Since he’s never met her, this is not difficult. Though a handful of his operas are still widely performed in Europe, his operas don’t typically get much attention from the major houses in the United States. Like Giulio Cesare, both Tamerlano and Rodelinda derive from historical narratives and maintain a more or less realist tone, all featuring love stories set against a political world with evil but mortal villains. Giulio Cesare, Serse, Orlando, Rinaldo, Ariodante and Tamerlano are all roles written for castrati, although Handel was often just as happy to see female altos in those roles. In honor of his 333rd birthday, here is a list of five operas composed by Handel that deserve the spotlight once more. As in L’incoronazione, hardly anyone else in the opera has much in the way of redeeming features, except perhaps Ottone, the future emperor Otto. Complete operas are in the middle of this playlist; selected arias are at the beginning and end. The libretto, along with those of Orlando and Ariodante, is taken from Ludovico Ariosto’s Orlando Furioso (1516). Not only do they have to fight the Saracens, they must contend with an evil sorceress, Armida. Bachtrack top ten: Handel operas. In the first Act, the shepherd Acis is in gentle pursuit of the nymph Galatea, and at its conclusion they join in the duet “Happy we”. Two of the works on our list, Semele and Acis and Galatea, are not really operas, but they are regularly staged as such. Sarah Connolly as Caesar and Danielle de Niese as Cleopatra in Giulio Cesare at … The mother and son combination of Cornelia and Sesto is also movingly depicted, particularly their famous duet “Son nata a lagrimar” at the end of Act I. Serse, Handel’s third last opera, is a more playful affair, also drawn from classical history. In 1996 she began writing opera reviews for online outlets, graduating to more professional sources by 2000. Tuesday 23 February is the anniversary of the birth of George Frideric Handel. In this part of the story, the wife of emperor Claudius is determined to get her son Nerone (Nero) on the throne and uses every wily move to get him there she can muster. In honor of his 333rd birthday, here is a list of five operas composed by Handel that deserve the spotlight once more. This famous George Frideric Handel operas list contains various bits of information, such as what language they were composed in and what genre the popular George Frideric Handel opera falls under. The anti-heroine Alcina is depicted as a wilful determined woman for whom nonetheless the music expresses some sympathy. But from her ashes Bacchus arises, a happy ending for us all! Mike New York, United States Hello everyone. I have mentioned one of the most famous, Senesino. Premiered in 1725 in London, it has something in common with other operas in the top ten: a libretto by Nicola Haym and an original cast featuring two of the greatest singers of the day, soprano Francesca Cuzzoni (Cleopatra) and alto castrato ‘Senesino’, the nickname for Francesco Bernadi (Giulio Cesare, or Julius Caesar). I was born in New York City, in East New York, Brooklyn. Rinaldo: Cara spoza 04:4503. Apr-01-2017, 15:39 #2. nina foresti . George Frideric Handel, by Thomas Hudson, 1756. And though “Agrippina” contains some of Handel’s trickiest music, many collegiate productions have shown the early success of stars in recent years, including Angela Meade at University of Southern California in 2004 and Samantha Hankey in The Juilliard School’s 2017 production. The Best Recording of Handel’s Messiah. Ariodante is also a bit thick, in being easily deceived about the constancy of his beloved Ginevra, in a plot twist recalling Much Ado About Nothing; but he has some amazing arias. One of the unusual aspects of this opera in terms of 18th century conventions is the on-stage suicide of Bajazet. While Monteverdi portrays a seriously corrupt regime, Agrippina is played more for laughs, but with some seriously moving arias. Jahrhundert, Händel-Haus, Halle, and subsequent updatings in the Händel-Jahrbuch 2001-2016. Madness in its prettiest form: Max Emanuel Cenčić on Handel’s Orlando. It does not seem to have been staged before 1925, but has become a favourite in the operatic repertoire. William Christie directs with his customary energy and insight in the pit. “Agrippina” is not nearly as obscure as the others on this list, but it is surprising that this fiery opera seria isn’t performed more than it is. Jeder Akt enthält auch Tanzszenen, die für die berühmte Tänzerin Marie Sallé und ihre Truppe komponiert wurden. It was composed by Handel in 1718 when he was a guest at Cannons, the stately home of the Duke of Chandos, who maintained a small domestic orchestra. Both are excellent. Though “Tolomeo” also features some of the same characters from Handel’s “Giulio Cesare,” there is little relation to the opera. Those familiar with Monteverdi’s “L’incoronazione di Poppea” see the return of many of the same characters, though obviously in a different context. The story takes place during the reign of Ptolemy IX (Tolomeo) in Egypt, where the themes of false/mistaken identities and betrayal are seen at the forefront. George Frideric Handel's operas comprise 42 musical dramas that were written between … I have never explored Hercules as I considered it an oratorio. It comes from the other end of Handel’s career, composed in 1744 after he had abandoned formal Italian opera. Newer Post Older Post Home. In 2007, she inaugurated Festival Baroque Australia in Perth, Western Australia, Australia’s first Baroque music festival. The work is usually referred to as a masque, a small-scale aristocratic entertainment originally involving … The opera may not have many arias that are commonly sung today, but the final chorus in the last scene will have everyone tapping their toes. 1: 10,09€ 7: La Morte Mia - Son Contenta Di Morire, Radamisto, George Frideric Handel (feat. Acis and Galatea is one of Handel’s most popular works in any genre, uniquely maintaining a performance record through the 19th century. How does one define a top ten of Handel operas? Our privacy policy was last updated on Friday 31 January 2020. She must face off the actually rather weak and not that bad Grimoaldo and his much nastier adviser Garibaldo, and does so with steadfast determination to protect her young son and keep the faith with her husband. Sandra Bowdler was born and educated in Sydney, and has pursued a career as an archaeologist since graduating from the University of Sydney in 1970. There is perhaps no other Baroque composer with as wide a repertory as George Frideric Handel. It is a fine work that combines pastoral charm with some powerfully melodramatic scenes. Like other great Handel operas such as “Alcina” and “Ariodante,” this fantasy-inspired opera is also derived from Ariosto’s “Orlando Furioso.” The tale of the heartbroken knight was brought back to life in England the 1960s with Dame Janet Baker in the title role, and has since seen other great mezzos and countertenors as Orlando, such as Patricia Bardon and Bejun Mehta. Arya Roshanian is a writer based in New York City. Rinaldo: Lascia ch'io pianga 00:0002. Stephen Layton’s musicians bring an unparalleled freshness to this familiar work, combining power with a delicacy faithful to Handel’s Baroque sensibility. There is a good margin between numbers 11 (Semele) and 12 (Radamisto), so that is where I draw a line. https://bachtrack.com/top-ten-handel-operas-baroque-month-february-2018, https://bachtrack.com/22/270/list-published/22175, https://bachtrack.com/files/40842-sandra-bowlder.jpg, Hungary’s Csaba Káel on opera, video and the movies, Beauty will heal us: looking ahead to The New Generation Festival, To add a comment, please sign in or register. View Profile View Forum Posts View Blog Entries Senior Member Join Date Mar 2014 Location United States Posts 2,033 Post Thanks / Like Likes (Given) 818 Likes (Received) 2117. These three operas were composed within a brief period of time 1733-1735, and see Handel at the height of his operatic powers. Bis 20. These three comprise a dazzling trio, sharing not only a great composer, but also the accomplished librettist Nicola Haym and, on their London debuts, Senesino and Cuzzoni. Handel’s first real masterpiece before his move to England was performed in Venice in 1709, and maintains sufficient popularity to be number eight on our list. The Best Operas. Orlando Like other great Handel operas such as “Alcina” and “Ariodante,” this fantasy-inspired opera is also derived from Ariosto’s “Orlando Furioso.” Based on classical Roman history, it tells a version of Caesar’s conquest of Egypt and his confrontations with the Pharaoh Ptolemy XIII (Tolomeo), and his romantic interactions with the latter’s sister Cleopatra VII. Goffredo (Godfrey of Bouillon) is assisted by the noble knight Rindaldo – another hero easily distracted, in this case by Almirena, a model of innocent purity, and her famous aria “Lascia ch’io pianga”. Our nos 11 and 12, however, are Radamisto and Partenope. Opera and ballet came together in Wayne McGregor’s production of Handel’s masque from 2009. The libretto derives from another 16th century Italian epic poem, Torquato Tasso’s Gerusalemma liberate, a very fanciful version of the first Crusade. Ariodante (HWV 33) ist eine Oper (Dramma per musica) in drei Akten von Georg Friedrich Händel und seine zweite nach Orlando, die auf Ariosts Orlando furioso fußt. Of the ones you would add, Alessandro Severo and Oreste are pasticcios – operas made up of music from Handel's other works (as well as, possibly, some outside sources - a practice not uncommon at the time). Thank you in advance. All works are opera seria in three acts, unless otherwise stated. However, it’s the title character’s heartwrenching aria “Stille amare gia vi sento” that Tolomeo is well known for. Certainly that was how it was originally performed. The best 908 songs from 1940s to 1990s Translate. Rinaldo: Venti, turbini 14:4004. With Handel, we enter an operatic world of meaning, feeling, and enthralling story-telling. No comments: Post a Comment. About Me. An in-depth look at the composer, his life, and works. In the end, as we know, the Crusaders take Jerusalem, and – less well known –Armida and her Saracen sidekick Argante convert to Christianity. Orlando was Senesino’s last Handel role. His work has appeared in Variety, Opera News, and Opera magazine, among others. There is a lot of disguising in Baroque opera; in Giulio Cesare, Cleopatra meets Cesare disguised as a lower class person called Lydia. From sacred oratorios to bawdy operas, crack Handel with Hugh Canning’s guide. More by Laura Servidei. It is also quite common to find women disguised as men, as in Serse and Alcina and, less commonly, vice versa. Labels: Handel Operas. Arminio (HWV 36) ist eine Oper (Dramma per musica) in drei Akten von Georg Friedrich Händel und neben Giustino und Berenice eine der drei Opern, die Händel innerhalb eines halben Jahres für die Saison 1736/37 komponierte. 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