Oratorio in two parts Rome 1707. Par HAENDEL GEORG FRIEDRICH. With his “La Bel...(+)
Oratorio in two parts Rome 1707. Par HAENDEL GEORG FRIEDRICH. With his “La Bellezza ravveduta nel trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno” (“Beauty Reformed in the Triumph of Time and Enlightenment”), HWV 46a, the 22-year-old Handel notched up one of his greatest successes in this genre right at the very beginning of his oratorio oeuvre. Composed in Rome in 1707, the work was for a long time known as “Il trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno” (“The Triumph of Time and Enlightenment”). In keeping with the Halle Handel Edition, however, the title is that of the name given in the primary source.
In many cases inspired by the melodically rich ideas of Reinhard Keiser (1674–1739), the work is unsurpassed by any other oratorio by Handel. At the end of an impressive sequence of truly captivating arias, duets and quartets, Bellezza’s reformation in favour of living a life pleasing to God is accompanied in incisive E major by her overwhelmingly beautiful, impossibly sad closing aria “Tu del ciel ministro eletto”, the consummate pinnacle of dramatic irony in Handel’s output.
By virtue of its flawless dramatic structure as well – unlike many other oratorios and all operas of the Baroque period, the story never goes off at a tangent and all arias revolve around the dispute of the four dramatic personae – the oratorio has enjoyed long runs of widely acclaimed, mostly staged performances in the last few years./ Répertoire / Opéra
Operas in three acts Version of the premiere, London 1737. Par HAENDEL GEORG FRI...(+)
Operas in three acts Version of the premiere, London 1737. Par HAENDEL GEORG FRIEDRICH. “Charming Berenice” – the Earl of Shaftesbury attended a rehearsal of the opera on 12 May 1737 and went into raptures about this “inexpressible delight”. “Berenice” was premiered at Covent Garden Theatre in London just a few days later on 18 May 1737.
“Berenice” is one of the “light” operas and offers a wealth of musical gems, the second movement of the overture having become famous as “The Minuet from Berenice”, for instance, as has Berenice’s extended aria in the third act, in which she reflects on the inconstancy of the god Amor in duet with the solo oboist. The musical imagery which Handel worked into the opera is likewise enchanting, such as the imitation of bees humming in Fabio’s “Vedi l’ape” and the sorrowful cooing of a dove in Selene’s “Tortorella che rimira”.
The scholarly-critical new edition contains the musical text of the first performance together with pieces in the appendix which Handel excised or shortened in preparation for the premiere. As is customary with our editions, a preface provides a detailed introduction to the genesis of the work, the story’s historical context, the source material and reception. Furthermore, the edition includes a translation of the libretto and an exhaustive Critical Report./ Répertoire / Opéra
Par GLASS PHILIP. The third in Glass' trilogy of operas about men who changed th...(+)
Par GLASS PHILIP. The third in Glass' trilogy of operas about men who changed the world in which they lived through the power of their ideas, Akhnaten's subject is religion. The Pharaoh Akhnaten was the first monotheist in recorded history, and his substitution of a one-god religion for the multi-god worship in use when he came to power was responsible for his violent overthrow. The opera describes the rise, reign, and fall of Akhnaten in a series of tableaux. This newly typeset edition is in accord with the vocal score, DU11199, first released in 2017./ Répertoire / Opéra
'Das Rheingold' is the first part of Wagner's 'Ring Cycle'.Alberich a gnome of ...(+)
'Das Rheingold' is the first part of Wagner's 'Ring Cycle'.Alberich a gnome of the Nibelung discovers the all-powerful Rhine Gold and fashions a ring out of it knowing that whoever wears it will rule the world but must renounce love. The gods Wotan and his wife Fricka have build a new castle and paid the giants by promising them Fricka's sister Freia who grows the golden apples that give the gods their power. After a struggle she is kidnapped and all the gods begin to age and weaken. To get her back they decide to steal the Ring and bargain with the giants. Meanwhile Alberich has been forcing other to mine gold and Mime makes a helmet the 'Tarnhelm' out ofit thinking this will help him seize the Ring. Alberich steals the Tarnhelm but the gods arrive and trick both it the Ring and his gold out of him taking him prisoner. In a fury he curses the Ring to bring death and envy to all who posess it. The gods use the Ring and helmet to bargain with the giants. They win Freia back and go home to their new castle but as they leave the giant Fafner murders his brother Fasolt to claim the ring continuing its bloody history... This is the Schirmer edition of the Vocal Score with an English translation by Frederick Jameson.
Wagner completed the first version of the opera in 1845 during his tenure as Kap...(+)
Wagner completed the first version of the opera in 1845 during his tenure as Kapellmeister at the royal court of Dresden but he continued to redraft and revise it for the rest of his life. The setting is medieval Germany: the minstrel Tannhauser has fallen into sin with the goddess Venus but after a year in a moment of realisation he demands to leave. He finds himself near his home and is reunited with Elisabeth a girl he once loved. Elisabeth's uncle the landgrave organises a singing competition between Tannhauser and Wolfram who also loves her. Wolfram's song is simple and moving while Tannhauser confused by Venus outrages the audience by singing of profane love.He is banished to Rome on a pilgrimage to seek redemption and Elisabeth follows him with Wolfram. After much searching she gives up and dies just missing Tannhauser who Wolfram discovers creeping back to Venus the Pope having said that it was as impossible for him to be forgiven as for his staff to sprout flowers. Tannhauser sees Elisabeth and casts himself to die by her coffin and the Pope's staff bursts into bloom. This is the Schirmer edition of the Vocal Score edited and translated into English by Natalia MacFarren.
