Handel: Ariodante (2011)

The scope and grandeur of Handel's operatic output -- the musical variety and inventiveness, the depth of psychological insight, as well as the sheer volume of works -- continue to astonish as new operas are brought to light and more familiar works are given productions and recordings that do justice to the material. Ariodante, written in 1735, is nowhere nearly as frequently performed as the more famous operas like Giulio Cesare, but neither is it entirely obscure, and there have been several very fine modern recordings. ... Read More

The scope and grandeur of Handel's operatic output -- the musical variety and inventiveness, the depth of psychological insight, as well as the sheer volume of works -- continue to astonish as new operas are brought to light and more familiar works are given productions and recordings that do justice to the material. Ariodante, written in 1735, is nowhere nearly as frequently performed as the more famous operas like Giulio Cesare, but neither is it entirely obscure, and there have been several very fine modern recordings. This version with Alan Curtis leading Il Complesso Barocco can be recommended without reservation to anyone coming to the opera for the first time or for anyone who's already a fan. It's sonically impeccable, with full, spacious sound that's at the same time intimate and finely detailed. Curtis has a sure grip on the opera's depths of passion and its dramatic trajectory -- the libretto, by Antonio Salvi, based on an episode from Ariosto's "Orlando Furioso," is one of the most direct... Read Less