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16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
first class recording of one of Handel's finest operas, November 17, 2000
This review is from: Handel - Agrippina / D. Jones, A. Miles, Ragin, Chance, Brown, J. P. Kenny, von Otter, EBS, Gardiner (Audio CD)
When it comes to recordings of Handel's Agrippina there is admitedly little to choose from. Fortunately the two recodings we have available are excellent and either will give you a fine representation of the score. Ultimately it will come down to which conductor you prefer: Gardiner versus Mcegan. Gardiner seems to favor a more dramatic, and slightly slower approach, to the music. The orchestra really crackles in the fast numbers ("lalma fra le tempeste", etc.) in a way that Mcegans do not. I miss something of Mcegans lightness and finesse at times, but Gardiners dramatic take on the music is undeniably well executed by his forces. The singers are an interesting lot and I mean this in the best way possible. Della Jones flies through Agrippinas spiky coloratura with extraordinary ease and her highly unique true mezzo helps to give the character necessary venom. Her countrerpart on the Mcegan set is the very fine Sally Hayword who sings coloratura as brilliantly as Della Jones and makes up for what she may lack in vocal juice with a keen verbal sense. Donna Brown has a juicier voice than Lisa Safer on the Mcegan set. She sings Poppeas virtuosic music exceedingly well and creates a compelling character. As for Nerone, Derek Lee Ragin frankly sounds uncomfortable with the soprano tessitura of his part (the part lies higher than Agrippinas part) but when coloratura is called for he delivers brilliantly. On the Mcegan set Ottone is sung by the fine Drew Minter and while his slightly chalky voice may not be the most beautiful sound in the world he uses it with such complete musicality and strong sense of Handelian style that it makes up for any vocal shortcomings. Michael Chance sings well as Ottone on the Gardiner set but I find the voice a little colorless and uninteresting. I miss something of Minters dramatic fire. Miles is a very good Claudio. His voice is more cupo than we are used to hearing in Handel's music nowadays but he handles the fiendishly wide ranging coloratura so well that he seems beyond reproach. The supporting players are better on the Gardiner set including the added bonus of Ann Sofie von Otter singing as stylishly as ever as Giunone.
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8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An essential recording, March 18, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Handel - Agrippina / D. Jones, A. Miles, Ragin, Chance, Brown, J. P. Kenny, von Otter, EBS, Gardiner (Audio CD)
This recording is a real countertenor tour de force. If it contained nothing but Michael Chance, it would still be worth your money. Chance outdoes himself. His singing as Ottone is of the highest order: his timbre is glowing, his falsetto is evenly produced, his intonation is exceptional. The recitative-aria "Otton, qual portentoso fulmine...Voi che udite" is unfogettable. Chance delivers the difficult runs and trills in this aria with flawless legato, impeccable breath management and wrenching emotion. His rival Drew Minter on the McGegan recording of Agrippina just doesn't measure up. Minter is an intelligent singer who sings "Voi che udite" with some very attractive embellishments, but in the end Chance clearly comes out as a winner (Minter also could have used some advice on his Italian pronunciation - but no such charge could be levelled against Chance). The cast on the McGegan recording, while worthy, is not as strong as here. The Gardiner Agrippina is the one to have. In fact, it is a must. P.S. The stellar cast here also includes the amazing "soprano" countertenor Derek Lee Ragin as Nerone. If you are like me, you will always prefer a male falsettist to a female mezzo in a male role.
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7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Jones and Miles are fantastic, October 2, 2001
By A Customer
This review is from: Handel - Agrippina / D. Jones, A. Miles, Ragin, Chance, Brown, J. P. Kenny, von Otter, EBS, Gardiner (Audio CD)
I'll stay out of the pro/contra countertenor argument- I am by far most impressed with Della Jones and Alastair Miles. They sing their music magnificently, not just with generally impeccable technique but with as much drama as any Verdi opera. No boring stand and sing baroque nonsense with these two. Miles has a big, rich, incisive, gorgeous basso that could sing Verdi, yet has no trouble with the coloratura. Beautiful diction and full understanding in the delivery of his recitative (Donna Brown deserves credit in this area as well). It is almost needless to say, but Della Jones delivers her usual hgihly involved, totally committed performance with complete conviction. Every word from scheming Agrippina is invested with meaning- when do baroque recitiatives (which can be so tiresome) sound this exciting? Her arias could hardly be better sung, with beautiful line in her slow solos and accuracy at high speed in the fast coloratura. Nothing is tossed off as mere display- she sacrifices tone for dramatic expression, but just a couple of times. A real tour de force for Jones, and more justification for my impulse to buy any recording with her name on it without having to hear it first.
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