Album

It's a pleasure to have such an abundance of excellent recordings of Handel operas that were long virtually unknown or available on CD in a single version, if at all. Alan Curtis' stellar recording of Alcina, which joins a respectable number of very fine recordings of the opera, is remarkable for the supple liveliness of his conducting and the outstanding performances of the soloists. The elasticity of his performance, leading Il Complesso Barocco, should dispel any misconceptions about Baroque music being rigid and metronomic. The nuanced care with which he brings out the emotional depth of Handel's writing is evident from the first measures of the overture and enlivens the entire opera. The opera is one of Handel's strongest, both in its sensuous, endlessly inventive music, and in the coherence and emotional complexity of its libretto, taken by an anonymous writer from Ariosto's "Orlando Furioso," the source of many operas of the era, and Curtis and the singers give it fiery dramatic urgency. The soloists assembled here, veterans of Baroque opera, perform with assurance and fluent familiarity with the style. The intelligence and emotional rightness of their ornamentation in the da capo arias is especially impressive, and they handle the florid pyrotechnics with polish and an engaging sense of spontaneity. Joyce DiDonato is stunning in the title role, with the intensity of a force of nature, and Maite Beaumont as Ruggiero and Karina Gauvin as Morgana are no less impressive. The women who are less well known, Sonia Prina and Laura Cherici, are just as astonishing in their virtuosity and the consistent purity and beauty of their tone quality; these are singers to watch out for. Bass Vito Priante sings with comparable effectiveness, but tenor Kobie van Rensburg doesn't quite have the ideal vocal heft for his role, although otherwise his performance is exemplary. The sound is immaculate and clean and intensely present. This version of Alcina should delight fans of Baroque opera and might even make converts of opera lovers who have never warmed to this repertoire.

© Stephen Eddins, All Music Guide

CD 1 of 3
George Frideric Handel Composer Alcina, HWV34 (opera) Work 3:22:43 Kobie van Rensburg Vocals, Sonia Prina Vocals, Laura Cherici Vocals, Il Complesso Barocco Orchestra, Joyce DiDonato Vocals, Alan Curtis Conductor, Johanna Knauf Chorus/Choir Director, Karina Gauvin Vocals, Maite Beaumont Vocals, Vito Priante Vocals
1	No.1. Ouverture	3:14			$0.99
2	No.2. Musette	1:03			$0.49
3	No.3. Menuet	0:57			$0.49
4	Act 1. Scene 1. O Dei! quivi non scorgo	1:03			$0.49
5	Act 1. Scene 1. No.4. Aria. O s'apre al riso	5:20			$0.99
6	Act 1. Scene 2. No.5. Coro. Questo è il cielo di contenti	2:22			$0.99
7	Act 1. Scene 2. No.6. Gavotte	0:59			$0.49
8	Act 1. Scene 2. No.7. Sarabande	1:14			$0.49
9	Act 1. Scene 2. Gavotte (da capo)	0:36			$0.49
10	Act 1. Scene 2. No.8. Menuet	1:41			$0.49
11	Act 1. Scene 2. No.9. Gavotte	0:49			$0.49
12	Act 1. Scene 2. Ecco l'infido / Taci!	1:05			$0.49
13	Act 1. Scene 2. No.10. Aria. Di', cor mio, quanto t'amai	7:16			$1.49
14	Act 1. Scene 3. Generosi guerrier, deh! per pietade	0:47			$0.49
15	Act 1. Scene 3. No.11. Aria. Chi m'insegna il caro padre	3:03			$0.99
16	Act 1. Scene 4. Mi ravvisi, Ruggier	0:48			$0.49
17	Act 1. Scene 4. No.12. Aria. Di te mi rido	4:33			$0.99
18	Act 1. Scene 5. Qua dunque ne veniste	0:39			$0.49
19	Act 1. Scene 5. No.13. Aria. È gelosia, forza è d'amore	3:52			$0.99
20	Act 1. Scene 6. Io dunque... / Scene 7. Vo cercando la bella cagion delle mie pene	1:08			$0.49
21	Act 1. Scene 7. No.14. Aria. Bramo di trionfar	6:45			$0.99
22	Act 1. Scene 8. La cerco invano	1:06			$0.49
23	Act 1. Scene 8. No.15. Aria. Semplicetto! a donna credi?	5:58			$0.99
24	Act 1. Scene 9. Ah, infedele, infedel! / Scene 10. Regina, il tuo soggiorno	1:34			$0.49
25	Act 1. Scene 10. No.16. Aria. Sì, son quella, non più bella	6:28			$0.99
26	Act 1. Scene 11. Se nemico mi fossi / Scene 12. Bradamante favella?	0:50			$0.49
27	Act 1. Scene 12. No.17. Aria. La bocca vaga	4:52			$0.99
28	Act 1. Scene 13. A quai strani perigli / Scene 14. Fuggi, cor mio, ti affretta!	0:56			$0.49
29	Act 1. Scene 14. No.18. Aria. Tornami a vagheggiar	5:12			$0.99

CD 2 of 3
1	Act 2. Scene 1. No.19. Arioso. Col celarvi a chi v'ama	2:30			$0.99
2	Act 2. Scene 1. No.20. Arioso. Qual portento mi richiama	2:31			$0.99
3	Act 2. Scene 1. No.21. Aria. Pensa a chi geme	5:06			$0.99
4	Act 2. Scene 2. Qual odio ingiusto contro me?	1:12			$0.49
5	Act 2. Scene 2. No.22. Aria. Vorrei vendicarmi	4:06			$0.99
6	Act 2. Scene 3. Chi scopre al mio pensiero	0:17			$0.49
7	Act 2. Scene 3. No.23. Aria. Mi lusinga il dolce affetto	6:47			$0.99
8	Act 2. Scene 4. S'acquieti il rio sospetto / Scene 5. E la tua pace	1:08			$0.49
9	Act 2. Scene 5. No.24. Aria. Ama, sospira, ma non t'offende	7:08			$1.49
10	Act 2. Scene 6. Non scorgo nel tuo viso	0:54			$0.49
11	Act 2. Scene 6. No.25. Aria. Mio bel tesoro	6:03			$0.99
12	Act 2. Scene 7. Regina, io cerco invano	0:58			$0.49
13	Act 2. Scene 7. No.26. Aria. Tra speme e timore	3:43			$0.99
14	Act 2. Scene 8. Regina, sei tradita!	0:34			$0.49
15	Act 2. Scene 8. No.27. Aria. Ah! mio cor, schernito sei!	9:30			$1.49
16	Act 2. Scene 9. Or che dici, Morgana? / Scene 10. All'offesa, il disprezzo	0:53			$0.49
17	Act 2. Scene 10. No.28. Aria. È un folle, è un vile affetto	3:56			$0.99
18	Act 2. Scene 11. Ed è ver che mi narri? / Scene 12. Eccomi a' piedi tuoi	1:24			$0.49
19	Act 2. Scene 12. No.29. Aria. Verdi prati, selve amene	4:07			$0.99
20	Act 2. Scene 13. No.30. Recitativo accompagnato. Ah! Ruggiero crudel	2:39			$0.99
21	Act 2. Scene 13. No.31. Aria. Ombre pallide	6:40			$0.99

CD 3 of 3
1	Act 3. Sinfonia	0:48			$0.49
2	Act 3. Scene 1. Voglio amar e disamar	1:10			$0.49
3	Act 3. Scene 1. No.33. Aria. Credete al mio dolore	7:43			$1.49
4	Act 3. Scene 2. M'inganna, me n'avveggo	0:23			$0.49
5	Act 3. Scene 2. No.34. Aria. Un momento di contento	4:06			$0.99
6	Act 3. Scene 3. Molestissimo incontro!	1:09			$0.49
7	Act 3. Scene 3. No.35. Aria. Ma quando tornerai	4:19			$0.99
8	Act 3. Scene 4. Tutta d'armate squadre	0:33			$0.49
9	Act 3. Scene 4. No.36. Aria. Sta nell'ircana pietrosa tana	5:56			$0.99
10	Act 3. Scene 5. Vanne tu seco ancora	0:17			$0.49
11	Act 3. Scene 5. No.37. Aria. All'alma fedel	3:09			$0.99
12	Act 3. Scene 6. Niuna forza lo arresta	0:44			$0.49
13	Act 3. Scene 6. No.38. Aria. Mi restano le lagrime	6:47			$0.99
14	Act 3. Scene 7. No.39. Coro. Sin per le vie del sole	0:44			$0.49
15	Act 3. Scene 7. Già vicino è 'l momento di cangiar	1:17			$0.49
16	Act 3. Scene 7. No.40. Aria. Barbara! Io ben lo so	2:56			$0.99
17	Act 3. Scene 8. Le lusinghe gl'inganni	0:40			$0.49
18	Act 3. Scene 8. No.41. Terzetto. Non è amor, né gelosia	5:12			$0.99
19	Act 3. Scene 9. Prendi, e vivi / Scene 10. Ah! mio Ruggier, che tenti? / Scene 11. Misera, ah, no!	0:57			$0.49
20	Act 3. Scena ultima. No.42. Coro. Dall'orror di notte cieca	1:46			$0.49
21	Act 3. Scena ultima. No.43. Entrée	2:08			$0.99
22	Act 3. Scena ultima. No.44. Tamburino	1:03			$0.49
23	Act 3. Scena ultima. No.45. Coro. Dopo tante amare pene	0:40			$0.49