BaL 21.05.16 - Handel: Alcina

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

0930
Building a Library: Berta Joncus recommends a recording of Handel's Alcina from among available versions.

Power, love and sex are the themes of Handel's final operatic masterpiece. The tale of Alcina, whose journey begins as all-powerful enchantress and ends as tragic victim, inspired Handel to weave his own musical magic and create one of his most memorable and alluring female characters. From rollicking to heart-breaking, the opera's series of show-stopping arias both for Alcina and other roles, coupled with sparkling dance numbers has made it a magnet not only for some of the great singers of our times but also for many of the leading specialists in period performance and their ensembles.

Available versions:

Anja Harteros, Vesselina Kasarova, Deborah York, Sonia Prina, Veronica Cangemi, John Mark Ainsley, Christopher Purves, Axel Wolf, Bayerisches Staatsorchester, Ivor Bolton

Joan Sutherland, Teresa Berganza, Monica Sinclair, Luigi Alve, Graziella Sciutti, Mirella Freni, Ezio Flagello, LSO, Richard Bonynge (download)

Renée Fleming, Susan Graham, Natalie Dessay, Kathleen Kuhlmann, Timothy Robinson, Juanita Lascarro, Laurent Naouri, Les Arts Florissants Orchestra & Chorus, William Christie

Joyce DiDonato, Maite Beaumont, Karina Gauvin, Sonia Prina, Kobie Van Rensburg, Laura Cherici, Vito Priante, Il Complesso Barocco, Alan Curtis

Catherine Naglestad, Alice Coote, Helene Schneiderman, Catriona Smith, Rolf Romei, Staatsorchester Stuttgart, Alan Hacker (DVD)

Arleen Augér, Della Jones, Kathleen Kuhlmann, Maldwyn Davies, Eiddwen Harrhy, Patrizia Kwella, John Tomlinson, City of London Baroque Sinfonia, Richard Hickox

Joan Sutherland, Fritz Wunderlich, Norma Procter, Jeannette Van Dijck, Nicola Monti, Thomas Hemsley, Cappella Coloniensis, Ferdinand Leitner

Patricia Petibon, Philippe Jaroussky, Anna Prohaska, Anthony Gregor, Krzysztof Baczyk, Elias Mädler, Lionel Wunsch, Freiburger Barockorchester, Music Aeterna (Chorus of the Perm Opera), Andrea Marcon (DVD/Blu-ray))

Anja Harteros, Vesselina Kasarova, Kristina Hammarström, Orchestra, Les Musiciens du Louvre-Grenoble, Ballett der Wiener Staatsoper, Marc Minkowski DVD

[aeolium]

Thanks, EA. This is one of my favourite operas, in which Handel turns the dross of an absurd plot into gold. I first got to know it through the old Sutherland/Bonynge/LSO recording which I still admire, but now much prefer the Hickox recording with a superb cast. At least it's a manageable number of sets for the reviewer to deal with.

[MickyD]

Same for me, aeolium, I think Alcina must rank at the top of my favourite Handel operas along with Ariodante. So many wonderful arias. I too have always loved that Hickox recording. Apart from some stunning singing, the EMI recording is first class.

I'll be interested to hear the other sets being discussed. Really looking forward to this BAL.

[BBMmk2]

I have William Christie's, so be quite interesting to see what happens!

[Richard Tarleton]

Joan Sutherland singing someone else's aria

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Joan Sutherland singing someone else's aria

Viva la Diva!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I wasn't expecting that! Mainly because I hadn't listed the recommended version (Vienna State Opera/Minkowski).

[Nick Armstrong]

.

Is this a record (review) for the least amount of reaction to a BAL ever? Over three times as many for the Schumann Fantasie a week before transmission!

In relation to your comment Alpie:

I wasn't expecting that! Mainly because I hadn't listed the recommended version (Vienna State Opera/Minkowski).

one reason was perhaps that the blu-ray at least seems to be unavailable (on a cursory search) or only available in this country for idiotic prices.

However who cares - it's available (admittedly not in the best video quality) on You Tube:

(The link to the rest appears under the clip)

[teamsaint]

.

Is this a record (review) for the least amount of reaction to a BAL ever? Over three times as many for the Schumann Fantasie a week before transmission!

In relation to your comment Alpie:



one reason was perhaps that the blu-ray at least seems to be unavailable (on a cursory search) or only available in this country for idiotic prices.

However who cares - it's available (admittedly not in the best video quality) on You Tube:

(The link to the rest appears under the clip)

great spot Cals.

sensible prices here in the common market?

http://www.curiua.com/p/handel-alcina-wiener-staatsoper-live-blu-ray/0807280802894

[verismissimo]

I didn't listen except for the first and last 5 minutes. It struck me early on that Ms Joncus was very dismissive of performances outside of the current HIPP straitjacket, and this was confirmed in the roundup at the end, where all three recommended versions seemed to me to be basically peas out of the same pod.

Did anyone listen? It's the work that had Joan Sutherland (dismissed early) dubbed La Stupenda.

[Richard Tarleton]

I didn't listen except for the first and last 5 minutes. It struck me early on that Ms Joncus was very dismissive of performances outside of the current HIPP straitjacket, and this was confirmed in the roundup at the end, where all three recommended versions seemed to me to be basically peas out of the same pod.

Indeed. Reminded me of her Bach sonatas/partitas BAL.

Did anyone listen? It's the work that had Joan Sutherland (dismissed early) dubbed La Stupenda.

Intermittently. I'm always sad to hear Bonynge getting a pasting, as Leppard does on RR these days. Personally I'm sticking with La Stupenda even if she did nick Morgana's aria.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Well - speaking purely as someone who listened for more than ten minutes, I think verismissimo's comments are nonsense. Did anyone seriously - and I mean seriously - expect a recommendation of a recording that messed around with the casting? Of course any recording that plays with the score in this way is going to be "dismissed early". And, as only two of the nine available recordings are not HIPP-influenced (unlike the Bach Sons & Parts, Richard) it was hardly going to be those, was it? (That's the thing about this particular "straitjacket" - it has enabled listeners to hear so much more Music than was hitherto available.) And if somebody seriously - and I mean seriously - thought that the three very different performances were "basically peas out of the same pod" ... well, the most polite response I can summon up is to suggest that they listen to the remaining thirty-five minutes of the programme.

[MickyD]

Personally I was very disappointed that the Hickox version didn't get more of a recommendation - all the more disarming as Ms Joncus started off her review so glowingly about it!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Did anyone seriously - and I mean seriously - expect a recommendation of a recording that messed around with the casting? Of course any recording that plays with the score in this way is going to be "dismissed early".

It's certainly a bit of a cheek, putting the performer before the music. (Handel didn't like that either.)

And, as only two of the nine available recordings are not HIPP-influenced (unlike the Bach Sons & Parts, Richard) it was hardly going to be those, was it?

Oh dear, not this again.

[Richard Tarleton]

OK,OK, I did enjoy what I heard of the Christie/Fleming/Graham this am (RF and SG also a dream Strauss team )

Probably an age thing (JS my intro to this sort of stuff, half a century ago), and certainly Dr Joncus did acknowledge La S's singing....If I was in the market for another version it would be the Christie.