George Petrou, Armonia Atenea - Nicola Porpora: Carlo il Calvo (2022)

Nicola Porpora is mostly known for being Haydn's teacher, but his own music, which took him to many European countries, is largely forgotten. He was a near contemporary of Handel, and while one might pick Handel between the two if forced, it was a first-among-equals situation. One could not ask for a better introduction to Porpora's operatic music than this 2023 release. The opera Carlo il Calvo ("Carlo the Bald") was composed in 1738 and is an opera seria dealing with a succession struggle in the medieval Holy Roman Empire. This recording, although made in Athens (and very well recorded at the Athens Concert Hall), is based on a 2021 production at Germany's Bayreuth Baroque Festival, spearheaded by countertenor Max Emanuel Cenčić and set in 1920s Cuba. Hence the distinctly un-medieval sets shown in the booklet. It is an absolute vocal festival. Porpora's instrumental introductions are shorter than Handel's; he favors getting right to the main attraction. The three leading male roles, all for soprano voices, were all sung by castrati, women singers having been outlawed by papal decree at the time. It is a joy to hear the contrasting voices of the three leads here, silvery Cenčić, sweetly rounded Franco Fagioli (an ideal pick for the long notes with which Porpora liked to begin arias such as "Taci, oh Dio," from Act II), and the unique Bruno de Sá, who shuns the term countertenor and prefers male soprano or sopranista; his voice is almost like that of a female soprano. They are matched by Susanne Jerosme as the scheming queen Giuditta and Julia Lezhneva as her daughter Gildippe. Hear Lezhneva rip through the striking decorative encrustations of the aria "Se veder potessi" in Act II. The other singers have joys of their own to offer, and the orchestral accompaniment by conductor George Petrou and his Armonia Atenea historical instrument group has admirable clarity and economy, just the thing to set off the vocals. This recording, fully realizing all-but-unknown music with top-notch singers, made classical best-seller charts in the spring of 2023.

–James Manheim

Performer:
Adalgiso - Franco Fagioli
Lottario - Max Emanuel Cenčić
Gildippe - Julia Lezhneva
Giuditta - Suzanne Jerosme
Asprando - Petr Nekoranec
Berardo - Bruno de Sá
Eduige - Nian Wang
Armonia Atenea
George Petrou, conductor

Tracklist:
Nicola Porpora (1686–1768)
Carlo il Calvo
CD1:
01. Sinfonia: Allegro - Minuet - Contradanza
ATTO PRIMO
02. Scena I: Recitativo (Asprando, Lottario) / Scena II: Recitativo (Adalgiso, Lottario, Berardo)
03. Aria: Vado nello splendore (Lottario)
04. Scena III: Recitativo (Adalgiso, Asprando)
05. Aria: Col passaggier talora (Asprando)
06. Scena IV: Recitativo (Adalgiso, Gildippe)
07. Aria: Tornate tranquille (Adalgiso)
08. Scena V: Recitativo (Gildippe)
09. Aria: Sento, che in sen turbato (Gildippe)
10. Scena VI: Recitativo (Giuditta, Berardo)
11. Aria: Sai, che fedel io sono (Berardo)
12. Scena VII: Recitativo (Eduige, Giuditta)
13. Aria: Pender da’ cenni tuoi (Eduige)
14. Scena VIII: Recitativo (Lottario, Giuditta)
15. Aria: Se rea ti vuole il Cielo (Lottario)
16. Scena IX: Recitativo (Giuditta, Gildippe)
17. Aria: Pensa, che figlia sei (Giuditta)
18. Scena X: Recitativo (Gildippe)
19. Aria: Se nell’amico nido (Gildippe)
20. Marchia
21. Scena XI: Recitativo (Giuditta, Lottario, Asprando, Berardo, Adalgiso)
22. Aria: Vorresti a me sul ciglio (Giuditta)
CD2:
01. Scena XII: Recitativo (Adalgiso, Lottario)
02. Scena XIII: Recitativo accompagnato (Adalgiso)
03. Aria: Saggio Nocchier che vede (Adalgiso)
ATTO SECONDO
04. Scena I: Recitativo (Adalgiso, Gildippe)
05. Aria: Se veder potessi (Gildippe)
06. Scena II: Recitativo (Adalgiso, Lottario)
07. Aria: Taci, oh Dio! (Adalgiso)
08. Scena III: Recitativo (Lottario, Asprando)
09. Aria: Quando s’oscura il Cielo (Lottario)
10. Scena VI: Recitativo (Giuditta, Berardo)
11. Aria: Temer della sorte (Asprando)
12. Scena V: Recitativo (Giuditta, Asprando)
13. Scena VI: Recitativo (Eduige, Berardo)
14. Aria: Per voi sul Campo armato (Berardo)
15. Scena VII: Recitativo (Eduige, Gildippe)
16. Aria: Amore è un certo foco (Gildippe)
17. Scena VIII: Recitativo (Eduige)
18. Aria: Il provido Cultore (Eduige)
19. Scena IX: Recitativo (Gildippe, Giuditta, Berardo)
20. Aria: Recitativo accompagnato (Giuditta)
21. Aria: Tu m’ingannasti (Giuditta)
22. Scena X: Recitativo (Lottario, Berardo) / Scena XI: Recitativo (Adalgiso, Lottario, Berardo) / Scena XII: Recitativo (Adalgiso)
23. Aria: Spesso di nubi cinto (Adalgiso)
CD3:
ATTO TERZO
01. Scena I: Recitativo (Berardo, Asprando)
02. Aria: Su la fatal arena (Berardo)
03. Scena II: Recitativo accompagnato (Asprando)
04. Aria: Piena di sdegno in fronte (Asprando)
05. Scena III: Recitativo (Gildippe, Adalgiso)
06. Duetto: Dimmi che m’ami (Adalgiso, Gildippe)
07. Scena IV: Recitativo (Giuditta, Adalgiso) / Scena V: Recitativo (Lottario, Giuditta, Adalgiso
08. Aria: So che tiranno io sono (Lottario)
09. Scena VI: Recitativo (Giuditta)
10. Aria: Questo che miri (Giuditta)
11. Scena VII: Recitativo (Adalgiso)
12. Aria: Con placido contento (Adalgiso)
13. Scena ultima: Recitativo (Giuditta, Lottario, Berardo, Gildippe, Eduige, Adalgiso)
14. Tutti: Ecco alfin, che il fosco orrore