The Handel Album

De Fransman Philippe Jaroussky is in een paar jaar tijd uitgegroeid tot de leidende countertenor van zijn generatie. Met zijn ‘choirboy-like timbre’ en zijn ‘coloratura fi reworks’ overtuigt hij volgens The Classical Review ook die mensen die nog steeds hun wenkbrauwen fronsen bij het begrip countertenor. Vooral in het barokke repertoire is Jaroussky als een vis in het water. En als hij Händels Lascia ch’io pianga zingt staat de wereld even stil. Vandaar dat deze Händel-cd u even in een heel andere, tijdloze wereld brengt.

This album, which focuses on arias from Handel’s more rarely-performed operas, is the first that Philippe Jaroussky has devoted entirely to the composer – though his Erato discography already includes complete recordings of Faramondo, Partenope and, on DVD, Alcina, and arias by Handel feature on the countertenor’s Carestini: A Castrato’s Story. Praising Jaroussky in Handel, the New York Times has described him as “incomparable … thrilling of voice.”

Now, for the first time, Jaroussky brings his impeccable Handelian credentials to an entire album devoted to arias by the composer, who produced thirty-five operas for the London stage between 1711 and 1741. For all Handel’s current popularity, comparatively few of his operas are performed with great regularity. Works such as Giulio Cesare, Alcina, Ariodante, Agrippina, Serse, Rodelinda, Rinaldo, Partenope, Orlando, and Tamerlano have achieved varying degrees of currency, but, apart from an aria from Rodelinda, Jaroussky’s new album puts the emphasis on operas we are less likely to hear in the theatre or concert hall: Amadigi di Gaula; Arianna in Creta; Flavio, re di Longobardi; Giustino; Imeneo; Radamisto (represented by no fewer than four arias); Riccardo primo, re d'Inghilterra; Siroe, re di Persia and Tolomeo, re di Egitto. A number of these operas were written for the famous castrato Senesino, who created many leading roles for Handel.

Handel:
 Agitato da fiere tempeste (Riccardo Primo)
 Amadigi di Gaula
 Bel contento (from Flavio)
 Deggio morire, o stelle (from Siroe)
 Ezio, HWV29
 Flavio
 Giustino, HWV 35
 Imeneo
 Ombra cara di mia sposa (from Radamisto)
 Pensa a serbarmi, oh cara (from Ezio)
 Qual nave smarrita (from Radamisto)
 Radamisto
 Riccardo Primo, Re d'Inghilterra HWV23
 Rompo i lacci (from Flavio)
 Se parla nel mio cor (Giustino)
 Se potessero i sospir' miei (from Imeneo)
 Serse
 Siroe, King of Persia, HWV24
 Stille amare (Tolomeo)
 Sussurate (from Amadigi)
 Tolomeo, Re di Egitto HWV25

"There’s certainly plenty to enjoy in this generous selection of extracts. Jaroussky’s singing is vital and buoyant, combining a light expressive touch with a high degree of accuracy; there’s a sense of focus, too, in the ensemble’s instrumental playing…he may not be a perfect singer, but he’s always an engaging one."
BBC Music Magazine - January 2018