Let's hear it for Handel's operas...

[Alpha Centauri]

Following swiftly on the heels of Spotty's pendulum swinging baroque-wards, my listening for the last six months or so has been dominated by Handel's operas... and I'm in continuous awe and wonderment at the depth of this material.

The operas - of which there are 50! - as far as I'm concerned, divide into four periods:

i) the early works written for Hamburg and for Italy (they slot together as one output, as Handel was actively sending his Hamburg pieces to Italian opera-houses, and taking Hamburg-written work there himself).

ii) the period of the "First Academy" in London, under the patronage of the aristocrats who had founded it, and invited Handel to participate - alongside a team of poet/dramatists from Italy, and other composers

iii) the period of the "Second Academy" - when the aristocratic sponsors had fled after the bankruptcy of the First Academy, and Handel & Heiddegger worked as joint patentees, relying only on public subscriptions.

iv) the final period after the legendary split with Senesino and his backers, who leased the King's Theatre - forcing Handel to move his operations to the Covent Garden Playhouse, with John Rich as patentee, partner, and - as far as we can see - executive producer and stage-director.

Although the works of the second period (especially RADAMISTO) glistened, and those of the third period were the greatest box-office hits (GIULIO CESARE)... for me it's the final period, when he was at last free of the Italian poet/producers and their formulaic approach, that Handel wrote his finest works.

ARIODANTE continues to amaze me. He's reinventing the genre at every step. There are duets in the Act I (rarely found before), but the the Ginevra/Ariodante love-duet that seems to be bouncing-along so happily is suddenly stopped mid-bar by the arrival of Ginevra's dad... an astounding piece of musical drama. There are ballets which aren't just for show - they depict Ginevra's nightmare (perhaps indicating that Polinesso has drugged her somehow?) at what might happen. And at the centre of it all, in the middle of Act II, is this devastating aria, when Ariodante discovers that everyone he knows has cheated him, and his faithful fiance has - so it appears - slept with Polinesso on the very eve of their forthcoming marriage. It's the picture of betrayal, dejection and suicidal mania:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgqbt44ZsVQ&feature=related"]Handel: ARIODANTE, "Scherza Infida" - Phillipe Jaroussky[/ame]

I hadn't really come across Jaroussky before much - he bills himself as a "sopranist" rather than a counter-tenor, and it's no empty boast - it's a virile, bright sound that avoids the swooping and scooping that afflict many another counter-tenor. I've also not heard a male singer take on the title role before - usually a mezzo does it, leaving the counter-tenor honours to go to the role of Polinesso.

[Despina41]

iii) the period of the "Second Academy" - when the aristocratic sponsors had fled after the bankruptcy of the First Academy, and Handel & Heiddegger worked as joint patentees, relying only on public subscriptions.

Really! I wasn't aware that Handel had set Die Grundprobleme der Phänomenologie to music. CD cover, anyone, for this long-lost Handel work in German!?

Handel: ARIODANTE, "Scherza Infida" - Phillipe Jaroussky

I hadn't really come across Jaroussky before much - he bills himself as a "sopranist" rather than a counter-tenor, and it's no empty boast - it's a virile, bright sound that avoids the swooping and scooping that afflict many another counter-tenor. I've also not heard a male singer take on the title role before - usually a mezzo does it, leaving the counter-tenor honours to go to the role of Polinesso.

Just today saw a poster for a Jaroussky concert in Berlin next month! I'm totally going.
Btw, you know that once you're done with all the operas, then you get the joys of the oratorios too.

[Alpha Centauri]

Originally Posted by Despina41

you get the joys of the oratorios too.

Especially the ones that are half-operas anyhow - HERCULES, SOLOMON, ACIS & GALATEA, etc

I think EZIO is a super piece

[stephen w]

How wonderful this music is! Here's a favourite:[ame="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=8gpEZpUoWrM"]YouTube - Andreas Scholl - Rodelinda - Aria - Con rauco mormorio[/ame](Though if I'd lost the sound I might have thought it was Waiting for Godot ;-) )

My version is on Andreas Scholl's "Heroes"

[Florestan]

Originally Posted by stephen wainman

How wonderful this music is! Here's a favourite:YouTube - Andreas Scholl - Rodelinda - Aria - Con rauco mormorio(Though if I'd lost the sound I might have thought it was Waiting for Godot ;-) )

My version is on Andreas Scholl's "Heroes"

That is beautiful.

[micrologus]

This is one of my favorites

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyRzsQdeakE&feature=related"]YouTube - Handel - Xerxes - Ombra mai fu - Andreas Scholl[/ame]

[Florestan]

Originally Posted by micrologus

This is one of my favorites

YouTube - Handel - Xerxes - Ombra mai fu - Andreas Scholl

Sublime! This is all an education for me.

[stephen w]

Originally Posted by micrologus

This is one of my favorites

YouTube - Handel - Xerxes - Ombra mai fu - Andreas Scholl

So lovely. Enjoyed reading the music.

[Philidor]

Originally Posted by stephen wainman

So lovely.

[Alpha Centauri]

Ah, SERSE is one of my favourites - there's so much in it! Handel's really "playing" with the rules of opera seria - in the opening scene Romilda tries hard to sing her aria, but is continually interrupted by her rival admirers saying "Oh look - it's Romilda!"