Handel: Opera Arias; David Daniels

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
David Daniels seems to be the current leader of the opera world's March of the Falsettos--and with good reason: he's one of the first countertenors with enough beef in his voice to sound convincing in the heroic castrato roles of Handel's operas. His first solo disc is a collection of arias from just those roles--and an impressive debut it is. Daniels has the solid coloratura technique a Handel singer needs and a quick, narrow vibrato that can blend with Baroque instruments without alienating traditional opera buffs. (In fact, he sometimes sounds surprisingly like Marilyn Horne, one of his coaches.) Best of all, he has a musicality and dramatic sense that save the laments and slow serenades from dullness and the bravura showpieces from empty virtuoso display. The performances aren't flawless: Norrington's tempos are occasionally too quick for comfort (Daniels's and the listener's), and Daniels's vibrato sometimes spreads unattractively at the top of his range. He's at his best in the low alto roles that Handel wrote for the great castrato Il Senesino, such as the title roles in Giulio Cesare and Orlando. Let's hope we get to hear him in complete recordings of these operas soon. --Matthew Westphal

Tracks:

Serse: Recitativo accompagnato Frondi tenere
Serse: Larghetto Ombra mai fu
Giulio Cesare In Egitto: Aria Va tacito e nasacosto
Giulio Cesare In Egitto: Aria Al lampo dell' armi
Giulio Cesare In Egitto: Recitativo accompagnato Dall' ondoso periglio
Giulio Cesare In Egitto: Aria Aure, deh, per pieta
Tamerlano: Aria A dispetto
Ariodante: Recitativo E vivo anora
Ariodante: Aria Scherza infida
Giulio Cesare in Egito: Aria Cara speme
Giulio Cesare In Egitto: Aria L'angue offeso
Rodelinda: Sinfonia Pompe vane di morte
Rodelinda: Largo Dove sei?
Rodelinda: Aria Vivi, tiranno
Rinaldo: Largo Cara sposa, amante cara
Rinaldo: Aria Venti, turbini

Amazon.com

David Daniels seems to be the current leader of the opera world's March of the Falsettos--and with good reason: he's one of the first countertenors with enough beef in his voice to sound convincing in the heroic castrato roles of Handel's operas. His first solo disc is a collection of arias from just those roles--and an impressive debut it is. Daniels has the solid coloratura technique a Handel singer needs and a quick, narrow vibrato that can blend with Baroque instruments without alienating traditional opera buffs. (In fact, he sometimes sounds surprisingly like Marilyn Horne, one of his coaches.) Best of all, he has a musicality and dramatic sense that save the laments and slow serenades from dullness and the bravura showpieces from empty virtuoso display. The performances aren't flawless: Norrington's tempos are occasionally too quick for comfort (Daniels's and the listener's), and Daniels's vibrato sometimes spreads unattractively at the top of his range. He's at his best in the low alto roles that Handel wrote for the great castrato Il Senesino, such as the title roles in Giulio Cesare and Orlando. Let's hope we get to hear him in complete recordings of these operas soon. --Matthew Westphal

Customer Reviews:

A truly amazing artist.......2007-06-21

David Daniels is one of the finest singers alive. I heard him recently in the Met's Julius Caesar and was overwhelmed with his performance. He not only has a truly beautiful voice, he is a complete artist, both emotionally and technically. This recording does him justice, and the music is some of Handel's finest. We are very lucky to have Mr. Daniels.

About time I said how good this recording is!.......2006-10-02

I've had this CD for a few years now and it is one that I often play. David Daniels is a great singer and his interpretations of Handel's arias are sublime. He is one of the best countertenors currently working in the world and he has few peers - Andreas Scholl, Bian Asawa, Derek Lee Ragin, Daniel Taylor, Robin Blaze, Lawrence Zazzo, Philippe Jaroussky, Gérard Lesne, Bejun Mehta and, of course, James Bowman are his only serious rivals.

This collection is well selected and it includes popular arias as well as a few less well known ones.

The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment is in magnificent form and Sir Roger Norrington gets magic from the various sections of the orchestra - particularly the Baroque bassoons in "Scherza infida".

This album is both a showcase for the singer and the orchestra. It is vastly superior to most Handel opera aria collections.

I unreservedly recommend this superb disc to all music lovers.

a voice teacher and early music fan.......2006-06-24

David Daniels has devised this program so that it provided a view of Handel at the most significant stages in his London career as an opera composer. With his spectacular debut in England with 'Rinaldo'(1711), he established his ability to compose for the stage, and immediately followed it with 3 masterpieces: 'Tamerlano' and 'Guilio Cesare in Egitto', both from 1724, and 'Rodelinda' the next year. The unique 'Serse' (1738)is from the twilight of his operatic career, while 'Ariodante' shows a time when Handel and his London company was having difficulty competing with the rival Opera of the Nobility sponsored by the Prince of Wales.
Handel's greatest contribution to operatic history is his ability to rise above the sterertypical in his characters, endowing them with a total humanity by allowing them to experience the entire emotional gamut throught a variety of arias and recitatives. Moreover, David Daniels , being one of the finest interpreters of Handel is aware of the need not to be so blinded by the purity of the musical line as to forget what he is singing about. In fact, Handel often shaped the melodic line according to the degree a particular word was to be stressed. Handel was very aware of new devlopments, and styles and attitudes of his time, without ever betraying his own musical personality.
To my mind, Daniels is the consummate Handelian singer, and it is probably this music that he performs best! His delivery is highly dramatic as it should be, his diction absolutely flawless, his tone quality strong and sonorous; in short he is one good singer! It is indeed a very fine disc, not only because of the line-up but also because all arias are sung extremely well by him. I found myself focusing on his selection from "Serse": "Ombra mai fu". He sings this so much more emotionally and endows it with his own unique style. It's so well-done!!! My other favorite is from "Rinaldo": Venti,turbini". This displays his very skillful vocal technique in addition to his excellent diction. I really think he is the leading AMERICAN countertenor.

Stellar Performance and a Sign of the Greatness to Come.......2004-08-10

It is hard to imagine that there could be a finer recital disc of Handel's arias than this one reflecting the exquisite taste and powerful talent of David Daniels...unless of course, you count his splendid follow-up disc of Handel's lesser known oratorio arias released in 2002 (also strongly recommended). But the focus in this 1998 release is the rich music within six of Handel's best-known operas. Now nearly six years after its release, this recording not only holds up beautifully as an introduction to his prodigious talent, but also demonstrates his keen sense of adventure when his voice was at its most pure and unfettered.

Daniels' coloratura technique is amazingly seasoned even at this point of his career, and he approaches each aria in a singular fashion with that incredibly flexible legato that is literally breathtaking. Compare the impressive runs he employs on his rendition of "A dispitto" from "Tamerlano" to his seductive and sonorous tones on "Aure, deh, per pietà" from "Giulio Cesare in Egritto", and you get an idea of the range of emotion and technique of which Daniels is capable. Listening to the two arias from "Rodelinda" will make you recognize how over the course of twelve minutes, he has shown the two distinct sides of Bertarido - the mournful, dejected husband who goes unrecognized in "Pompe van di morte...Dove Sei?" and his enemy's savior at the end with "Vivi, tiranno".

The two arias from "Rinaldo", are also beautifully performed. Six years later, one can appreciate these versions within the context of Daniels' career, as he later recorded the title role in the famous 2000 recital recording of the opera with Cecilia Bartoli and yet again in the 2001 David Alden staging of the opera captured recently on DVD. I recommend getting your hands on all three and comparing the performances, as all are wonderful but quite different. Personally I think his voice ripened to just the right timbre in the Alden-staged version, especially during the opera's centerpiece, "Cara sposa, amante cara". Of all the stellar selections, it is really difficult to pick just one as a favorite, but his version of "E vivo ancora....Scherza infida" from "Ariodante" is especially moving in the way he sings of his plight in being humiliated by an unfaithful woman. Written for a castrato named Carestini in 1735, it is a sublime piece made all the more moving by the warm, round tones Daniels brings to it.

Sir Roger Norrington and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment provide able accompaniment on period instruments, never intrusive or jarring to the ears. It is easy to tell from this recording why Daniels received so much hype for bringing the countertenor voice to the mainstream and why his career has been so meteoric since the release of this disc. Now you can see that it was more than hype...David Daniels is the real thing.

David Daniels: La voz del barroco........2003-10-26

Para los amantes del barroco en su estado puro es esencial tener este cd en el cual el gran contratenor DAVID DANIELS repasa las arias mas celebres de las operas de George Friederich Haendel. Daniels impone una voz bella, muy femenina, homogenea en todo el registro, sin problemas en los agudos, y que enamora nada mas oirla. Ademas canta las arias con un extraordinario sentimiento. ROGER NORRINGHTON dirige a la ORQUESTA DEL SIGLO DE LAS LUCES (que suena magnificamente con sus instrumentos originales) con gran conocimiento del estilo barroco, lo que termina de hacer de este disco una pieza fundamental para los amantes de la opera barroca, que afortunadamente son cada vez mas.

Stephanie Blythe - Handel & Bach Arias / David Daniels · Ensemble Orchestral de Paris · John Nelson

Average customer rating:

When I directed her in muscials in High School, I knew she was special
What a superb CD!!
A Blythe Spirit and a Magical Duet With David Daniels
La Reina!
Solid baroque

Stephanie Blythe - Handel & Bach Arias / David Daniels · Ensemble Orchestral de Paris · John Nelson
George Frideric Handel , Johann Sebastian Bach , John Nelson , Stephanie Blythe , David Daniels , and Ensemble Orchestral de Paris
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Arias | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Masses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Passions | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Brahms: Alt-Rhapsody; Wagner: Wesendonck-Lieder; Mahler: Der Abschied
Handel: Opera Arias; David Daniels
Sento Amor; David Daniels;
Handel: Giulio Cesare in Egitto
Songs by Mahler, Handel & Peter Lieberson

ASIN: B00005A9NK
Release Date: 2001-11-06

Tracks:

Serse: Recitativo: Frondi Tenere
Serse: Aria: Ombra Mai Fu
Hercules: Recitative And Aria: Where Shall I Fly?
Semele: Recitative: Awake, Saturnia
Semele: Aria: Iris, Hence Away
Giulio Cesare In Egitto: Aria: Al Lampo Dell'armi
Giulio Cesare In Egitto: Recitativo Ed Aria: Dall'ondoso Periglio... Aure, Deh, Per Pieta
Giulio Cesare In Egitto: Aria: Priva Son D'ogni Conforto
Giulio Cesare In Egitto: Recitativo E Duetto: Madre!... Son Nata A Lagrimar - Stephanie Blythe/David Daniels/Martin Isepp
Saint Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Aria: Erbarme Dich, Mein Gott
Saint Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Aria: Konnen Tranen Meiner Wangen
Saint John Passion, BWV 245: Aria: Von Den Stricken Meiner Sunden
Saint John Passion, BWV 245: Aria: Es Ist Vollbracht! - Stephanie Blythe/Emmanuelle Haim/Jerome Hantai
Mass in b, BWV 232: Agnus Dei

Amazon.com

This is a lovely recording. Stephanie Blythe's voice must be one of the most beautiful to be heard today: smooth as silk, warm as velvet, pure, dark, almost masculine at times, even in quality across a big range down to F-sharp. She can spin out endless phrases without strain. Her intonation is impeccable, her expressiveness heartfelt, simple, and direct. The program is a string of priceless jewels, opening with the famous "Ombra mai fu" from "Serse" (better known as Handel's Largo) and closing with the Agnus Dei from Bach's B minor Mass. However, with the exception of Juno's furious outburst of jealousy from Handel's Semele, the dramatic "Where shall I fly?" from his Hercules, and one fast, light aria from Giulio Cesare, everything is slow and primarily mournful. This seems to be in the nature of the contralto repertoire, but it does generate a certain sameness despite all attempts to create variety.

One of the highlights is the heartrending mother-son duet between Cornelia and Sesto from Giulio Cesare with the splendid countertenor David Daniels, but Blythe includes both Cornelia's and Cesare's arias, fulfilling a wish no doubt cherished by many great contraltos, but impossible to realize on stage. She seems more at home in Handel's worldly arias than in Bach's sacred ones, some of which--notably the "Erbarme dich" from the St. Matthew Passion--sound a little too operatic. The violinist who plays the wonderful obbligato here is not named (and often inaudible); the fine wind soloists in the St. John Passion are also unidentified. The orchestra is good but rather stiff, the rhythm pedantic, the style, with normal tuning, semi-baroque. This is underscored by the truly baroque gamba solo in St. John. However, the beauty of the singing triumphs over all misgivings. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

When I directed her in muscials in High School, I knew she was special.......2005-07-08

I was Stephanie's teacher in High School and directed her in several theatrical productions. Not only was she an immensely talented actress, her voice always took my breath away. The other instructors and myself knew that Stephanie had "IT" and would someday be recognized for all the beauty her voice contains. I have seen her perform live and each and every time am amazed at the depth and feeling in her voice. This cd will not disappoint.

What a superb CD!!.......2005-02-27

WOW,

I bought this CD after I discovered this artist totally by accident (well, I usually do not listen to the vocal selections on the sampler CD from the British magazine "The Gramophone"). I guess that it was either fate or luck that made me listen to her selection of Wagner Lieder.

As I have always been a fan of alto/contralto's, I find Stephanie Blythe's voice to be smooth, creamy, solid, and very thrilling!!! I really like all of the Handel arias (which are top notch!!), and I will spend more time with the Bach.

This Virgin Classics CD is up to Virgin's usual high standard of recording, though I do wish that her voice was more centered between the right and left channels. Then again, my new system still needs some dialing in in my room.

I would highly recommend this CD to anyone who likes vocal music, opera, and best of all, for people who simply like stellar singing!!!

Well worth the 5 stars!!!

A Blythe Spirit and a Magical Duet With David Daniels.......2004-09-02

Contralto Stephanie Blythe has a warm, fluid voice that reminds me immediately of countertenor David Daniels, especially since she sings more accurately in the mezzo-soprano range. What they have in common is an artful blending of male and female vocal characteristics that produces a strong sound, rich and seductive. Dramatically she is not quite at his level yet, but it is a tribute to her interpretative talents that she can convincingly sing both Cesare and Cornelia in "Giulio Cesare in Egitto" in the four beautiful arias here. The disc's high point is in fact, a mother-son duet performed with Daniels, "Madre!...Son nata a lagrimar". Their voices meld together wonderfully. What I find intriguing is how his higher, more nuanced voice brings out the dramatic intensity of the piece, while Blythe's superb lower register brings out a lovely contrast since her voice dips deeper than Daniels'. It is as perfect a match as you'll hear in the Baroque world.

The remainder of the Handel arias displays her exceptional range, especially the plaintive "Ombra mai fù" from "Serse" and the vocal agility she displays in "Iris, Hence Away" from "Semele". The second half of the disc features four arias from Bach's "Passions", all more spiritual in tone than the Handel pieces but not as interesting dramatically. She still sounds lovely, but a certain monotony creeps into the last half-hour since these arias seem to create the same dream-like atmosphere and consequently do not require her to utilize her interpretative skills fully. John Nelson conducts the Ensemble Orchestral de Paris effectively, and perhaps to embody the spirit of the Bach pieces, the disc was recorded in a church, the Eglise Notre Dame du Liban in Paris. It is an impressive recital debut and makes one look forward to Stephanie Blythe's next work.

La Reina!.......2003-10-13

Stephanie Blythe is a name honored in the circles of the music cognescenti where she is considered nearly without peer as the reigning contralto of the day. In this very generous sampling of arias by Handel and Bach the reason for such admiration/devotion becomes readily apparent. Blythe may be called a 'contralto' and, indeed, she has that lush dark burnished tone so often conjured by the contralto roles in opera and oratorio. But she has an amazing range that allows her to effortlessly scale the contralto to mezzo to lyric to coloratura like few other singers. Only Marilyn Horne comes to mind as one with the beauty of voice in tandem with impeccable musicianship and technique for comparison.

Opening this recital (accompanied by John Nelson conducting the Ensemble Orchestral de Paris) she wisely selects the well-known 'Ombra mai fu' and allows first time listeners to bask in the beauty of tone and perfection of execution she brings to every subsequent work on this CD. Unlike other singers who attempt this repertoire Blythe shows no audible break in register as she soars into the passionate stratosphere of 'Where shall I fly' from Handel's "Semele" or plumbs the depths of Bach's touching arias from both the St Matthew and St John Passions.

As far as the perfect display of all her gifts in one piece then her duet with countertenor David Daniels in the 'Madre..Son nata a lagrimar' from Handel's "Guilio Cesare" is that pinnacle. This duet has to be one of the most beautiful baroque experiences ever captured on disc. A singer to watch and collect!

Solid baroque.......2003-09-03

Blythe has an excellent voice. She isn't Marilyn Horne or Ann Murray or Sarah Walker, but she's first class nonetheless, and this album is certainly worth having. The knock on Blythe, in my judgment, is that she lacks emotion and fire. She just sings, and the listener's mind might stray. The duet from Julius Caesar is the finest feature of the album, and is simply glorious. David Daniels is in a class all by himself.

Average customer rating:

A voice teacher and early music fan
Best of the Best...Handelian Masters for the Uninitiated

Heavenly Handel: Arias and Duets

Manufacturer: Virgin Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Arias | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Sandrine Piau - Handel Opera Seria
Cecilia Bartoli ~ Opera Proibita (Handel · Scarlatti · Caldara) / Les Musiciens du Louvre · Minkowski
Handel Operatic Duets ~ Amor e gelosia / Ciofi · Di Donato · Il Complesso Barocco · Curtis
Handel - Arcadian Duets / Dessay, Gens, Petibon, Claycomb, Lascarro, Panzarella, Mijanovic, Mingardo, Asawa, Agnew, Le Concert d'Astrée, Haïm
Vivaldi Edition: Arie d'Opera

ASIN: B0001MQKS8
Release Date: 2005-04-12

Tracks:

Frondi Tenere... - David Daniels
Ombra Mai Fu - David Daniels
Pompe Vane Di MOrte!... - David Daniels
Dove Sei, Amato Bene - David Daniels
Ma Che Parlo, Che Dico... - Veronique Gens
In Tanti Affanni Miei - Veronique Gens
Fra L'ombre E Gl'orrori - Laurent Naouri
Sorge Il Di - Laurent Naouri
Amor, Qual Nuova Fiamma... - Jill Gomez
La Tigre Arde Di Sdegno - Jill Gomez
Per Me Si Strugge Trasimede... - Jill Gomez
E Per Monti, E Per Piani, E Per Selve - Jill Gomez
Where Shall I Fly - Stephanie Blythe
Cantata HWV 166 - Gerard Lesne
As Steals The Morn Upon The Night - Lynne Dawson
How Silently, How Slyly - James Bowman
Upstart, Barbarian And Traitor - James Bowman
Flow My Tears - James Bowman

Tracks:

Fatto Scorta Al Sentier Della Gloria - Vivica Genaux
Fiacchero Quel Fiero Orgoglio - Vivica Genaux
Verdi Prati - Arleen Auger
Ombre Pallide - Arleen Auger
Venti, Turbini - David Daniels
Dolcissima Esilena... - Sandrine Piau
Prendi L'alma E Prendi Il Core - Sandrine Piau
Nasconde L'usignol - Antonio Abete
Nel Riposo E Nel Contento - Antonio Abete
Della Guerra La Caccia Ha Sembianza - Antonio Abete
Tanti Strali Al Sen, Duet HWV 197 - Derek Lee Ragin
Se 'L Mio Duol Non E Si Forte - Sophie Daneman
Caro Autor Di Mia Doglia - Paul Agnew
No, Che D'altrui Che Di Te - Paul Agnew
Dagli Amori Flagellata - Paul Agnew
Madre...Son Nata A Lagrimar - David Daniels

Customer Reviews:

A voice teacher and early music fan.......2006-02-07

This is an excellent sampling of Handel's music and it is indeed "heavenly". Much of the music in Handel's operas, cantatas and oratorios are wonderfully vivid pieces of musical painting, and show Handel's genius in a light that is somewhat unfamiliar to modern musicians. Such passages as the sleep of Somnus in 'Semele' and the moonrise in 'Ariodante', to name but two instances out of many,form an important link in the history of programme music. But to those who understand and enjoy the Handelian idiom its beauty appear eternally new, and its unfailing dignity and loftiness of style recall the words in which Edward FitzGerald summed up his opinion of Handel: "His is the music for a great active people." I have many of the discs already, but some of the songs were new to me for which I am grateful! Some of the high points for me: the duet from Guilio Cesare sung by contralto(Stephanie Blythe) and countertenor (Derek Ragin); the solo from Alcina sung by Arleen Auger(soprano)and David Daniel's rendition of "Ombra mai fu" from Serse. I have Andreas Scholl singing "Ombra" and I never realized how much more there is to that song till I heard Daniels sing it. Anyway this record is a great buy for Handelians.

Best of the Best...Handelian Masters for the Uninitiated.......2005-04-21

For those who would prefer their Handel in bite-size portions, this excellent two-disc set may do the trick. Virgin Classics has chosen stellar aria and duet selections from their extensive Handel discography (1978-2003) and in the process, come up with as definitive a collection of the prolific composer's work as any on the market now. With a running time of well over 2 ½ hours, this compilation covers a broad canvas drawn from some of Handel's finest Italian operas, such as "Rodelinda", "Giulio Cesare", "Rinaldo" and "Deidamia". Even more, there are selections from his English works ("Hercules" and "L'Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato"), as well as miscellaneous vocal Italianate selections.

You know you're in for a world-class set when you have the amazing countertenor David Daniels book-ending the collection, beginning with his platinum-standard version of the much-covered "Frondi tenere...Ombra mai fù" from "Serse" and Bertarido's mournful "Pompe vane di morte!...Dove sei, amato bene" from "Rodelinda". And the set ends in a dream-like state with his wondrous Sesto/Cornelia duet with contralto Stephanie Blythe on the heartbreaking "Madre...Son nata a lagrimar" from "Giulio Cesare". In between is a veritable feast provided by a who's who among the world's leading Handelians. Highlights on disc one include soprano Sandrine Piau and alto Sara Mingardo melding effortlessly on the graceful and vocally challenging "Sorge il di" from the Neapolitan serenata, "Aci, Galatea e Polifemo". Blythe captures Dejanira's requisite madness beautifully in the air, "Where shall I fly?" from "Hercules". Countertenor Gérard Lesne does several thrilling turns on an entire Handel cantata, "Splenda l'alba in oriente". From "Giulio Cesare", legendary contralto Janet Baker contributes a heroically measured "How silently, how slyly", equally revered countertenor James Bowman glides over "Upstart, barbarian and traitor" with true panache, and soprano Valerie Masterson holds her own among these giants showing a diverse range of emotion on "Flow my tears" alternating easily between sonorous and vibrant.

Disc two starts with mezzo-soprano Vivica Genaux displaying some genuinely impressive runs on two arias from "Arminio", "Fatto scorta al sentier della gloria" and "Fiaccherò qul fiero orgoglio". Soprano Arleen Auger does a defiantly passionate turn on "Ombre pallide" from "Alcina", which compares favorably with Renée Fleming's more familiar version on Elektra. Daniels has yet another powerful vocal turn on the victorious "Venti, turbini" aria from "Rinaldo". Piau returns as well, this time intertwining atmospherically with mezzo-soprano Gloria Banditelli on the splendid "Prendi l'alma e prendi il core" from "Rodrigo". Operas are not the only source here. There is a charming duet between soprano Suzie LeBlanc and countertenor Derek Lee Ragin on the effusively Italianate "Tanti strali al sen", and a more dramatically diverse one between tenor Paul Agnew and soprano Patricia Petibon on "Caro autor do mia doglia" - both showcase yet another dimension of Handel to which I have not been exposed. Truth be told, if you enjoy these selections, you should purchase the original recordings, for example, Daniels' wonderful 1998 "Handel: Operatic Arias". But this will do in a pinch for the uninitiated who want an overview of Handel's musical genius. Trust me, with this stellar group of Handelians, you will beg for more.

Music Review:

Music Review

music review

Music Review

Retreat [EP]

Camerata Roman Plays Baroque

Catatas 53,82,170

US Country Charts, Vol. 4 [Import]

Dance Your Animal

Dreams Of Angels

D'anni Hat G'sagt

Diamonds on the Inside

Cruisin' with Frankie Ford

Blues Collection [Live]

Centerpiece [Import]

Choro Criolo [Import]

Blood and Tears [Explicit Lyrics] [Soundtrack]

Praise & Worship: The Solid Rock

Blue Note Blend 2