G. Bononcini Muzio Scevola Tigre piagata... Alexis Vassiliev

102 467 vues 14 sept. 2018 GIOVANNI BONONCINI MUZIO SCEVOLA "Tigre piagata..." Alexis Vassiliev contralto Musica Florea Direction Marek Štryncl Opera con Brio, LLC June 2018 Muzio Scevola: A Triptych Complete Handel Festival Halle 2018 Giovanni Bononcini Muzio Scevola "Tigre piagata..." Bad Lauchstädt production. Fully aware comparisons would be made, Handel took great care composing for a cast that was really the best of the day. Muzio was the first part Handel wrote for Senesino, the famed castrato who would then take the lead in his ensu ing Academy operas. A revered Russian countertenor from Paris, Alexis Vassiliev, took on the role for this revival. His rich mezzo timbre and intense voice, with a wide range of colors and dynamics, was just right for capturing the arias each composer wrote for Senesino. Alas on June 8th, in the first of the two performances I attended, he had rather an off night, often 6 off pitch, and with a rather ugly color. But he must have had a good night’s sleep, for the next day he was wonderful through all three acts withexpressive control of his melismas, impressive mezza di voce (both Senesino trademarks), and precise coloratura. The sequences in his openingaria to Clelia in Handel’s Act III, “Pupille sdegnose!” (“Disdainful eyes!”), were moving indeed, making me regret all the more the time saving...