Sunhae Im & Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin - Orfeo(s): Italian and French Cantatas (2015) [Official Digital Download 24/96]

For her first solo recital disc on harmonia mundi, Sunhae Im has chosen four cantatas dealing with the myth of Orpheus. The figure of the mythical singer, whose songs moved even wild beasts and inanimate rocks to tears, has fascinated composers ever since touching the listener s emotions became the programme of the musical work of art and offering a wide range of possibilities for musical depiction: the melodious charm of Arcadia; the dances during the wedding celebrations of Orpheus and Eurydice; the abrupt change of mood at Eurydice s death; Orpheus daring descent into Hades; and finally the subjugation of the underworld deities and even death itself through expressive solo singing.

Since her stage debut in Europe in the 1999/2000 season, the South Korean soprano Sunhae Im has demonstrated her artistic versatility and her acting talent in numerous international opera productions. Sunhae has worked with such conductors as Philippe Herreweghe, William Christie, Fabio Biondi, Iván Fischer, Kent Nagano, Riccardo Chailly and René Jacobs, and also sings regularly with ensembles such as the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin and the Freiburger Barockorchester.

Alongside her concert and operatic career, she has been a frequent visitor to the recording studio, frequently for harmonia mundi, including Haydn s cantatas for the Esterházy family, a series of Mozart recordings under the direction of René Jacobs (Don Giovanni, Idomeneo, La clemenza di Tito, Die Zauberflöte, La finta giardiniera), Bach s St Matthew Passion and Haydn s Die Schöpfung, many of which have been distinguished by international awards.

Tracklist:

Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (1710-1736)

Orfeo cantata for soprano, strings and basso continuo (ca. 1735)
1 Nel chiuso centro (Recitativo) - Euridice, e dove sei? (Aria) 08:37
2 Sì, che pietà non v'è (Recitativo) - O d'Euridice (Aria) 06:15

Louis-Nicolas Clérambault (1676-1749)

Orphée cantata for soprano and chamber orchestra (1710)
3 Le fameux chantre de la Thrace (Récitatif) - Fidèles échos de ces bois (Air tendre et piqué) 02:26
4 Mais que sert à mon désespoir (Récitatif) - Allez Orphée (Air gai) 04:11
5 Cependant le héros arrive (Récitatif) - Monarque redouté (Air fort lent et fort tendre) 06:27
6 Pluton surpris d'entendre (Récitatif) - Chantez la victoire éclatante (Air gai) 03:12

Alessandro Scarlatti (1660-1725)

L’Orfeo cantata a voce sola con violini (w.d.)
7 Introduzione 01:43
8 Dall'oscura magion (Recitativo) - Chi m'invola la cara Euridice (Aria) 05:10
9 Ma di chi mi querelo (Recitativo) - Se mirando, occhi perversi (Aria) 02:32
10 Or poiché mi tradir (Recitativo) - Sordo il tronco (Aria) 06:00
11 Ah, voi m'abbandonate (Recitativo) - Il vanto del canto (Aria) 02:16
12 Così dicendo il gran cantor (Recitativo) - Sì, pietà de' miei martiri (Aria) 03:24

Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683-1764)

Orphée cantata for soprano and ‘symphony’ (flute & strings) (1721 ?)
13 Par le charme vainqueur (Récitatif) 01:29
14 Que du bruit de tes hauts exploits (Air) 03:57
15 Mais son âme sensible (Récitatif) - J'ai pour témoin de ma victoire (Air) 01:31
16 À ce penser flatteur (Récitatif) - Amour, c'est toi qui fais mon crime (Air) 05:13
17 Inutiles regrets (Récitatif) - En amour il est un moment (Air) 04:49

Personnel:
Sunhae Im, soprano
Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin