Customer Reviews

Handel - Serse / Malafronte, J. Smith, Milne, Bickley, Asawa, D. Thomas, Ely, McGegan

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've heard several Handel operas under McGegan (both live and on disc) and this may well be my favorite. It has all the elements of McGegan's style - elegance, quickish tempos, perfect rapport with the singers, and more - the performance actually highlights the element of humor in the opera's libretto. Serse may not be a comedy in the modern sense of the word (the term "melodrama" would fit better), but it is nevertheless quite different stylistically from Handel's earlier "heroic" operas. Serse is styled as a mixture of recitative and arioso, with the dramatic action spilling over from the recitatives into many of the ariosos and arias - this was an unusual feature by opera seria standards: in opera seria, arias were usually employed to express emotion rather than action. Most arias in Serse are also shorter than in opera seria (often without da capo). The characters in Serse are usually a mixture of farce and tragedy, with only one wholly buffonic figure - Elviro. What is truly ironic about Serse is that it was unsuccessful in Handel's times, but now, of course, it is one of the best known and best loved Handel operas. The singers here are almost uniformly wonderful. I may have preferred Serse sung by a countertenor but Judith Malafronte offers a convincing account of the role. Her singing is not entirely free from vibrato but it is never out of control. David Thomas shows an amazing vocal versatility as Elviro - his character is hilarious! Lisa Milne and Dean Ely are both good as Atalanta and Ariodate, respectively. Susan Bickley as Amastre offers a delightfully focused, bright tone, quite unlike the wooly sound you might expect from a mezzo-soprano. Her "Or che siete speranze tradite" is superb. Brian Asawa as Arsamene is an absolute winner: his mezzo-soprano voice is astonishingly beautiful (without a trace of artifice) and his embellishments are the most imaginative of the whole cast. His "Amor, tiranno Amor" is a gem by any standards! The only bad news is Jennifer Smith - once a marvelous singer, she appears to be past her prime. I found her pinched singing to be difficult to enjoy. But don't let that stop you from buying this otherwise remarkable recording.

Serse has been one of my favorite Handel operas since I first heard the old Priestman LP on Westminster (Maureen Forrester in the title role, Lucia Popp as Romilda). Despite its frequent raggedness and "harpsichord on speed" continuo, this was a thoroughly dramatic and engaging performance. I've waited for decades for a new Serse which could benefit from the new performance standards we take for granted in baroque opera today. I was strongly disposed to like this disc, since although I've found McGegan a bit uneven in the past, his more recent Handel efforts, particularly Radamisto, have been superb. I can't fault the singers or orchestra in this performance, but the dramatic spark that makes Serse so special seems to me to be missing. I went back and compared my old Priestman recording and was even more convinced that the definitive Serse is yet to come. It's surprising there haven't been more recordings, since this work has a lot of potential appeal, and is one of Handel's most accomplished pieces. Maybe I'm just too picky, but I'd love to see someone reissue the Priestman on CD-- and while they are at it, his equally engaging Rodelinda (fortunately, there is better competition for the latter).

The operas of the Baroque period are enjoying a comeback on CDs with lovers of jazz especially appreciative of the melodic twists and turns of Rameau, Handel and the rest. To many of us, the endless da capa arias of the latter prove tiresome, albeit quite lovely; and the plots are laughably negligible. But Handel's "Serse" (Xerxes, that is) is exceptional in that its arias are closer both to the earlier forms of opera and the later ones in which the da capa was not used. With the "authentic instruments" of the Hanover Band under Nicholas McGegan, this recording on BMG 75605 51312 2 enjoys a solid cast: Judith Malfronte in the title role, Jennifer Smith, Lisa Milne, Susan Bickley, and others. If you want at least one Handel opera in your collection, this might very well be it.

I like giving 5-star reviews. If I don't it's because something's more 'wrong' than 'missing'.

Firstly though, I'll say what is so 'right' about this opera. To begin with, Brian Asawa. Apart from a superb technique, the sheer beauty of his voice alone makes him worth hearing. Susan Bickley as Amastre is the other protagonist who makes this a luxurious experience. Her firm and beautiful chest register punctuates her sumptuous tones with some heart-stopping moments. "Or che siete speranze tradite" in Act 2 is truly magnetic and in her preceeding exchnage with Elviro, she is most compelling (and I don't necessarily mean 'forceful' here). Lisa Milne, blessed with a light golden voice, sings her soprano role of Atalanta with grace and beauty without sounding too 'airy'. Truly beautiful. David Thomas' Elviro may have been a little overdone in the comic scene dressed as a flower-peddler but he is otherwise suitably expressive and reliable. Dean Ely's Ariodate is deep and firm...again beautiful.

Judith Malafronte's Xerxes isn't so much what's wrong, but she wouldn't have been my first pick. She's not as clean of attack as desirable and doesn't possess the sort of tone that would convince anyone of her 'trousers' role. In fact, the singing technique may be satisfactory but the sound is unattractive to my ears. Bickley in this lead role would have been brilliantly cast....or (can we be even more ambitious) the fabulous Bernarda Fink (now THAT'S hoping for a lot!). Nevertheless, Ms. Malafronte was adequate (if not suitably heroic), though many countertenors have done superior renditions of 'Frondi tenere....Ombra mai fu'. Again, as hope springs eternal (even ex post facto), I can only wonder at what the more full-voiced countertenor Andreas Scholl would have made of this role.

My real grouse then? Jennifer Smith's Romilda. While her performance is passionate (which is her sole mitigation), she manages to sound like Arsamene's mother....PARTICULARLY alongside Brian Asawa's ravishing countertenor. At times she is flat....that annoying sensation that just borders on the horizon of your perceptions but is nonetheless 'there'. Nowhere is this more vivid than the duet with Arsamene in Act 3: "Troppo oltraggi, troppo inganni". Ms. Smith is audibly taxed and struggles to 'hit' (her goal) rather than 'eventually reach' (her approximate effect) her high notes beside a flawless Mr. Asawa. The result is frustrating for me, especially when listening to Handel. The standard for baroque music involves greater surety and precision, otherwise it just sounds messy....especially where there is ornamentation. Unsteadiness and flatness/sharpness just don't fit in. It is unfortunate that modern recornings of this opera seem to be plagued with terrible Romildas.

Nevertheless, I give it 4-stars because it's my favourite Handel opera and the performance 'evens out' overall, producing a 'good enough' rating. The style of this work isn't made too cloying or artificial by a preponderance of arias. There's more recitative and hence more 'real' drama. Coupled with the fact that this is a love story bordering on tragedy, albeit with a happy ending, the added passion combines with the other elements to make this one of Handel's most convincing and moving pieces...and very alluring music.

The conducting is wonderful and achingly elegant. There are no extremes of speed. The strings are well harmonised and the harpsichord graceful, without sounding too exhuberant. The recording is well balanced and the acoustics are dramatically effective. There is some very effective sound direction to convey events occuring off-stage or aside; e.g., Romilda's music after Arsamene and Elviro enter scene 1, Act 1; and again during the duet recitative between Elviro and Amastre at the beginning of Act 2.

But even further tribute to Mr. Asawa. I think he's brilliant and his rave reviews are well-deserved. I WILL be exploring his recordings further. He has a naturally high pitch and the tone is truly stunning. I will also continue to be drawn to the reliable opulence of Ms. Bickley and (newly added) Ms. Milne. Still well-recommended, though I frown at the price.

All I can say, is that the cast is wonderful, the emotional arias of Arsemene, Amastre , and, Romilda, are depicted very well in this production, it includes pictures of the Gottingen Handel festival, and has the most beautiful arias Handel ever made, especially the three heart renching arias of Arsemene in all three acts. The choruses are grande, especially the second act comic chorus of the joining of Asia (Sesto), and Europe (Abydus). The Introduction of the second act is comic, especially, the bass Elviro, in his Arietta "Ah, Chi color fiora di etc". The reactives are comic and the drama is funny, the music is wonderful. Though, I wonder why is it that Brian Asawa always takes the second to leading role of any Handel or Baroque opera? Well anyway, I heard, that in Handel's day this was a failure, well to me, this is one of Handel's Best opera.

This is one of the truly great Handel opera recordings of the last twenty years. As usual, Nicholas McGegan proves himself to be one of the two or three greatest Handelian conductors of our time. The singing from beginning to end is first class. This opera is known for the famous largo "Ombra mai fu," but the music in this entire performance is a sheer delight.

This is an excellent recording of what may be Handel's finest opera. The music is lovely and the performances are all excellent. This is considerably more than a lovely piece of music. When performed well, Serse (Xerxes in English translation) is a fine piece of stage work. It contains real wit and fine integration of the music and action on stage. There is actually a good English language version, though I am unaware of any recordings using this version.

Nicolas McGegan leads a spritely performance of this late Handel opera. The countertenor, Asawa, is excellent as are Milne, Bickley and Ely. In the comic role sounds like an actor who is singing. Though billed as a bass, his voice lacks resonance and depth. The biggest problems, however, are the two leads. Smith sounds like someone who is close to the end of a nice career. She is ready for seconda donna roles...too old for Romilda. In the title role Malafronte is inadaquate. She seems incapable of shaping a phrase musically. Her "Ombra mai fu" sounds amateurish. She is somewhat better in the more dramatic sections where she has to fill out the voice more but the all important matter of shaping the phrases is still absent. Many have praised this recording but I found it dissapointing because of the reasons above.

Es Serse, de Handel, una de sus mas hermosas obras. Con un desarrollo dramatico in crescendo, contiene momentos musicales deslumbrantes y es quiza esta grabacion el mejor modo para acercarse a conocerla. Judith Malafronte es un rey imponente en lo dramatico, aunque a veces no sea completamente pulido en lo vocal. Su zona aguda pierde brillo en algunas partes pero se desenvuelve correctamente en las agilidades y canta con gusto su personaje. La Smith no tiene una voz hermosa pero su sentido del canto y su concepcion de la Romilda ganan a su favor. El resto del elenco cumple maravillosamente, el Arsamene de Asawa es antologico y la Atalanta de la Milne deliciosa. El Elviro de David Thomas es simplemente hilarante dando el caracter bufo de la obra de forma magistral. Pero, sin lugar a dudas, el cenit de la grabacion lo constituyen McGegan y la Hanover Band, en quienes la partitura de Handel brilla en toda su extension. En pocas palabras una adquisicion indispensable dentro de la discografia handeliana.