Handel: Opera Arias & Cantatas [Import]

Capriccio Stravagante (Artist), Georg Friedrich Haendel (Composer), Maria Bayo (Performer), Skip Sempe (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Maria Bayo, Skip Sempe
• Composer: Georg Friedrich Haendel
• Audio CD (April 11, 2000)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Astree
• ASIN: B00004SDHK
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #336,733 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Giulio Cesare: Da Tempeste

2. Giulio Cesare: V'adoro, Pupille

3. Rinaldo: Lascia Ch'io Pianga

4. Cantate HWV 170: Aria & Recitativo: 'Tra Le Fiamme...'

5. Cantate HWV 170: Aria & Recitativo: 'Pien Di Nuovo...'

6. Cantate HWV 170: Aria & Recitativo: 'Voli Per L'aria...'

7. Giulio Cesare: Che Sento? Oh Dio!

8. Giulio Cesare: Se Pieta

9. Cantate HWV 140: Aria & Recitativo: 'No Se Emendara Jamas...'

10. Cantate HWV 140: Aria: 'Dicente Mis Ojos...'

11. Alcina: Torna Mi A Vagheggiar

12. Alcina: Si, Son Quella!

13. Alcina: Mi Restano Le Lagrime

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

There's a lot of action in early music these days, and everybody wants a piece of it. Spanish soprano María Bayo, clearly no specialist in the field, has now put in her two cents with this splashily produced recording of celebrated arias and unfamiliar cantatas, backed by zesty continuo work from Skip Sempé and the French period-instrument group Capriccio Stravagante. What emerges right away from their accounts of arias from Giulio Cesare, Rinaldo, and Alcina is the vigorous, manly way in which Handel wrote opera. Elevated his style may have been, but it was never dull. Bayo understands that and brings lots of personality to her interpretations. It's almost enough to compensate for the lack of polish and persuasiveness one finds at times in her execution... almost, but not quite. As pretty as her vocalizing may sound, her diction can be rather soft, her intonation spotty, and her expression closer to crooning than singing. There is much that is lovely, but one is left feeling that this production is more about María Bayo than Handel. That's OK, especially since it brings us one real rarity, the Spanish-language cantata No se emendara jamas. The recorded sound is excellent, with Bayo getting all the benefit of the church acoustic in which the sessions took place. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Maria Bayo sings Handel, October 16, 2003

By 

Chris Protopapas (New York) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Handel: Opera Arias & Cantatas (Audio CD)

This CD occupies a special place in my heart, because it was the first collection of Handel's vocal works that truly convinced me that his opera music was worthwhile. There might be a few quibbles here and there, starting with the slightly resonant acoustic of the recording, but on the whole this is tremendous recital, sung with conviction and style. A wonderful introduction to some of the greatest and most beautiful music ever written.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars wonderful!, November 13, 2003

By 

zvi netanel (israel) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Handel: Opera Arias & Cantatas (Audio CD)

In an age of a composer's "resurection"' Handel is no doubt one of the favourites on record and on stage as well. Suprisingly,however, there are only a handful of recordings with Handel soprano arias,whereas there are many recordings of the alto arias, sung magnificently by countertenors.
Here at last we have a journy through Handel's vocal pieces, supebly sung and played. Maria Bayo have performed sevral Handel roles on stage, and here she gives us hughlights of them. The 2 cd's of Kirkby, devoted to handel, are very disappointing, and consists mostly on rarities. Bayo sings the most famous with beautiful voice and with a great sense of style and taste. Skip Sempe conducts his group tastefully, and the recording sound is superb. Undoubtly, the Handel soprano recital of the millenium! May we have a sequell of it.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Maria Bayo una voz que te hará comprender la MÚSICA, September 22, 2001

By 

A Customer - See all my reviews

Solo escuchando esta música descubres que la voz es el mejor instrumento musical, y Maria Bayo es, sin duda, una de las mejores voces que existen en la actualidad, no solo por su timbre y calidad, sino por como sabe acompañar la música que interpreta.
Este disco es irrepetible.