Customer Reviews

Handel - Ottone / Bowman, McFadden, J. Smith, Denley, Visse, M. George, The King's Consort, King

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Like each great composer Handel produced also intimate works. Among these, Ottone fills a first-rate place because the music is enough melancholy and meditative. Infact in this opera you don't find arias "di bravura" (with long virtuosistic passages) for the protagonists. It seems that the characters are at the same level of importance, so there isn't a real hero even if the plot regards wars of Germans. Maybe this unusual aspects incited Robert King to record this masterpiece (until now he has recorded only oratorios): the result is amazing both for the orchestra (included Robert King who conducts from the harpsichord) and the singers. James Bowman is an expert singer of Handel operas and plays the role of Ottone very well. Claron mcFadden is Teofane and her sweet voice is very suitable for her part. Dominique Visse is an important singer specialized with roles of "castrati"; in this case he's Adelberto. Then there are Jennifer Smith as Gismonda, Catherine Denley as Matilda and Michael George as Emireno. The best moments of Ottone are surely: the arias "Affanni del pensier" (Act I), "Vieni o figlio" (Act II), "Tanti affanni" (Act III); the "Concerto" in the middle of Act I and the two duets "Notte cara" (Gismonda and Matilda at the end of Act II) and "A'teneri affetti" (Teofane and Ottone before the last chorus).

The opera Ottone, re di Germania (1723) by Georg Friedrich Haendel (1685-1759) is one of the most romantic operas that I have listened. I bought this CD set because of the performance of the great countertenor JAMES BOWMAN, who sang with a wonderful peace and beauty all of his arias. His aria "Dall'onde ai fieri moti" is sung with many energy and beauty by JAMES BOWMAN, but he best aria of this CD set is in my opinion his aria "Dopo l'orrore d'un ciel turbato", friendly and full of hope. The countertenor Dominique Visse as Adelberto sang marvelously, too. All of the roles represent their passions with many power, specially the role of Adelberto.I definitely recommend this CD set.