Bad Guys
Tamerlano:
1. Vo’ dar pace a un’ alma altiera [4:45]
Ariodante:
2. Spero per voi, si, si [4:06]
Teseo:
3. Voglio stragi, e voglio morte [2:53]
Amadigi di Gaula:
4. Pena tiranna [5:27]
Ariodante:
5. Dover, giustizia, amor [3:51]
Giulio Cesare in Egitto:
6. Belle dèe di questo core [1:50]
Ottone, re di Germania:
7. D’innalzar i flutti al ciel [4:07]
8. Bel labbro formato [5:01]
Giulio Cesare in Egitto:
9. Domerò la tua fierezza [3:31]
Teseo:
10. Serenatevi, o luci belle [4:18]
Ariodante:
11. Se l’inganno sortisce felice [4:36]
Amadigi di Gaula:
12. Agitato il cor mi sento [4:03]
Xavier Sabata (counter-tenor)
Il Pomo d’Oro/Riccardo Minasi
rec. 25 August – 3 September 2012, Lonigo (Convento del Pavoniani)
Sung texts with French and English translations
APARTÉ AP048 [53:04]
We have had ‘Bad Guys’ discs before – DG issued one with Bryn Terfel
some time ago – but I believe this one wins hands down. I mean for the
most frightening cover picture. The idea is splendid. Baroque operas –
and other operas as well – are crowded with bad guys. Here Xavier Sabata
has picked half a dozen of the worst specimens. The most evil of these
is Polinesso in Ariodante. At least he is represented by three
arias, whereas the rest of the crooks have been vouchsafed only two each
and poor Tamerlano manages only one. One would think that a collection
like this would be hard-hitting and violent all the time but there are
softer, more inward feelings expressed as well. At the end of the programme
one feels that the various characters have wandered through a lot of various
emotions.
It is Tamerlano who opens the recital with a virile aria, where he wishes
to bring peace to a haughty spirit, ‘so that she may soften her anger,
her fury. When I have sweetened her sorrow I will loosen the chain that
hatred has seared into her heart’. This doesn’t sound too evil but later
in the opera he shows his real ego: he wants power! Polinesso in Ariodante
is a more clear-cut bandit and Handel has provided him with excellently
revealing solos. As I have said on many occasions, I am so astounded every
time that he is so inventive and inspired in every situation. Maybe the
most wicked of the bunch is King Egeo, father of the title character in
the early opera Teseo. Written in 1713 it was early but was still
the composer’s eighth opera. Voglio strage (tr. 3) from act IV
- this is Handel’s only opera in five acts - is really furious and performed
at break-neck speed.
No one hearing Dardano’s Pena tiranna (tr. 4) from Amadigi
di Gaula could believe that this sensitive and beautiful aria could
emanate from the mouth of a baddie. It has a close likeness to Lascia
ch'io pianga from Rinaldo and the text says, in the
English translation provided in the booklet: ‘I feel in my heart a cruel
pain, with no hope of finding compassion; Love destroys me, and my sorrow
allows me no peace in my misery’. Even a baddie has human feelings, in
particular when he has just been dumped by the woman he loves.
Tolomeo, brother of Cleopatra in Giulio Cesare, murdered Pompey
and now he wants to marry Pompey’s widow Cornelia. For this reason he
sings Belle dèe di questo core (tr. 6) to win her hand: ‘Fair
goddesses of this heart, the heavens are reflected in your face.’ That’s
all he says and that’s why it is a short aria, less than two minutes.
Later though, when he rejoices in the fact that he now has Cleopatra in
his power, he is explosively dramatic and triumphant: Domerò la tua
fierezza (tr. 9).
What about Adalberto in Ottone? Ottone is the King of Germany
and Adalberto’s aim is to overthrow him and usurp the throne – and win
Ottone’s betrothed. Thus he sings two of the most beautiful arias Handel
ever wrote, a fawning wolf in sheep’s clothing (trs. 7-8).
I became totally engrossed in the repertoire, in admiration for Handel
inexhaustible cornucopia of inspiration, and in the performances. The
orchestra - founded in 2012 - plays magnificently: springy and powerful.
Xavier Sabata’s counter-tenor is deeper in tone than most of the singers
in this repertoire today, and a very appropriate match for these ‘bad
guys’. The tone, the timbre, is decidedly ‘male’. Strong-voiced and evil-sounding
– listen to Egeo’s aria Voglio stragi, e voglio morte (tr. 3)
– he sounds the way he looks on the CD cover. Then he sings Adalberto’s
arias (trs. 7-8) so beautifully, so warmly.
Handel arias are not under-represented in the CD catalogues but most of
these twelve are rarely heard out of context. This disc should be an ideal
addition to all Handelians’ collections.
Göran Forsling
I became totally engrossed in this repertoire.
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