATIC PERFORMANCE OF 'RINALDO' ON THIS DISC. " He was 18 when his Father died, thus allowing him to drop the Law mandated by his father, and turn to music which was his first love. After serving several apprenticeships in various places, including the Hamburg Opera, he went to Italy (1706), and for three years he absorbed Italian music, which powerfully influenced his own writing. It is not known for certain what prompted him to make London his home, but nevertheless, in 1720 he went there, and for 10 years contributed musically to England. And so the international German who wrote like an Italian became a naturalized Englishman in 1726, though he never lost his German accent. The first opera Handel produced for London, and the first Italian opera specifically composed for London stage- was 'Rinaldo',which opened at the Queen's (later King's) Theatre in the Haymarket on Feb. 24,1711. Giocomo Rossi wrote the libretto for 'Rinaldo' loosely based on episodes from Torquato's epic poem 'Gerusalemme liberta', a fantastically elaborated account of the First Crusade(1096-99) in which Tasso describes how Christian forces led by Godfrey of Bouillon captured the city of Jerusalem from Muslim rule. Handel partially ensured the success of the music by drawing much of it from the best works he had written earlier in Italy. There is , however, plenty of freshly composed music in the score as well. Handel, taking advantage of the many skilled instrumentalists available in London, used a wide variety of them to create a wonderful range of orchestral color. The emotional depth which this music brings to the characters is no less striking, and is especially apparent in the role of Armida (Luba Orgonasova) first of a line of Handelian sorceresses, whose propensity for evil is conquered by true love. Rinaldo's (David Daniels) own aria of lament in Act 1,'Cara Sposa', is even more intense, and who can sing this better than Daniels?This particular role suits him so well; not only does he sound good, he also projects the characterization of a true mercenary. Almarena's(Cecelia Bartoli) charm comes strongly to the fore in her birdsong aria 'Augelleti' and in 'Bel Piacere' which she sings at breakneck tempo; magnificently, of course! The aria (also sung by Almarena)'Lascia ch'io pianga' is a wonderful example of Handel's ability to convey a sense of despair with the simplest of means. In addition to the singers mentioned above, there are several others of equal ability:Bernarda Fink as Goffredo-Daniel Taylor as Eustazio and Gerald Finley as Argante. If that line-up doesn't convince you to hear this recording, nothing well!. Superb recording of Handel's first smash hit in London in 1711 It had begun in Italy in the early seventeenth century and was beginning to spread to other cities and courts in Europe. It is instructive to remember that when Handel went to Italy in 1707 to further his studies of composition and to study Italian Opera, that Opera was only a century old. Opera was still sung in Italian and continued in that language simply because the great singers were Italian and preferred singing in their own language. When the popular arias were published, they were usually done in translation and sold by the ton making the publishers, and sometimes the composers, a great deal of money. While it is not exactly clear how and why Handel was brought to London, he soon made a name for himself with the smash hit "Rinaldo". This opera is a fantasy or fairy tale based upon the notion of the Crusade to take Jerusalem around 1100 AD as a duty of Christian faith. As in most operas, the plot is quite convoluted in order to provide the maximum opportunity for the various kinds of singing the great singers could provide. One of the interesting features of opera at this time was the notion of two contrasting styles. There was the brilliant singing of great virtuosity and then there was the slower singing of great emotion. Many people were a fan of one style or the other, and many singers specialized in one or the other. It was dazzle them or make them weep. The greatest singers could do both. This opera provides every lead character with opportunities for both styles of singing and says a lot about the quality of singers Handel had at his disposal. Handel's operas were not sung for a long time because of another feature of Italian opera at this time: the castrati. Young boys who were brilliant singers (and remember singers were servants and often drawn from lower classes) prolonged their career by having their testicles destroyed in a variety of ways in order to keep puberty from ruining their brilliant voice. So, they not only continued to sing at the high register we nowadays associate with women (but were not so then), they also developed greater lung capacity and vocal skill. They were among the most popular and sought after singers of their time. They did not sing in falsetto like Frankie Valli, but in a very strong full voice. In the 1920s, Handel's operas began to be revived with women singing the roles of the castrati and later a male voice we now call the counter-tenor developed. In the past few decades some very brilliant counter-tenors have come on the scene and one of the greatest, David Daniels, sings the role of Rinaldo on this recording. It is also interesting that not all male roles went to males. From the very first performance the role of the commander of the Christian forces, Goffredo, has been given to a woman and wonderfully sung by Bernarda Fink here. So, what is the opera about? Goffredo is leading forces to take Jerusalem from the Muslims. He offers his daughter, Almirena (sung by the acclaimed Cecilia Bartoli) to Rinaldo if he will help them take the city. The Muslims are lead by Argante (the superb Gerald Finley) who uses the powers of his sorceress wife, Armida (the terrific Luba Orgonasova) to kidnap Almirena and later ensnare Rinaldo as he comes for his betrothed. In captivity, Rinaldo and Almirena sing forlornly. Armida is smitten with Rinaldo and takes on the form of Almirena to deceive Rinaldo, but he is not deceived. Argante goes after Almirena. Both hero and heroine resist the seductions. Armida again takes the form of Almirena to trap Argante in his betrayal of her. Goffredo and his brother Eustazio (the fine Daniel Taylor) go to a Christian magician and receive magic wands with which they destroy the castle and free Rinaldo and Almirena. The fight between the forces is finally engaged and Rinaldo captures the city and wins the day. Argante and Armida flee, but are captured. She renounces her powers and they convert to the Christian faith. All ends with the usual ensemble singing about evil being defeated by virtue alone and happiness only coming to a heart with purpose. Think about all the dramatic possibilities! Sorceress flying in the air, smoke, thunder (the thunder machines were terrific in 1711 and are used in this recording), lightning, destroying castles by magic, armies, horns, despair, pathos, heroism, and victory. The stagecraft was fantastic and was exploited to the hilt, although that is not available to us in this recording. This is a fine opera and you will find much to enjoy. The disks come with a fine booklet that contains a good history of the opera and the libretto in Italian and English. It was not for nothing that Beethoven called Handel the greatest composer who ever lived and that he would uncover his head and kneel down at his tomb. Handel Handled by Masters Led by a Soaring Daniels Despite its historical context within the late 11th century battles between the Crusades and the Saracens, Handel's "Rinaldo", written in the early 18th century, is actually a fanciful tale of love, devotion and betrayal populated by kings and warriors, fair maidens and sorcerers. This is a magnificent recording with an absolute dream cast. It has all the elements of a great period action movie produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. You need a real vocal swashbuckler in the title role, and countertenor David Daniels is ideally suited with a rarefied voice that is alternately heroic and romantic. With his stunning coloratura and dramatic intensity, it would be hard to imagine anyone better as the conflicted Christian hero Rinaldo, who can lead an entire army to take Jerusalem but still have trouble taking his true love Almirena away from the hands of evil magicians. Daniels is particularly convincing with the music that reflects his deep love for her, in particular, with Rinaldo's famous lament, "Cara sposa, amante cara, dove sei?". The beauty of his timbre really flows out of him in what seems like an effortless manner, and provides proof positive that his is a special talent. As great as he is here, Daniels actually surpassed this performance two years later in David Alden's audacious update of the opera, staged in Munich in 2001 and luckily captured on DVD two years later (also strongly recommended). While not the most ideal interpreter of Handel, superstar mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli displays her supreme technique as Almirena. Her style is famously full of dramatic fire, but one gets the sense that a more plaintive manner would be more appropriate for such a lovelorn character. I kept thinking she could have been better cast as the sorceress Armida were it as important a role. At times, her presence is so overwhelming that she singes some of the more openly yearning arias with her bravura technique and amazing range. Ironically though, she and the more delicately toned Daniels meld together perfectly on their brief duets, notably "Scherzano sul tuo volto", and she certainly delivers the goods on the sonorous "Lascia ch'io pianga", likely the most definitive recorded version on the market now. In a "pants" role, i. e. , a female playing a male, mezzo-soprano Bernarda Fink convincingly plays the Christian army general Goffredo, who almost acts like the chorus for all the action. Although the role is a bit passive, she lends a beautiful tone to all her pieces. Soprano Luba Orgonasova plays Armida, a sorceress that requires a singer to convey a concurrent sense of sensuality and melodrama, especially as she seduces and then falls in love with the stalwart Rinaldo. She falls a bit short though not at the sacrifice of communicating the fury of feelings which cause her change of heart. Quite impressive is baritone Gerald Finley, who is pitch perfect and provides clear diction as Argante, the King of Jerusalem. Perhaps because his voice is so dramatically deeper than anyone else's in the cast, he fully captures the dominating presence of his character. Amazingly there are two other countertenors in this stellar cast, which just shows how versatile this voice type truly is. Bejun Mehta brings a velvety quality to his aria, "Andate, o forti, fra stragi e morti"; and Daniel Taylor, with his choirboy innocence, does as well as he can in the least interesting role of Goffredo's brother Eustazio, especially with the lovely "Siam prossimi al porto", which opens Act II. I love how characters will sing successive couplets culminating in some amazingly dulcet tones. Sound effects of thunder and battle and even simulations of birdsongs provide effective bridges between pieces and acts. Special praise should go to conductor Christopher Hogwood and the Academy of Ancient Music for the authentically dramatic sound of the period instruments. This is one of Handel's great early works, and we are lucky to have it preserved in such an exemplary manner here. Make sure to reserve three hours of your time to listen to this opera in total as it should be experienced. An absolute must-have for Baroque music aficionados. . You can see a complete list of all George Frideric Handel, Christopher Hogwood, Academy of Ancient Music, Cecilia Bartoli, David Daniels, Bernarda Fink, Luba Orgonasova, Gerald Finley, Bejun Mehta, Mark Padmore discography, or go back to the George Frideric Handel, Christopher Hogwood, Academy of Ancient Music, Cecilia Bartoli, David Daniels, Bernarda Fink, Luba Orgonasova, Gerald Finley, Bejun Mehta, Mark Padmore tabs