Andreas Spering, Cappella Coloniensis - George Frideric Handel: Siroe, Re di Persia (2004)
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue & Log) ~ 830 Mb | Total time: 79:08+75:57 | Scans included
Classical | Label: Harmonia Mundi | HMC 921826.27 | Recorded: 2003
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue & Log) ~ 830 Mb | Total time: 79:08+75:57 | Scans included
Classical | Label: Harmonia Mundi | HMC 921826.27 | Recorded: 2003
While it isn't Handel's most obscure opera (hum a few bars from Catone, anyone?), Siroe, Re di Persia is definitely on the margins. It's hard to say why exactly, although the unflatteringly edited Metastasio libretto (by Nicola Haym) is surely part of the reason; the character and conflict development of the original are largely missing from the version Handel set. But the music is Handel at his best, and let's face it: from the perspective of a modern listener, plot is not the main draw of opera seria. With that in mind, Harmonia Mundi's complete recording, with Andreas Spering and the Cappella Coloniensis, is an excellent first step toward giving Siroe wider exposure. It's well played, thoughtfully conducted, and it features an excellent trio of leading ladies.