Handel: Agrippina
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Composer: George Frideric HandelConductor: John Eliot Gardiner
Orchestra: English Baroque Soloists
Performer: Della Jones
Performer: Alastair Miles
Performer: Derek Lee Ragin
Performer: Michael Chance
Performer: Donna Brown
Performer: Jonathan Peter Kenny
Performer: Anne Sofie von Otter
Edition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 2007-04-10
Music Label: Philips
Soundtracks:
Music CD 1
- Sinfonia
- Recitativo: Nerone, Amato, Figlio!
- Aria: Col Saggio Tuo Consiglio
- Recitativo: per Cosi Grande Impresa
- Aria: La Mia Sorte Fortunata
- Recitativo: Or Che Pallante E Vinto
- Aria: Volo Pronto, E Lieto Il Core
- Recitativo: Quanto Fa, Quanto Puote/Aria: L'Alma Mia Fra Le Tempeste
- Arioso: QUal Piacere A Un Cor Pietoso/Recitativo: Prendi Tu Ancora, Prendi/Arioso: Ma Rassembra Tormentoso
- Recitativo: Amici, Al Sen Vi Stringo
- Recitativo: Voi, Che Dell'Alta Roma/Quartetto: Il Tuo Figlio
- Recitativo: Ma Qual Di Liete Trombe/Arietta: Allegrezza, Allegrezza!/Recitativo: Che Sento!
- Recitativo: Alle Tue Piante, O Augusta
- Aria: Tu Ben Degno
- Recitativo: L'Ultima Del Gioir Meta Gradita/Aria: Lusinghiera Mia Speranza
- Aria: Vaghe Perle, Eletti Fiori
- Recitativo: Otton, Claudio, Nerone
- Aria: E Un Foco Quel D'Amore
- Recitativo: Ma Qui Agrippina Viene
- Aria: Ho Un Non So Nel Cor
- Recitativo: Cieli, Quai Strani Casi/Aria: Fa Quanto Vuoi
- Recitativo: Non Veggo Alcun
- Aria: Pur Ritorno A Rimirarvi
- Recitativo: Ma, Oh Ciel, Mesta E Confusa
- Arietta: Vieni, O Cara
- Recitativo: Che Mai Faro!/Terzetto: E Quando Mai I Frutti/Recitativo: Pur Al Fin Si Riando
- Aria: Non Ho Cor Che Per Amarti
- Recitativo: Se Ottone M'Inganno/Aria: Se Giunge Un Dispetto
- Recitativo: Dunque Noi Siam Traditi?
- Aria: Coronato Il Crin D'Alloro/Recitativo: Roma, Piu Ch'il Trionfo
- Recitativo: Ecco Il Superbo
- Coro: Di Timpani E Trombe
- Recitativo: Nelle Britannia Vinta/Aria: Cade Il Mondo Soggiogato
- Recitativo: Signor, Quanto Il Mio Core
- Arietta: Nulla Sperar Da Me/Recitativo: E Tu, Poppea/Aria: Tuo Ben E 'L Trono/Recitativo: Soccorri Almen, Nerone!/Aria: Sotto Il Lauro Ch'hai Sul Crine/Recitativo: Scherzo Son Del Destino
- Recitativo: Otton, Qual Portentoso Fulmine
- Aria: Voi Che Udite Il Mio Lamento
- Aria: Bella Pur Del Mio Diletto/Recitativo: Il Tormento D'Ottone
- Arioso: Vahge Fonti/Recitativo: Ma Qui Che Veggo, Oh Cieli!/Recitativo: Ottone Traditore!
- Aria: Ti Vo' Giusta E Non Pietosa
- Recitatico: Di Quali Ordite Trame
- Recitativo: Pur Al Fine Ti Ritrovo!
- Aria: Col Peso Del Tuo Amor
- Recitativo: Qual Bramato Piacere/Aria: Quando Invita La Donna L'Amante
- Aria: Pensieri, Voi Mi Tormentate!/Recitativo: Quel Ch'Oprai E Soggetto A Gran Periglio/Aria: Pensieri, Voi Mi Tormentate!
- Recitativo: se Ben Nemica Sorte
- Aria: Col Raggio Placido
- Recitativo: Di Giunger Non Dispero Al Mio Desire
- Aria: Sperero, Poi Che Mel Dice
- Recitativo: per Dar La Pace Al Core
- Aria: Basta Sol Che Tu Chieda
- Recitativo: Favorevol La Sorte Oggi M'Arride/Aria: Ogni Vento Ch'al Porto Lo Spinga
- Recitativo: Il Caro Ottone Al Precipizio Io Spinsi
- Aria: Tacero, Tacero
- Recitativo: Attendo Qui Nerone E Claudio Ancora
- Aria: Coll'ardor Del Tuo Bel Core
- Recitativo: Amico Ciel, Seconda Il Mio Disegno
- Aria: Io Di Roma Il Giove Sono
- Recitativo: Pur Al Fin Se Ne Ando
- Aria: Pur Ch'io Ti Stringa Al Sen
- Recitativo: Piega Pur Del Mio Cor/Aria: Bel Piacer
- Recitativo: Cotanto Oso Poppea?
- Aria: Come Nube Che Fugge Dal Vento
- Recitativo: Evvi Donna Piu Empia?
- Recitativo: Adorato Mio Sposo
- Aria: Se Vuoi Pace, O Volto Amato
- Recitativo: Ecco La Mia Rivale
- Coro: Lieto Il Tebro Increspi L'Onda
- Recitativo: D'Otton E Di Poppea Sul Grande Innesto/Aria: V'Accendano Le Tede
- Ballo
Music reviews of Handel: Agrippina
Music Review: a voice teacher and early music fan
Rating: 5 Stars
GARDINER AND FORCES PRESENT A SUPERB INTERPRETATION AND PERFORMANCE OF THIS HANDEL OPERA!
On 26 December 1709 'Agrippina', Handel's first dramatic masterpiece, was produced in Venice, the homeland of opera. It was a triumph. The theater echoed shouts of 'Viva il caro Sassone' and the opera received no less than twenty-seven performances.
The author of the libretto was Cardinal Vincenzo Grimani, a distinguished diplomat and Viceroy of Naples. Whether deliberately or by happy accident,he was able for the first time to release Handel's extraordinary insight into manifold subtleties of human nature. His libretto displays an uncanny sensitivity to human nature that contains: intimate irony, serious emotions portrayed and immediately accessible comic situations, rather than heroic declamatory high drama.
There is a very apt quote from Shakespeare that came to my mind the first time I watched this intriguing opera: "HELL IS EMPTY AND ALL THE DEVILS ARE HERE!" 'Agrippina' permits,indeed encourages, the frailties, idocyncracies and amorality of the principal characters to reveal themselves: Gardiner's more restrained approach assists and underlines this. Simply put, Agrippina plots the downfall of Claudius (the emperor) in order for her son, Nero, to become Emperor in his place. It would be easy to condemn her manipulations and lust for power, but Handel's dispassionate and non-judgemental observation makes us more likely to care about the fates of each character. Thus, there is humanity as the end result: that nothing, especially evil,is simple. Gardiner's forces have understood this.
With a single exception the characters, judged by their words and deeds, are morally worthless, but not all are without redeeming features. Agrippina, for all her duplicity and devious mechinations, is determined to secure the succession of her son. Poppea has the merit of courage, and she genuinely loves Ortho, but given her past history, is not likely to remain faithful. The exception is Ortho, who saves the emperor's life, and is ill-treated for it, and whose willingness to sacrifice worldly ambition for love, throws the motives of the others into sharp relief. He is indeed one of opera's greatest losers.
Della Jones in the role of Agrippina is magnificent! Her voice is able to easily take on the various moods and situations that her character face. She displays flexibility in all her arias, especially those that are at 'break-neck' speed.
The voices of Chance and Ragin make a nice contrast: Chance's voice is rich, mellow, filling up his entire body with sound; while Ragin's voice is lighter, flexible prone to using more vibrato and ornaments.
There are actually three countertenors in this opera, two mentioned previously and Jonathan Peter Kenny, who makes a fine contribution, both vocally and dramatically. Alastair Miles as Claudius sings with an excellent blend of authority and pathos. Donna Brown convincingly conveys nastiness and insolence and all with her resonant tone quality.
Gardiner, as per usual, does an excellent job of interpreting what Handel wanted. Gardiner's forces achieve very well the balance between the idea of belligerant and bitter plotting and the actual mind and behaviours of those who abandon all principles and implement them. And I am impressed by the quality of the nine cast singers; not a weak one among them! Indeed, this entire opera is a marvelous listening experience. Recorded in 1992,early in Gardiner's career.
The package comes with a 230 page booklet that includes pertinent information and the libretto in English, German, French and Italian.
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