The age of the celebrity singer
Donald Macleod introduces operas Handel wrote for some of the best singers of his time, though he was soon to discover that their presence would prove both a blessing and a curse.
Handel was in demand as an operatic composer and he was keen to outdo his fellow composers in order to maintain his position. He was aided in his task by the finest performers money could buy, including the castrato known as Senesino and sopranos Faustina Bordoni and Francesca Cuzzoni, though their presence would prove both a blessing and a curse. Donald Macleod introduces three operas from this challenging but intensely productive time - the first featuring Cuzzoni in her London debut, the second in which she played Cleopatra to Senesino's Julius Caesar and finally, in an excerpt from the hectic operatic account of the life of Alexander the Great, the two divas star as rivals in love.
Ottone: 'Falsa immagine'
Lisa Saffer, soprano (Teofane)
Freiburg Baroque Orchestra
Conductor Nicholas McGegan
Giulio Cesare (excerpt)
Karina Gauvin, soprano (Cleopatra)
Marie-Nicole Lemieux, alto (Cesare)
Gianluca Buratto, bass (Curio)
Il Complesso Barocco
Conductor Alan Curtis
Alessandro (excerpts)
Max Emanuel Cencic, countertenor (Alessandro)
Juan Sancho, tenor (Leonato)
Julia Lezhneva, soprano (Rossane)
Karina Gauvin, soprano (Lisaura)
Armonia Atenea
Conductor George Petrou.
Last on
Music Played
-
![]()
George Frideric Handel
Ottone Act 1 Aria: Falsa immagine
Singer: Claron McFadden. Ensemble: The King鈥檚 Consort. Director: Robert King.- HYPERION : CDA667513.
- HYPERION.
- 8.
-
![]()
George Frideric Handel
Giulio Cesare: Act 2 Sc 7 and 8
Singer: Karina Gauvin. Singer: Marie鈥怤icole Lemieux. Singer: Gianluca Buratto. Ensemble: Il Complesso Barocco. Director: Alan Curtis.- Giulio Cesare.
- NAIVE.
- 20.
-
![]()
George Frideric Handel
Alessandro: Act 1 Sc 1 and 2 - Battle
Singer: Max Emanuel Cen膷i膰. Singer: Juan Sancho. Orchestra: Armonia Atenea. Conductor: George Petrou.- DECCA ; 478-4699.
- DECCA.
- 2.
-
![]()
George Frideric Handel
Alessandro: Act 2, Sc 1 and 2
Singer: Julia Lezhneva. Singer: Karina Gauvin. Singer: Max Emanuel Cen膷i膰. Orchestra: Armonia Atenea. Conductor: George Petrou.- DECCA ; 478-4699.
- DECCA.
- 1.
Broadcast
- Tue 30 Jan 2018 12:00大象传媒 Radio 3
Beethoven Unleashed 鈥� the box set
The complete set of Radio 3 Beethoven Unleashed podcasts, with Donald Macleod.
What was really wrong with Beethoven?
Georgia Mann and neurosurgeon Henry Marsh examine the composer's numerous health problems
Composers A to Z
Visit the extensive audio archive of Radio 3 programmes about Composers and their works.
Who knew? Five eye-opening stories from Composer of the Week
The production team reflects on 5 of Donald Macleod鈥檚 best stories from the last 20 years
Five reasons why we love Parry's Jerusalem
What is the strange power of Jerusalem which makes strong men weep?
A man out of time 鈥� why Parry's music and ideas were at odds with his image...
The composer of Jerusalem was very far from the conservative figure his image suggests.
Composer Help Page
Find resources and contacts for composers from within the classical music industry.