VIVICA GENAUX,
mezzo-soprano
VIVICA GENAUX
mezzo-soprano
NEW!!!
ARIAS
by HANDEL / HASSE
OR DOWNLOAD
from:
A VOICE OUT OF THE COLD
ARIAS
FOR FARINELLI
OR
DOWNLOAD from:
BEL CANTO ARIAS
AN EVENING OF ARIAS AND SONGS
VIVICAGENAUX.COM
Sign up:
EMAIL UPDATE
FREE CD!
STORE
USA UK DE FR
Buy sheet music
| VIVICA
as Handel's RINALDO Harmonia Mundi (USA Street Date: May 13, 2003) A FanFaire 2003 CD GIVEAWAY |
|
|
If you missed Vivica's triumphant role debut as Rinaldo at the
Festival de Montpellier or her performances at the Innsbruck Festival
of Early Music last summer, there's no reason why you should miss the
CD - recorded by basically the same cast that performed at Innsbruck and
now available at your favorite record store. You will be treated to a sumptuous display not only of Vivica's now famed, thrilling vocal heroics but also of her versatility - as she sings another vocally demanding "made-for-Vivica-castrato" role, one that runs the whole gamut of human emotion. |
BUY the CD |
| This
beautifully packaged 3-CD set is a must-add to your CD collection. Rinaldo, an opera in 3 acts by George Frideric Handel: with the Freiburger Barockorchester under the direction of the eminent master of Early Music, Reneé Jacobs.A co-production of the l'Opéra National de Montpellier, the Innsbrucker Festwochen, and the Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Berlin. "Jacobs' soloists are mostly wonderful: Vivica Genaux is a vivid, involved hero, singing with great evenness, impressive tenderness in the yearning arias, and no fear of Handel's fiercer music." - Robert Levine, ClassicsToday.com Rating 9/10 |
|
| Rinaldo
was Handel's first London opera. Hurriedly written mostly from arias and
music he had previously composed, some say in the space of only 14 days,
nevertheless it was an instant success. It is a spectacle of a love story
with a happy ending, rather like a fairy tale - sprinkled with elements
of magic, even including monsters and dragons. The Christian hero Rinaldo loves Almirena 
(listen
to an excerpt from their delightful DUET),
but
Armida the pagan queen and sorceress seeks to destroy Rinaldo and begins
by abducting Almirena
(listen
to an excerpt from Rinaldo's lament "Cara
sposa"). Rinaldo
comes to the rescue
(listen
to Rinaldo's aria Venti turbini) but
is intercepted by Armida who falls in love with the hero and tries to
seduce him - in vain - by transforming herself into Almirena. Armida's
lover, Argante, in turn falls in love with Almirena but is repulsed
(listen
to Almirena's melodious, heart-wrenching anguish "Lascia
ch'io pianga"). Armida
tries to kill Almirena but is saved by Rinaldo who tries to kill Armida
but is saved by the Furies. In the end, the pagans are defeated in battle
and virtue celebrated
(listen
to the final chorus celebrating virtue);
the
lovers are happily reunited, Armida and Argante either convert to Christianity
(Handel's earlier version) or descend to hell in a chariot. All these to the tune of Handel's magical music - with its elaborate orchestration and some of opera's most melodious arias. René Jacobs and his top-rate ensemble of singers and orchestra players proved themselves equal to the task - leaving the audience at the Innsbruck Festival, and soon the listeners of this CD, nothing less than enchanted. |
|
Rinaldo at the Innsbruck Festival: Review excerpts |
|
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CURRENT SEASON HEROES & HEROINES CALENDAR DISCOGRAPHY
A VOICE OUT OF THE COLD DOWNLOAD MP3
about FANFAIRE AUDIOFILES NEW RELEASES FOOD & MUSIC EMAIL UPDATE
Design and Original Content: FanFaire LLC © 1997-2008. All rights
reserved.
