Episode 484. Bubbles on the Nile, Handel Edition

Episode 484. Bubbles on the Nile, Handel Edition

Today’s episode is the second of my so-called “Bubbles on the Nile” series, performances by Beverly Sills (and a host of other divas) in unexpected roles. While the first episode drew on the contents of a 1985 release on the Legendary Recordings label with the same title, today’s episode focuses exclusively on the music of George Frideric Handel with an entirely Gundlach-generated setlist. Sills is featured not as Cleopatra in Giulio Cesare, the role that made her a star, but in two other Handel roles which she only rarely performed: Ginevra in Ariodante, and the title role in Semele. There follow nearly two dozen additional singers singing unexpected Handel roles, beginning with Alma Gluck all the way back in 1916. Other singers include Claudia Muzio, Elisabeth Rethberg, Lotte Lehmann, Florence Quartararo, Teresa Żylis-Gara, Hanne-Lore Kuhse, Christa Ludwig, Ileana Cotrubaș, Christiane Eda-Pierre, Shirley Verrett, Martina Arroyo, Grace Bumbry, Victoria de los Ángeles, and Reri Grist. There is a special section featuring six unexpected performers of the role of Cleopatra in Giulio Cesare: Renata Tebaldi, Leontyne Price, Montserrat Caballé, Renata Scotto, Onelia Fineschi, and Virginia Zeani. Other Handel works represented include Rinaldo, Hercules, Alcina, Atalanta, Amadigi, Judas Maccabaeus, and Radamisto. Hearing these singers take a determinedly “old school” approach to Handel’s music is fascinating, diverting, challenging, sometimes amusing, and always revelatory. And overseeing it all is our beloved Bubbles!

RECORDINGS HEARD IN THIS EPISODE

All selections composed by George Frideric Handel

Antonio Salvi [after Ludovico Ariosti]: Volate, amori (Ariodante). Beverly Sills, Julius Rudel, Orchestra of the Washington Opera[live Washington 14.IX.1971]

from Semele, libretto by William Congreve [after Ovid]:

• Myself I shall adore. Beverly Sills, Robert Shaw, Cleveland Orchestra [live Cleveland 28.XII.1967]

• O sleep, why dost thou leave me. Alma Gluck, Walter B. Rogers, The Victor Orchestra [1916]

from Rinaldo, libretto by Giacomo Rossi [after Aaron Hill, based on Torquato Tasso]:

• Armida dispietata… Lascia ch’io pianga. Claudia Muzio [22.IV.1922]

• Bel piacere. Ileana Cotrubaș, Jean-Claude Malgoire, La Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy [1977]

Anonymous librettist, after Antonio Salvi: Rendi’l sereno al ciglio (Sosarme). Elisabeth Rethberg [1926]

Anonymous librettist, adapted from Silvio Stampiglia: Ombra mai fu (Serse) [sung in German]. Lotte Lehmann, Orchestra conducted by Frieder Weissmann [1928]

Unknown librettist, after Elisario Valeriani: Care selva (Atalanta). Florence Quartararo, Jean Morel, RCA Victor Orchestra [1947]

Anonymous librettist [possibly Nicola Haym, after Antoine Houdar de la Motte]: Ah! spietato (Amadigi). Teresa Żylis-Gara, Fritz Lehan, Helmut Hucke, Hans-Ludwig Hauck, Rudolf Seith, Consortium Musicum [1966]

Nicola Haym [German translation by Heinz Rückert] Helft, o Götter! [Sommi Dei!] (Radamisto). Hanne-Lore Kuhse, Horst-Tanu Margraf, Händel-Festspielorchester Halle [1962]

Thomas Broughton [after Ovid and others]: Where shall I fly? (Hercules). Christa Ludwig, Nicola Rescigno, American Opera Society Orchestra [live New York 02.XII.1960]

from Alcina, libretto by Riccardo Broschi [after Antonio Fanzaglia, from Ludovico Ariosti]

• Ah! Ruggiero crudel, tu no mi amasti! Christiane Eda-Pierre, Raymond Leppard, Scottish Chamber Orchestra [live Aix-en-Provence VII.1978]

• Mi lusinga il dolce affetto. Shirley Verrett, Warren Wilson [live Edinburgh Festival 31.VIII.1969]

from Giulio Cesare, libretto by Nicola Haym [after Giacomo Francesco Bussani]:

• Da tempeste. Renata Tebaldi, Herbert Albert, Orchestra del Teatro di San Carlo [live Pompeii 06.VII.1950]

• Tu la mia stella sei. Leontyne Price, Arnold Gamson, American Opera Society Orchestra [live New York 10.X.1958]

• V’adoro, pupille. Onelia Fineschi, Boris Christoff, Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Orchestra dell’Opera di Roma [live 26.XII.1955]

• Montserrat Caballé, Gabriele Ferro, Orchestra del Teatro dell’Opera di Roma [live Roma 30.I.1985]

• Piangerò la sorte mia. Renata Scotto, Ryan Edwards [live New York 16.II.1972]

• Se pietà di me non senti. Virginia Zeani, unknown conductor and orchestra [either Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala di Milano [live Milano 13.XII.1956] or Arnold Gamson, American Opera Society Orchestra [Philadelphia 18 December 1958]]

Thomas Morell: Brighter scenesI seek above (Jephtha). Reri Grist, Johannes Somary, English Chamber Orchestra [1969]

from Judas Maccabaeus, libretto by Thomas Morell:

• So shall the lute and harp awake. Victoria de los Ángeles, Adrian Boult, London Symphony Orchestra [1959]

• Again to earth let gratitude descend… O lovely peace. Martina Arroyo, Grace Bumbry, Maurice Abravanel, Utah Symphony [1959]

William Congreve [after Ovid]: Endless pleasure, endless love (Semele). Beverly Sills, Julius Rudel, Caramoor Festival Orchestra [live 21.VI.1969]