Customer Reviews

Handel - Agrippina / D. Jones, A. Miles, Ragin, Chance, Brown, J. P. Kenny, von Otter, EBS, Gardiner

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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.

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.

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.

"HELL IS EMPTY AND ALL THE DEVILS ARE HERE!"
Upon hearing this opera for the first time the above quote from Shakespeare came to mind. This opera encourages the frailties of human nature and amorality to reveal themselves. It contains intimate irony, weighty emotions, all the while accessing humorous comic situations.

On December 26, 1709 'Agrippina',Handel's first dramatic masterpiece, was produced in Venice, the homeland of opera. It was a triumph. The theater echoed to shouts of 'Viva il caro Sassone' and the opera received no less than twenty-seven performances.

Every singer in this opera is first-rate. And imagine having that great duo of countertenors :Michael Chance and Derek Ragin together again as in the opera "Tamerlano". Della Jones, in the role of Agrippina, is nothing short of magnificent,not only in her ability to convey the varied emotions that this role demands, but in her overall vocal skills. She soars effortlessly up and down the various 'break-neck' passages, as do all the singers in this very exciting opera.


In most respects the layout of the score, with its numerous short arias, often accompanied by a continuo alone,capped by a fully scored instrumental coda, follows the practice of the seventeenth century. More significant is Handel's control of the dramatic design. Many of the arias advance the action at the same time as they reveal character.

The story is about Agrippina who was Nero's mother and her manipulations to get him the throne from the emperor Claudius. The situations are full of humour, but for the most part, the characters are motivated by strong, even passionate impulses. Michael Chance portrays "Ottone" the commander of the imperial army and the one who is deceived thruout the entire opera; this, in fact makes him opera's greatest loser. At the end (believe it or not) everybody gets what they want.

The voices of Chance and Ragin make a nice contrast: Chance's voice: rich, mellow, filling up his entire body with sound; Ragin's voice: lighter, strong, prone to more vibrato and ornaments. In fact, the entire cast is very strong vocally. Alastair Miles in the role of Claudio presents a very powerful characterization of the emperor, very 'macho'.

To amass nine very skilled singers such as these is quite a feat. And of course, the credit must go to John Eliot Gardiner, for the entire production has Gardiner's 'magic' touch!

There is a very detailed accompanying 233 page booklet that includes pertinent information as well as the complete text, all in German, English, French and Italian.

Some believe that it was the brilliance of this opera that led to Handel being invited to London. Handel was reluctant to write because he didn't see any advantage to doing all that work. However, he was persuaded and set it to a brilliant libretto by Vincenzo Grimani. Apparently the entire opera was written in only a few weeks. Some dispute this because of the quality of the writing, but contemporary testimony and Handel's fast work habits lead others to believe this accomplishment to be true.

Beyond the names, general moral depravity, and a broad historical shape, this is not an historical story. Some see it as simple a comedy of courtly manners, but others see some sly commentary on the War of Succession that was then ongoing. When Charles II died he bequeathed the crown to Phillip V much to the consternation of Leopold I, the Holy Roman Emperor, who wanted to maintain his territory intact. In this opera, Claudius names Otho his successor much to the consternation of Agrippina.

The opera opens when Agrippina receives news that Claudius has died at sea. She seizes the opportunity to advance her son, Nero, to be named Emperor. However, just before he can be crowned, Claudius arrives. He had been saved by Otho and in gratitude named him his successor. Agrippina cannot confront him directly but uses her knowledge of Claudius and his lust for Poppea to spring her trap and it almost works.

Poppea is a beauty who trades on that, but if she cares for anyone it is Otho, but she cannot deny the Emperor. It also turns out that Nero has improper desires for her as well. It is Nero's chasing her that actually undoes Agrippina's plan, but in the end all works out. Agripina gets her son names to the throne, Poppea gets Otho, and Claudius gets some peace and quiet.

The music is marvelous. It is important to remember that opera was only a century old at this time; about the same distance from the beginning of football or maybe basketball to our present time. Certain aspects of the recitative and aria had certainly been developed and made more brilliant, but there was much left to explore in the form. Handel added a great deal to the expressiveness and character development in his creative use of music appropriate to the character, for example Claudius is given wide leaps and musical lines the emphasize his clumsy and awkward qualities. These are qualities Handel develops over his career writing dozens of brilliant operas.

In this opera the roles of Nero, a boy still learning evil from his mother, was written for a castrato, but sung here by the brilliant countertenor Derek Lee Ragin. Otho was originally written for a woman, but sung here by the terrific countertenor Michael Chance. Agrippina is given all her devious splendor by Della Jones, and Poppea's beautiful shrewdness by Donna Brown. Claudius requires a very special bass voice that can plumb the depths down to the C below the staff and Alistair Miles is simply wonderful in the role.

This is a treasure of a recording of a very important opera to Handel's career. Starting with "Rinaldo" Handel wrote more brilliant operas, and others that were more subtle. However, this was the one that got him the attention that set him on the course of fame and history.

This recording of Handel's 3 opera, is indispensable. The voices are beuatiful, and the music, (as always) is beuatiful and gorgeous. The leading role of Agrippina, Della Jones, is great, the Nerone, Derek Lee Regin, is great in the soprano role. I had never Ragin's voice before, when I heard this, I thought a real female soprano was singing this, this man is great! The Claudio is a little to cupo, I think he sould back off some, the two henchmen are also good. And of course, Anne sofie, and Micheal Chance are always great. The orchestra is on Period instruments, which I very much appreciate (thank you so much John Eliot Gardiner) and of course, Gardiner is a great Handel interpreter. The orchestra is very crisp, and very good on the slow tempi arias, and brisk and quick on the bravuratura arias. The Beautiful, gorgeous aria, in the second act of this opera, "Voi che uditi il mio lamenti" is absolutely beautiful, the rythmic balance, Polyphony are genius, and this is why I love Handel's Music. The Arias are gorgeous, and the music is always great. I cannot begin to complement Gardiner, and the english Baroque Soloists on their porformance of this opera. The tempi is great, and I will always cherish this recording for ever. Buy this it is worth it's money!

The recording is virtually flawless, featuring two of the world's best and most distinctive counter-tenors Michael Chance and Derek Lee Ragin, and the rest of the cast to match (even Anne Sofie von Otter in a cameo role). Beautiful arias abound, accompanied in many places by very characterful orchestral music. Especially beautiful, indeed stunning, is Ottone's recitative and aria "Qual portentoso fulmine" in the middle of the second act. The quality of Chance's singing, including his amazing breath control and consistency of sound, is beyond comparison. Chance, and some of the other members of this cast, also recorded L'Incoronazione di Poppea with Gardiner - another highly successful recording which I would highly recommend.

It is a very interesting and often pleasant recording, but Gardiner interpretates Haendel with little blood . The singers are good, excepted the bass (Claudio); but this is a well known problem ("the voice of basso in Haendl").Good the booklet and the recording.