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Avie Records

The Power of Love: Arias from Handel Operas / Forsythe, Sorrell, Apollo's Fire

$19.99

Details

Composer
HANDEL, GEORGE FRIDERIC
Artist
Forsythe, Apollo?S Fire, Sorrell
Format
CD
Label
Avie Records
Released
Oct 01, 2015
Catalog #
AV2350
UPC
822252235029

About


One’s first impression of this CD, in an aria from Orlando comparing Love to the Wind, with its bouncy coloratura and light attitude, might mistakenly be that soprano Amanda Forsythe is “one of those coloratura songbirds,” albeit a very good one. This would be selling her short: yes, she’s most certainly a superb singer, with staggering agility and high notes perfect and free, but she uses every note in her well placed, many-hued voice. Sudden plunges into a not-quite chest voice on words like “dolor” (sadness) color and vary the experience of the aria.

And the next aria, “Geloso tormento” from Almira, with its obbligato oboe and aggressively unhappy strings, gives Forsythe even more emotional room: like any good “early music” soprano, she can sing without vibrato, but what she does with the first two words of the aria are special. The second syllable of “geloso” is attacked white and she sings a crescendo on it, adding vibrato; “tormento” finds a rolled “r” and a shudder on “men”. She embellishes freely and dramatically in the da capo section (here and in each other such aria).

It is a joy to hear a singer rethinking much of this familiar music without ever distorting it, such that the CD’s 55 minutes of singing (broken up with four expertly played orchestral excerpts from Terpsichore) truly impresses like a first hearing. And you never tire of Forsythe, as you might with other light-and-high-voiced singers. A bauble such as Atalanta’s flirtatious “Un cenno leggiadretto” from Serse has such character that it enchants anew. She has no fear of leaning on her voice but she never forces or makes an ugly sound; drama comes from inflection and diction.

Armida’s enraged recit “Dunque I lacci” and the anguished “Ah! crudel” that follows from Rinaldo are tragic in scope and sound, heavy with rage and sadness. The brief, insane B section that pops out of Armida’s deranged mind, “O infidel”, filled with tommy-gun coloratura, is a spectacular display, and Forsythe sadly lopes into the da capo with a voice filled with desolation. Morgana’s “Tornami a vagheggiar” from Alcina is sung for fireworks, and they light up the sky.

Jeanette Sorrell leads the period instruments of Apollo’s Fire devoid of any affectations, and the band plays smoothly and expertly. This is clearly Forsythe’s show and the orchestra and conductor offer great support. I could go on but find no need to; I hope you get my point. This is a knockout recital by a major American soprano.

-- Robert Levine, ClassicsToday.com

Tracklist 14 tracks

  1. 1 Orlando, HWV 31, Act III: Amore e qual vento 04:57
    Track
    1
    Title
    Orlando, HWV 31, Act III: Amore e qual vento
    Duration
    04:57
    Composer
    George Frideric Handel
    Performer
    Amanda Forsythe
    Ensemble
    Apollo's Fire
    Conductor
    Jeannette Sorrell
  2. 2 Almira, HWV 1, Act I: Aria: Geloso tormento 07:07
    Track
    2
    Title
    Almira, HWV 1, Act I: Aria: Geloso tormento
    Duration
    07:07
    Composer
    George Frideric Handel
    Performer
    Amanda Forsythe
    Ensemble
    Apollo's Fire
    Conductor
    Jeannette Sorrell
  3. 3 Serse (Xerxes), HWV 40, Act I: Un cenno leggiadretto 04:23
    Track
    3
    Title
    Serse (Xerxes), HWV 40, Act I: Un cenno leggiadretto
    Duration
    04:23
    Composer
    George Frideric Handel
    Performer
    Amanda Forsythe
    Ensemble
    Apollo's Fire
    Conductor
    Jeannette Sorrell
  4. 4 Il Pastor Fido, HWV 8: Chaconne 04:43
    Track
    4
    Title
    Il Pastor Fido, HWV 8: Chaconne
    Duration
    04:43
    Composer
    George Frideric Handel
    Ensemble
    Apollo's Fire
    Conductor
    Jeannette Sorrell
  5. 5 Partenope, HWV 27, Act II: Qual Farfalletta 06:12
    Track
    5
    Title
    Partenope, HWV 27, Act II: Qual Farfalletta
    Duration
    06:12
    Composer
    George Frideric Handel
    Performer
    Amanda Forsythe
    Ensemble
    Apollo's Fire
    Conductor
    Jeannette Sorrell
  6. 6 Giulio Cesare in Egitto, HWV 17, Act III: Piangero la sorte mia si crudele e tanto ria 07:32
    Track
    6
    Title
    Giulio Cesare in Egitto, HWV 17, Act III: Piangero la sorte mia si crudele e tanto ria
    Duration
    07:32
    Composer
    George Frideric Handel
    Performer
    Amanda Forsythe
    Ensemble
    Apollo's Fire
    Conductor
    Jeannette Sorrell
  7. 7 Il Pastor Fido, HWV 8: Jalousie 01:59
    Track
    7
    Title
    Il Pastor Fido, HWV 8: Jalousie
    Duration
    01:59
    Composer
    George Frideric Handel
    Ensemble
    Apollo's Fire
    Conductor
    Jeannette Sorrell
  8. 8 Ariodante, HWV 33, Act I: Aria: Il primo ardor 03:38
    Track
    8
    Title
    Ariodante, HWV 33, Act I: Aria: Il primo ardor
    Duration
    03:38
    Composer
    George Frideric Handel
    Performer
    Amanda Forsythe
    Ensemble
    Apollo's Fire
    Conductor
    Jeannette Sorrell
  9. 9 Rinaldo, HWV 7, Act II: Accompagnato Recitative: Dunque i lacci d'un volto - Aria: Ah! crudel, il pianto mio 07:47
    Track
    9
    Title
    Rinaldo, HWV 7, Act II: Accompagnato Recitative: Dunque i lacci d'un volto - Aria: Ah! crudel, il pianto mio
    Duration
    07:47
    Composer
    George Frideric Handel
    Performer
    Amanda Forsythe
    Ensemble
    Apollo's Fire
    Conductor
    Jeannette Sorrell
  10. 10 Il Pastor Fido, HWV 8: Air 02:30
    Track
    10
    Title
    Il Pastor Fido, HWV 8: Air
    Duration
    02:30
    Composer
    George Frideric Handel
    Ensemble
    Apollo's Fire
    Conductor
    Jeannette Sorrell
  11. 11 Alcina, HWV 34, Act I: Aria: Tornami a vagheggiar 05:11
    Track
    11
    Title
    Alcina, HWV 34, Act I: Aria: Tornami a vagheggiar
    Duration
    05:11
    Composer
    George Frideric Handel
    Performer
    Amanda Forsythe
    Ensemble
    Apollo's Fire
    Conductor
    Jeannette Sorrell
  12. 12 Teseo, HWV 9, Act IV: Amarti si vorrei 05:35
    Track
    12
    Title
    Teseo, HWV 9, Act IV: Amarti si vorrei
    Duration
    05:35
    Composer
    George Frideric Handel
    Performer
    Amanda Forsythe
    Ensemble
    Apollo's Fire
    Conductor
    Jeannette Sorrell
  13. 13 Il Pastor Fido, HWV 8: Ballo 01:34
    Track
    13
    Title
    Il Pastor Fido, HWV 8: Ballo
    Duration
    01:34
    Composer
    George Frideric Handel
    Ensemble
    Apollo's Fire
    Conductor
    Jeannette Sorrell
  14. 14 Giulio Cesare in Egitto, HWV 17, Act III: Aria: Da tempeste il legno infranto 06:05
    Track
    14
    Title
    Giulio Cesare in Egitto, HWV 17, Act III: Aria: Da tempeste il legno infranto
    Duration
    06:05
    Composer
    George Frideric Handel
    Performer
    Amanda Forsythe
    Ensemble
    Apollo's Fire
    Conductor
    Jeannette Sorrell