Customer Reviews

The Sorceress

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

 

 

At first glance, this disc has the look of something rather cheesy, cobbled together for a diva no longer quite in her prime and aimed at an undiscriminating market.

It's nothing of the sort. It's a judicious compilation of Handelian plums, cleverly themed and artfully linked, and thus striking a pleasing balance between unrelated highlights and a complete, coherent programme. It is gorgeously sung by Kiri Te Kanawa, sounding more animated and impassioned than I have ever heard her. Her technique is absolutely secure and the voice still has all the sheen and flexibility which brought her to fame. The "Giulio Cesare" numbers, in particular, are superb. A lovely disc for Baroque fanciers and Kiri fans alike; what a pity that it is currently unavailable. Buy a copy on Amazon Marketplace and enjoy some beautiful singing and very stylish orchestral playing.

It's a shame that this is not currently available. It's a wonderful collection of Handel arias for Soprano. While I usually find Handel a bit on the boring side, this is really an entertaining collection. There is quite a bit of instrumental music, aside from the arias, which is wonderfully done. Kiri brings her usual gorgeous voice to the recording. She also does a nice job of interpretation, something she often lacks unfortunately. Highly recommended!

Well, although I've been a Kiri fan for some years, I haven't heard everything she's done. But from a pretty nice Kiri Te Kanawa personal collection, this has been my favorite since the day I first bought it. Kiri's voice has long been one of the most beautiful in the world of opera, but here she just 'cuts loose' (to use a very non-purist term) and she's never been better. Her voice is deeply sensual as well as flawless, easily her greatest performance from what I've heard. I'm glad this exceptional work is available as an import. Anyone who considers themselves a Kiri fan absolutely must have "The Sorceress".

I should start this review by saying that I am not a big fan of Kiri Te Kanawa. It's not her singing that I object to, but what she usually sings - I'm not very keen on Verdi, Puccini and Rossini. Having said that, Handel is one of my favourite composers and Christopher Hogwood is a genius; and I have to admit that Kiri's performance in this CD is absolutely brilliant.

The instrumental tracks have all the strength and vitality that you'd expect from Handel/Hogwood, and the vocal tracks have the added bonus of Kiri's heartfelt and moving interpretation. My personal favourites are: Laschia qu'io pianga from Rinaldo, and V'adoro pupile and Piangeró las sorte mia both from Giulio Cesare. And the Academy of Ancient Music are as wonderful as ever.

This is a must have!