BaL 19.01.19 - Handel: Ariodante

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

9.30 a.m.

Building a Library: Roger Parker listens to and compares the available recordings of Handel’s opera Ariodante.
Handel’s operas were the talk of the smart set in early 18th Century London. The exotic mix of temperamental prima donnas and castrati with Handel’s sublime music was a potent combination. And Ariodante was one of the very best of his operas. It contains a series of extraordinary arias for the title role from the mournful aria, “Scherza infida” to the joyful “Dopo notte” with exciting vocal acrobatics.


Available versions:-


Ann Murray, Joan Rodgers, Christopher Robson, Julie Kaufmann, James Anderson, Paul Nilon, Bavarian State Orchestra, Ivor Bolton

Ann Murray, Joan Rodgers, Lesley Garrett, Gwynne Howell, Christopher Robson, Paul Nilon, Mark Le Brocq, English National Opera Orchestra and Chorus, Ivor Bolton (DVD/Blu-ray)

Joyce DiDonato, Karina Gauvin, Marie-Nicole Lemieux, Sabina Puértolas, Topi Lehtipuu, Matthew Brook, Anicio Zorzi Giustiniani, Il Complesso Barocco, Alan Curtis

Ann Hallenberg, Laura Cherici, Marta Vandoni Iorio, Mary-Ellen Nesi, Carlo Lepore, Zachary Stanis Vittorio Prato, Il Complesso Barocco, Alan Curtis (DVD)

Janet Baker, Edith Mathis, Norma Burrowes, James Bowman, David Rendall, Samuel Ramey, Alexander Oliver, London Voices, English Chamber Orchestra, Raymond Leppard*

Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, Juliana Gondek, Jennifer Lane, Jörn Lindemann, Lisa Saffer, Nicolas Cavallier, Rufus Müller, Freiburger Barockorchester, Nicholas McGegan*

Anne Sofie von Otter, Lynne Dawson, Verónica Cangemi, Ewa Podles, Richard Croft, Denis Sedov, Luc Coadou. Musiciens du Louvre, Marc Minkowski

[verismissimo]

The usual complaint in these parts is that the list is far too long for the time allowed etc etc. In this case, it's so short, I can hardly see the point.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The usual complaint in these parts is that the list is far too long for the time allowed etc etc. In this case, it's so short, I can hardly see the point.

Well, the opera does last for more than two hours.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

The usual complaint in these parts is that the list is far too long for the time allowed etc etc. In this case, it's so short, I can hardly see the point.

Ah remember, back in t'olden days, 'alf-a-dozen recordings used to be about the average for a Building a Library comparison (John Steane in c1976 selecting from IIRC four available versions of Tristan - Furtwangler, Solti, Bohm, Karajan).

Tell that to kids these days and they don't believe yer.

[verismissimo]

… IIRC four available versions of Tristan - Furtwangler, Solti, Bohm, Karajan).

What a list, eh?

[vinteuil]

.

... I have the Minkowski, which is lovely.

Those who might like the Minkowski might like to know that there is also a cheapo set comprising Ariodante, Hercules, and Giulio Cesare. No libretti, but all the music is there, at bargain price if wanted...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00RUKVDSQ

.

[MickyD]

Same here, Vints...it's a gorgeous recording. I haven't heard any others, but they'd have to be pretty outstanding for me to displace the Minkowski.

[doversoul1]

I am very happy with Alan Curtis and Il Complesso Barocco with Joyce DiDonato, Karina Gauvin, Marie-Nicole Lemieux. And it has the libretto which is more than half the reason I buy opera CDs.

[vinteuil]

I am very happy with Alan Curtis and Il Complesso Barocco with Joyce DiDonato, Karina Gauvin, Marie-Nicole Lemieux. And it has the libretto which is more than half the reason I buy opera CDs.

... the full-price Minkowski of course has the libretto. It is only the cheapo 9 CD box of the three operas (in my #6 above) which skimps on libretti. But then, £15 for the three operas in such wonderful performances!

Here is the full price one :

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B019GRBJMK

The amazon reviewers are full of praise...


.

[Richard Barrett]

Im interested to see that a couple of respected members are keen on the Minkowski recording. I haven't heard it but I generally steer clear of his recordings, having found too many of them much too hasty and hard-driven. Is his Handel not like that? Or maybe it is but that doesn't matter? I generally tend in the direction of Alan Curtis when it comes to Handel operas.

[MickyD]

Im interested to see that a couple of respected members are keen on the Minkowski recording. I haven't heard it but I generally steer clear of his recordings, having found too many of them much too hasty and hard-driven. Is his Handel not like that? Or maybe it is but that doesn't matter? I generally tend in the direction of Alan Curtis when it comes to Handel operas.

The Minkowski is surprisingly leisurely in places, Richard. There are lots of excerpts of it on YouTube.

[verismissimo]

Time for an update?

[Master Jacques]

Very solid BaL and inevitable choice (the Minkowski is too extreme in tempi and showy, as Roger Parker said).

He was wrong though to say that Leppard/Baker was the first recording. There is a lovely studio recording (RCA, 1971) with this cast:
Conductor Stephen Simon; Orchestra - Wiener Volksoper; Chorus - Wiener Akademie Chor
Ariodante - Sofia Steffan
Ginevre - Graziella Sciutti
Dalinda - Carole Bogard
Polinesso - Bernadette Greevy
Lurcanio - Ian Partridge
Il Re di Scozia - Marius Rintzler
Odoardo - Walter Eder

As you see, a cast to die for. The style is heavily "old-school", but Sofia Steffan's warm and rich Ariodante is a match for anyone, as are Greevy, Partridge and especially Rintzler as a tormented King. Sciutti's kittenish approach may not be to all tastes, but it is firmly characterised, and Bogard is a light, sympathetic Dalinda. A great pity this has not made it to CD, as - some cuts aside - it would give Curtis and Leppard a good run for their money.

[Mal]

Very solid BaL and inevitable choice...

Nothing is inevitable

He did say Gauvin had an "edge", and I have to agree, it put me off the winner. Also, I was not overly impressed with Janet Baker. So I'd go for Otter/Dawson/Minkowski before these two "favourites", but Hunt/McGegan/FBO is the one I'd buy, the highlights disc at least.

[edashtav]

Nothing is inevitable

He did say Gauvin had an "edge", and I have to agree, it put me off the winner. Also, I was not overly impressed with Janet Baker. So I'd go for Otter/Dawson/Minkowski before these two "favourites", but Hunt/McGegan/FBO is the one I'd buy, the highlights disc at least.

Enlightened by a recent discussion of 'Interpretations of Record' on a parallel thread, whilst listened this morning, I mused on the innate difficulty of comparing interpretations of baroque operas. My mind went back to integral calculus and the problems caused by integrating complex functions containing terms which themselves are integrations over a different, defined intervals, e.g. the pit orchestra may range from 1 to 25, the continuo 1 to a smaller n , the soloists who must be 'weighted', the minor figures and chorus, and what weighting should be awarded to the conductor ?

I may glad the Leppard version showed its spots right to the final pairing. But... of course I would... having been introduced to Baroque Opera at an impressionable age by Janet Baker and Anthony Lewis.

I would not want to be deprived of the fast man on the block: Mark Minkowski: that edgy aria with the agile tenor Richard Croft was a 'cracker', but the slower than slower Minkowski stretching one da capo aria to over 12 minutes, well, no I'm almost speechless but for one thought: "Bring Back Dacapitation".

Arguably, Richard Parker got it right as did Alan Curtis. But... if you asked Parliament to debate the individual elements and their weights that should form the agreed integral function to assess a Baroque Performing Can of Operatic Worms, It would be years before a final meaningful vote could be held.