Reinhard Keiser: Der geliebte Adonis

Reinhard Keiser (Composer), Thomas Ihlenfeldt (Conductor), Capella Orlandi Bremen (Orchestra), Susanne Ryden (Performer), Mona Spagele (Performer), Marietta Zumbült (Performer), Jan Kobow (Performer), Knut Schoch (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Susanne Ryden, Mona Spagele, Marietta Zumbült, Jan Kobow, Knut Schoch
• Orchestra: Capella Orlandi Bremen
• Conductor: Thomas Ihlenfeldt
• Composer: Reinhard Keiser
• Audio CD (March 1, 2001)
• Number of Discs: 3
• Label: Cpo Records
• ASIN: B000059QIP
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #252,752 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Act One, Scene 1: Ovt - Capella Orlandi Bremen/Thomas Lhlenfeldt

2. Act One, Scene 1: Aria: Angenehmste Westenwinde/Recitativo: Huldreiche Glut - Marietta Zumbult

3. Act One, Scene 1: Recitativo: Verhangnis Auf - Marietta Zumbult

4. Act One, Scene 2: Recitativo: Es Ruhrt Sich Schon/Aria: Wie Glucklich Ist/Entre Of The Tritons... - Marietta Zumbult/Raimonds Spogis

5. Act One, Scene 2: Recitativo: Wer Rief Mich Hie/Accompagnato: Der Liebe Lust/Recitativo: Es Soll... - Raimonds Spogis/Marietta Zumbult

6. Act One, Scene 2: Aria A 2: Was Das Verhangnis Ausersehn/Recitativo: Wohl Dann - Marietta Zumbult/Raimonds Spogis

See all 33 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Act Two, Scene 1: Prld - Capella Orlandi Bremen/Thomas Lhlenfeldt

2. Act Two, Scene 1: Recitativo: O, Angenehmste Lieblichkeit - Ralf Popken

3. Act Two, Scene 1: Aria: Es Wir Doch Endlich Gniessen/Recitativo: Doch Morpheus Greift Mein... - Ralf Popken

4. Act Two, Scene 1: Aria: Schonste, Die Du Ferne Bist/Recitativo: Holdselger Schlaf - Ralf Popken

5. Act Two, Scene 2: Recitativo: Adonis Schlaft - Marietta Zumbult

6. Act Two, Scene 2: Aria: Annehmlichste Rosen - Marietta Zumbult

See all 33 tracks on this disc

Disc: 3

1. Act Three, Scene 1: Sinf - Capella Orlandi Bremen/Thomas Lhlenfeldt

2. Act Three, Scene 1: Aria: Sag, Amor, Wo Bist Du Erzogen - Mona Spagele

3. Act Three, Scene 1: Recitativo: Warum Bin Ich, Oh Ungluck! Ein Weibsbild - Mona Spagele

4. Act Three, Scene 1: Aria: Auf, Auf, Mein Geist, Und Saume Nicht - Mona Spagele

5. Act Three, Scene 2: Recitativo: Du Kommst Zu Recht Verlangter Zeit - Mona Spagele/Raimonds Spogis

6. Act Three, Scene 2: Duetto: Rache, Meine Hochste Lust - Mona Spagele/Raimonds Spogis

See all 33 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars early German elegance, March 2, 2011

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Rollo Tomassi (Williamsburg, VA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Reinhard Keiser: Der geliebte Adonis (Audio CD)

Those looking for a truly "German" baroque opera would do well to start here. I'm deeply, deeply tempted to say that if Bach (a contemporary of Keiser's, though a few years younger) had written an opera, this is what it would sound like. This Hamburg opera is from slightly earlier in Keiser's career, 1697 to be precise; it's only his second effort in the genre. This work is much more spare and serious than later Keiser works such as the lush "Croesus" (as heard in the wonderful Rene Jacobs recording). Though Italianate influences can be heard here, of course, I'm repeatedly struck how naturally German this work seems, and I'm not just talking about the libretto's language. Keiser's arias in "Adonis" are basically Bach-like cantatas, except they're about a subject from classical mythology rather than the Bible. The librettist, Christian Postel, took his story of the doomed love of Venus and Adonis from Ovid, and this results in a mostly mournful, tragic work--lacking some of the playful silliness occasionally found in baroque opera. This has a sad elegance which, too, seems Germanic yet manages to avoid being boring. The instrumental scoring here--as constructed by the conductor, Thomas Ihlenfeldt, a Keiser scholar--contributes to this; it's very spare, with few strings, no brass, but featuring woodwinds. And a baroque guitar is present in a continuo-like role. This work has the feel of what we might consider today a "chamber" opera, though doubtless it wasn't experienced that way at its premiere. Keiser wrote "Der geliebte Adonis" for Hamburg's Gansemarkt, Germany's first "public" opera house--that is, anyone who could afford the ticket could attend.

Vocal fireworks resembling those found in later baroque opera are not present here, but the German singers performing here handle their roles admirably. In sum, this is a charming work revelatory of the state of early Continental opera.