Handel: Flavio [Import]

George Frederic Handel (Composer), Rene Jacobs (Conductor), Ensemble 415 (Orchestra), Jeffrey Gall (Performer), Derek Lee Ragin (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Jeffrey Gall, Derek Lee Ragin
• Orchestra: Ensemble 415
• Conductor: Rene Jacobs
• Composer: George Frederic Handel
• Audio CD (December 9, 1992)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Import
• Label: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
• ASIN: B000027O3X
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #327,818 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Probably one of the best recordings of a Handel opera, ever., January 12, 2008

By 

Steven Guy (Croydon, South Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Handel: Flavio (Audio CD)

I bought this in the early 1990s and it still impresses me a hell of a lot. The entire cast is good and the two countertenors, Derek Lee Ragin (Guido) and Jeffrey Gall (Flavio), are in top form. Lena Lootens sings the role of Emilia and Bernarda Fink is Teodata, she sang this role before the terminal wobbles set in and she forced a steady and rapid vibrato on everything she sang after. Christina Högman, a very popular Baroque-style soprano in the early 1990s, sings the role of Vitige. Ugone is sung by the tenor, Gianpaolo Fagotto, and Lotario is sung by the bass, Ulrich Messthaler.

Ensemble 415 is in top form under the direction of Chiara Banchini, who seems to have prevented monsieur Jacobs from doing anything perverse or wayward with Handel's score.

Along with René Jacobs' recordings of Handel's "Giulio Cesare" and "Rinaldo", Keiser's "Croesus", Graun's "Cleopatra", Monteverdi's "Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria" and the Mozart operas, this is one of Jacobs' best.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tops current period baroque opera recordings., March 26, 2010

By 

Abel "AMY" (Hong Kong) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Handel: Flavio (Audio CD)

This early 1990's performance was under the baton of Rene Jacobs, who heads an immaculately capable vocal cast.
In the lead roles, Derek Lee Ragin and Jeffrey Gall offer the two 'primo castrato' roles. Ragin, in particular, is in top form in this recording, radiantly expressive with a full and mellifluous alto countertenor voice. Lootens also portrayed a dramatically expert Emilia.
The title role of Flavio has Gall, with a some what husky counter tenor voice that depicts the older character of King Flavio very well.
The top credit, however, goes to the conductor, who maintained a very well-balanced and muscially highly effective ensemble throughout the entire work.
The recitatives are very well handled, and the arias with da capos treated with utmost dramatic finesse.
From the very beginning of the overture, the audience is being led to expect a full-fledged dramatic experience, and this tension lasts right through to the very last chorus in the grand finale.
Cannot recommend this recording more.