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Special offer. Handel: Serse

Anna Stéphany (Serse), Rosemary Joshua (Romilda), David Daniels (Arsamene), Hilary Summers (Amastre), Joélle Harvey (Atalanta), Andreas Wolf (Elviro), Brindley Sherratt (Ariodate)

Early Opera Company, Christian Curnyn

Handel: Serse

Awards:

[Stéphany's] is a stunning central performance, comfortably matched by incisive playing from the Early Opera Company orchestra. Sopranos Rosemary Joshua (as Romilda) and Joelle Harvey (Atalanta)...

BBC Music Magazine, November 20134 out of 5 stars

More reviews

Special offer. Handel: Serse

Anna Stéphany (Serse), Rosemary Joshua (Romilda), David Daniels (Arsamene), Hilary Summers (Amastre), Joélle Harvey (Atalanta), Andreas Wolf (Elviro), Brindley Sherratt (Ariodate)

Early Opera Company, Christian Curnyn

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Awards:

[Stéphany's] is a stunning central performance, comfortably matched by incisive playing from the Early Opera Company orchestra. Sopranos Rosemary Joshua (as Romilda) and Joelle Harvey (Atalanta)...

BBC Music Magazine, November 20134 out of 5 stars

More reviews

About

Handel’s opera Serse is characterised by its ironic libretto, humorous situations, and high number of short arias.

The main character is the unpredictably obsessive and volatile King Xerxes, a historical character who ruled the Achemenid Empire from 486 BC to 465 BC. The plot concerning the rivalry between Xerxes and his brother, Arsamene, for Romilda, however, is entirely fictional, as is the King’s betrayal of his fiancé, Amastre.

The opera is based on a libretto adapted by the poet Silvio Stampiglia for Giovanni Bononcini, whose setting was staged at Rome’s Teatro di Torre Nona in 1694. Handel completed his opera in 1738 in little more than a month. However, his typically swift pace and resourceful treatment of musical themes and models should not be misconstrued as complacency, carelessness, or low imaginative powers. The autograph manuscript reveals that Handel invested considerable skill in arias that are perfectly tailored to the dramatic storyline, many of which were meticulously crafted and then redrafted.

The opera was premiered at The King’s Theatre on the Haymarket on 15 April 1738, but it only received five performances, which at the time ranked it as one of Handel’s worst commercial failures. The opera was not performed again until Oscar Hagen’s arrangement was staged at Göttingen in 1924, after which several productions in the USA and the UK followed. In recent times, the work has finally received the recognition it deserves, partly thanks to the uncut production, mounted at English National Opera to mark the composer’s 300th birthday in 1985.

Serse is here performed by the Early Opera Company under Christian Curnyn, who won a BBC Music Award in 2013 for its recording of Handel’s Alceste. They are joined on this recording by a host of excellent soloists including Rosemary Joshua in the role of Romilda, Anna Stéphany as Xerxes, David Daniels as Arsamene, and Hilary Summers as Amastre.

  • Release date: 2nd Sep 2013
  • Label: Chandos
  • Series: Chaconne
  • Catalogue number: CHAN0797(3)
  • Length: 2 hours 45 minutes
  • Genre:

Contents and tracklist

Handel: Serse, HWV 40: No. 1, Overture
Work length5:32
Handel: Serse, HWV 40, Act I
Work length1:00:50
No. 2, Accompagnato. Frondi tenere, e belle (Serse)
Track length0:41
No. 3, Aria "Ombra mai fu" (Serse)
Track length2:21
No. 4, Recitativo "Siam giunti, Elviro…" (Arsamene)
Track length0:22
No. 5, Sinfonia e Recitativo "Sento un soave concento". Larghetto (Arsamene)
Track length1:49
No. 6, Aria "O voi…". Larghetto (Romilda)
Track length2:05
No. 7, Recitativo "Arsamene" (Serse)
Track length0:20
No. 8, Aria "Và godendo vezzoso e bello" (Romilda)
Track length2:11
No. 9, Recitativo "Quel canto a un bell' amor l'anima sforza" (Serse)
Track length1:13
No. 10, Aria "Io le dirò che l'amo" Andante (Serse)
Track length3:06
No. 11, Recitativo "Arsamene" (Romilda)
Track length1:01
No. 12, Aria "Si, si, mio ben, si, si" Larghetto (Atalanta)
Track length2:21
No. 13, Recitativo "Presto, Signor, vien Serse" (Elviro)
Track length1:11
No. 14, Aria "Meglio in voi col mio partire" Andante (Arsamene)
Track length2:04
No. 15, Recitativo "Bellissima Romilda, eh, non celate" (Serse)
Track length0:26
No. 16, Aria "Di tacere e di schernirmi" Andante (Serse)
Track length1:55
No. 17, Recitativo "Aspide sono a" detti tuoi d"amore" (Romilda)
Track length0:16
No. 18, Aria "Nemmen coll'ombre d'infedeltà" (Romilda)
Track length2:31
No. 19, Aria "Se cangio spoglia" Allegro (Amastre)
Track length1:41
No. 20, Recitativo "Pugnammo, amici, e stette"(Ariodate)
Track length0:19
No. 21, Coro "Già la tromba" (Soldati)
Track length0:38
No. 22, Recitativo "Ecco Serse, oh che volto, oh che splendore!" (Amastre)
Track length0:52
No. 23, Aria "Soggetti al mio volere" Andante (Ariodate)
Track length1:48
No. 24, Coro "Già la tromba" (Soldati)
Track length0:39
No. 25, Recitativo "Queste vittorie, io credo" (Serse)
Track length1:27
No. 26, Aria "Più che penso alle fiamme del core" Andante (Serse)
Track length8:35
No. 27, Recitativo "Eccoti il foglio, Elviro" (Arsamene)
Track length0:31
No. 28, Arioso "Signor, Signor, lasciate fare a me" Allegro (Elviro)
Track length0:32
No. 29, Aria "Non so se sia la speme" Larghetto (Arsamene)
Track length4:11
No. 30, Recitativo "Tradir di regia sposa" (Amastre)
Track length0:17
No. 31, Aria "Saprà delle mie offese" Allegro (Amastre)
Track length4:27
No. 32, Recitativo "Al fin sarete sposa al vostro Serse" (Atalanta)
Track length1:01
No. 33, Aria "Se l'idol mio" Allegro (Romilda)
Track length4:05
No. 34, Recitativo "Per rapir quel tesore" (Atalanta)
Track length0:15
No. 35, Aria "Un cenno leggiadretto" Allegro (Atalanta)
Track length3:39
Handel: Serse, HWV 40, Act II
Work length59:56
No. 36, Arioso "Speranze mie fermate" Larghetto (Amastre)
Track length0:41
No. 37, Arioso "Ah, chi voler fiora di bella giardina" (Elviro)
Track length0:40
No. 38, Recitativo "E chi direbbe mai ch'io sono Elviro?" (Elviro)
Track length2:24
No. 39, Aria "Or che siete, speranze, tradite" Allegro (Amastre)
Track length2:28
No. 40, Recitativo "Quel curioso è partito, oh! che indiscreto!" (Elviro)
Track length0:22
No. 41, Arioso e Recitativo "A piangere ogn'ora" Largo (Atalanta)
Track length1:17
No. 42, Arioso "Ah, tigre infedele!" Allegro (Elviro)
Track length0:13
No. 43, Recitativo "Parti, il re s'avvicina" (Atalanta)
Track length0:17
No. 44, Arioso "È tormento troppo fiero" Largo (Serse)
Track length1:04
No. 45, Recitativo "Di quel foglio, Atalanta" (Serse)
Track length1:06
No. 46, Aria "Dirà che amor per me" Andante allegro (Atalanta)
Track length1:32
No. 47, Recitativo "Voi quel foglio lasciate a me per prova" (Serse)
Track length0:10
No. 48, Aria "Dirà che non m'amò". Andante allegro (Atalanta)
Track length1:44
No. 49, Recitativo "Ingannata Romilda!" (Serse)
Track length0:32
No. 50, Duettino "L'amerete?" - "L'amerò" (Serse e Romilda)
Track length0:54
No. 51, Aria "Se bramate d'amar chi vi sdegna" Allegro (Serse)
Track length5:52
No. 52, Accompagnato "L'amerò? Non fia vero" (Romilda)
Track length0:55
No. 53, Aria "È gelosia" Andante (Romilda)
Track length2:40
No. 54, Recitativo "Giacché il duol non m'uccide" (Amastre)
Track length0:25
No. 55, Aria "Anima infida" Allegro (Amastre)
Track length1:40
No. 56, Recitativo "È pazzo affé" (Elviro)
Track length0:45
No. 57, Aria "Quella che tutta fé" Largo (Arsamene)
Track length3:34
No. 58, Coro "La virtute sol potea" (Marinari)
Track length0:23
No. 59, Recitativo "Ariodate" (Serse)
Track length0:32
No. 60, Coro "La virtute sol potea" (Marinari)
Track length0:26
No. 61, Arioso "Per dar fine alla mia pena". Larghetto (Arsamene)
Track length1:01
No. 62, Recitativo "Arsamene, over andate?" (Serse)
Track length1:15
No. 63, Aria "Si, la voglio e l'otterrò!". Allegro (Arsamene)
Track length2:33
No. 64, Recitativo "V'inchino, eccelso Re" (Atalanta)
Track length0:22
No. 65, Aria "Voi mi dite che non l'ami" (Atalanta)
Track length2:57
No. 66, Recitativo "Saria lieve ogni doglia" (Serse)
Track length0:17
No. 67, Aria "Il core spera e teme" Andante larghetto (Serse)
Track length5:54
No. 68, Accompagnato "Me infelice, ho smarrito il mio padrone!" (Elviro)
Track length0:58
No. 69, Aria "Del mio caro Bacco amabile" Allegro (Elviro)
Track length1:17
No. 70, Duettino "Gran pena è gelosia!" (Serse ed Amastre)
Track length1:34
No. 71, Recitativo "Aspra sorte!" (Serse)
Track length0:58
No. 72, Aria "Val più contento core" Allegro (Romilda)
Track length1:56
No. 73, Recitativo "Vuò ch'abbian fine ai miei dolori immensi" (Serse)
Track length1:11
No. 74, Aria "Chi cede al furore" Allegro (Romilda)
Track length5:07
Handel: Serse, HWV 40, Act III
Work length39:13
No. 75, Sinfonia. Andante
Track length2:47
No. 76, Recitativo "Sono vani i pretesti…" (Arsamene)
Track length1:32
No. 77, Aria "No, no, se tu mi sprezzi" Andante allegro (Atalanta)
Track length1:01
No. 78, Recitativo. "Ecco in segno di fé la destra amica" (Romilda)
Track length1:18
No. 79, Aria "Per rendermi beato" Andante (Serse)
Track length3:27
No. 80, Recitativo "Ubbidirò il mio re?" (Arsamene)
Track length0:56
No. 81, Aria "Amore, tiranno Amor" Larghetto (Arsamene)
Track length3:44
No. 82, Recitativo "Come già vi accennammo" (Serse)
Track length0:41
No. 83, Aria "Del Ciel d'amore" Andante allegro (Ariodate)
Track length2:20
No. 84, Recitativo "Il suo serto rifiuto" (Romilda)
Track length2:56
No. 85, Aria "Cagion son io" Andante (Amastre)
Track length2:31
No. 86, Recitativo "Romilda infida, e di me pensa ancora?" (Arsamene)
Track length0:18
No. 87, Duetto "Troppo oltraggi la mia fede" (Romilda and Arsamene)
Track length2:37
No. 88, Coro "Ciò che Giove destinò" (Ministri)
Track length0:36
No. 89, Recitativo "Ecco lo sposo! Io ben ne fui presago" (Ariodate)
Track length1:05
No. 90, Coro "Chi infelice si trovò" (Ministri)
Track length0:23
No. 91, Recitativo "Se ne viene Ariodate. È tempo omai" (Serse)
Track length1:56
No. 92, Aria "Crude furie degl'orridi abissi" Allegro (Serse)
Track length3:29
No. 93, Recitativo "Perfidi! E ancor osate" (Serse)
Track length1:54
No. 94, Aria e Coro "Caro voi siete all'alma" Andante (Romilda)
Track length3:42

Spotlight on this release

Awards and reviews

  • Gramophone Magazine
    September 2013
    Editor's Choice
  • Gramophone Awards
    2014
    Finalist - Baroque Vocal

November 2013

[Stéphany's] is a stunning central performance, comfortably matched by incisive playing from the Early Opera Company orchestra. Sopranos Rosemary Joshua (as Romilda) and Joelle Harvey (Atalanta) melt and sparkle to order, accompanied by fluttering recorders.
4 out of 5 stars

28th September 2013

an extremely classy account...Stéphany can compete with the best of today’s mezzos: she combines feeling, dignity, elegance...this really is a baroque vocal feast...Curnyn shows such an easy command of the idiom: there is no aggressive accenting or exaggeration of tempo.
5 out of 5 stars

September 2013

Stephany sings superbly...Joshua far eclipses her counterparts on the rival recordings, singing with sweet, sensuous tone and characterising deftly...Summers suggests the pathos as well as the outrage of Serse's wrong fiancee Amastre...this beautifully recorded new version is the one to go for.

August 2014

Replacing an indisposed Sarah Connolly at short notice, Anglo-French mezzo Anna Stéphany stamps her own authority and temperament on the title-role on Christian Curnyn's new recording of Serse with the Early Opera Company, starring David Daniels as Arsamene and Rosemary Joshua as Romilda.
Katherine Cooper

6th October 2013

[This] goes to the top of the list of original-language performances on disc...thanks to the conductor’s unerring sense of style...[Stéphany] launches the opera raptly...and is fearless in the two great bravura scenes...[Daniels's] lamenting arias approach the sublime here. A total success.

22nd September 2013

[a] flowing, affectionate and beautifully shaped reading...The cast is superb throughout...But it's Anna Stéphany's show: she sweeps all before her as a magnificent Serse. This is one of the most consistently satisfying current Handel opera recordings.
5 out of 5 stars

Early Music Today

With its short, tuneful arias and amorous imbroglios, Serse is delectable baroque entertainment, and the Early Opera Company’s polish and vivacity seem a fair exchange for Curnyn’s downplaying of the broader humour on offer.

Opera Now

Stéphany does a good job with the unstable Xerxes, snapping between sentimentality and psychopathy, and sings the part forcefully and with character...Curnyn conducts with spirit, though things flag a bit at the beginning of Act 3.
4 out of 5 stars
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