Handel: Teseo / Fagioli, Schneiderman, Junghanel

Notes and Editorial Reviews

This is a hybrid Super Audio CD playable on both regular and Super Audio CD players.

A fine record of a memorable occasion.

Teseo is, structurally, one of Handel's most fascinating operas. The libretto is based on that of Quinault and Lully's Thésée and Handel and his librettist kept the five-act structure. It may be that they intended to incorporate more of the danced divertissements which were an important part of Lully's operas. But the opera, as composed, did not include these for whatever reason. But Teseo still has something of a French feel to it as, not only is it in five acts, but the disposition of arias does not correspond to Italian practice. In Read more Teseo the characters do not usually have exit arias, in fact Medea spends quite a lot of time on the stage in a way which would be unusual in Italian opera.

Handel seems to have had a soft spot for magic operas with ill-tempered and tempestuous sorceresses, Armida ( Rinaldo), Alcina as well as Medea in Teseo. In fact Medea is unusual in that she departs the opera in the last Act in a welter of flames, completely unrepentant, rather than either conveniently dying or repenting in time for the final coro.

This new recording is based on live performances at Stuttgart's Staatsoper in May 2009. The CD booklet includes colour pictures from the production, which was determinedly modern dress. But though the opera was accompanied by the modern instrument Staatsorchester Stuttgart under Konrad Junghänel, the performance style includes plenty of period style. The requirements of contemporary opera production are probably reflected in the fact that all three of the leading male characters are played by counter-tenors, whereas Handel used two castratos and a contralto.

It is with the counter-tenors that this recording seems to be weakest. Kai Wessel as King Egeo is rather hooty and chesty at first, though possessed of a fine technique, but his tone quality improves by the time we get to the final act. Similarly I found Matthias Rexroth's Arcane somewhat blowsy of tone. For Act 1 of the opera, neither Medea nor Teseo appears, so it is with these other characters that the task of holding our attention resides. In fact, though I was less than enamoured of their vocal qualities, both Wessel and Rexroth turn in superb dramatic performances and, as I have said, Wessel's technique is just fine.

When it comes to the women in Act 1, Olga Poylyakova's Clizia is fine if a little under-stated. But Jutta Böhnert's Agilea is delightful. She has an attractive, clear bright voice, at first a little tight at the top but she relaxes during the performance. Throughout the opera, Böhnert is one of the high points.

But it is Medea that we are all waiting for. Any performance of Teseo stands or falls by the account of the tempestuous title role. Helene Schneiderman is no disappointment - she has the temperament to encompass the role. She is not frightened of using a somewhat resinous tone where necessary, but can also sound fascinating and charming; you understand the character's attraction.

In the title role, Franco Fagioli has a rich, vibrato-laden voice which, ironically, sounds rather mezzo-soprano like. When singing lyrical passages, his voice has attractive qualities, but frankly he fails in the faster passagework where he can sound effortful and his vibrato conflicts with the faster passages. In fact, most of the cast has trouble with their passagework at one time or another. Notwithstanding these technical limitations, many of the singers include over-elaborate cadenzas and radically recompose the da capos.

I must admit that, from what I have written so far, you are probably thinking of giving this set a miss. If you do so, then you will be missing a rather terrific performance. True, the cast is a bit mixed and there are not many great voices on display. But they take their places in a live performance, and this shows. You can sense that a drama is unfolding and their account of the opera is vividly involving, even if you are not following the libretto. The performance is anchored by Schneiderman's terrific Medea, but all the singers give lively and dramatic performances. The recitatives in particular really sound as if something is happening.

The soloists are finely accompanied by the Staatsorchester Stuttgart, who are crisp and lively and nicely off the string; thought has obviously gone into the performance style of the piece.

The CD booklet includes the full libretto in English, Italian, German and French along with articles on the opera pictures of the original state production.

This is a fine record of what was obviously a memorable occasion. Other recordings of the opera are technically superior, and I remain rather fond of Marc Minkowski's account with Della Jones's rather over the top Medea. But this disc makes a fine companion to this, one which reflects the virtues of recording live performances.

-- Robert Hugill, MusicWeb International
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Works on This Recording

1. Teseo, HWV 9 by George Frideric Handel

Performer: Kai Wessel (Countertenor), Jutta Böhnert (Soprano), Franco Fagioli (Voice),
Helene Schneiderman (Mezzo Soprano), Matthias Rexroth (Countertenor)
Conductor: Konrad Junghänel
Orchestra/Ensemble: Stuttgart State Orchestra
Period: Baroque
Written: by 1712; London, England

Sound Samples

Teseo, HWV 9: Overture

Teseo, HWV 9: Act I Scene 2: Recitative: Sia qual vuole il mio fato (Agilea)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act I Scene 2: Recitative: Clizia, son gli Ateniesi (Agilea, Clizia)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act I Scene 2: Air: E' pur bello in nobil core (Agilea)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act 1 Scene 3: Recitative: Ora svelaci Arcane (Agilea, Arcane)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act I Scene 3: Air: Deh serbate o giusti Dei! (Agilea)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act I Scene 4: Air: Ti credo, si ben mio (Clizia)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act I Scene 4: Recitative: Parte Agilea per venerar la Dea (Clizia, Arcane)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act I Scene 4: Recitative: Comanda dunque, o bella (Arcane, Clizia)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act I Scene 4: Air: Ah! cruda Gelosia (Arcane)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act I Scene 4: Recitative: Dunque all'affetto mio (Clizia, Arcane)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act I Scene 4: Duet: Addio, mio caro bene (Clizia, Arcane)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act I Scene 5: Air: Serenatevi, o luci belle (Egeo)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act I Scene 5: Recitative: Or ch' affermito ho il soglio (Egeo, Agilea)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act I Scene 5: Air: Ricordati, oh bella (Egeo)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act I Scene 5: Recitative: Ah, che sol per Teseo arde quest'alma (Agilea)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act I Scene 5: Air: M'adora l'idol mio (Agilea)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act II Scene 1: Air: Dolce riposo, ed innocente pace (Medea)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act II Scene 1: Recitative: L'infelice Medea (Medea)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act II Scene 1: Air: Quell'amor ch'e nato forza (Medea)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act II Scene 2: Recitative: Delle armi nostre, il fortunato evento (Egeo, Medea)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act II Scene 2: Duet: Si ti lascio, si ti sprezzo (Medea, Egeo)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act II Scene 3: Recitative: Sire, tutto e periglio (Arcane, Egeo)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act II Scene 4: Ogn'un acclami il nostro Alcide (Chorus)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act II Scene 4: Recitative: Amici, a bastanza mostraste il vostro affetto (Teseo)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act II Scene 5: Recitative: Teseo, dove ten vai? (Medea, Teseo)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act II Scene 5: Air: Quanto che a me sian care (Teseo)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act II Scene 5: Recitative: Ai vostri Amori, temo (Medea, Teseo)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act II Scene 5: Air: Non so piu che bramar (Teseo)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act II Scene 6: Accompagnato: Ira, sdegno, e furore (Medea)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act II Scene 6: Air: O Stringero nel sen (Medea)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act III Scene 1: Air: Luci del mio bene (Arcane)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act III Scene 1:Recitative: Opportuna qui guinge Clizia mio ben (Arcane, Clizia)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act III Scene 1: Air: Risplendete amiche stelle (Clizia)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act III Scene 1: Recitative: Perdona, omai perdona (Arcane, Clizia)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act III Scene 1: Air: Piu non cerca liberta (Arcane)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act III Scene 2: Recitative: Quivi sara tra poco (Clizia, Agilea)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act III Scene 2: Air: Vieni, torna, idolo mio (Agilea)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act III Scene 3: Recitativo: Pur ti riveggio al fine (Teseo, Agilea)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act III Scene 3: Air: A te mia bella sempre omai fedel, sara (Teseo)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act III Scene 4: Recitative: Egeo di qui venir m'impose (Arcane, Agilea, Clizia)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act III Scene 5: Recitative: Tu ben sai principessa (Medea, Agilea)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act III Scene 5: Trio: Numi, chi ci soccorre (Agilea, Arcane, Clizia)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act III Scene 5: Accompagnato: Ombre, sortite dall'eterna notte (Medea, Agilea)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act III Scene 5: Air: Sibillando, ululando, fulminate, la rival (Medea)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act IV Scene 1: Recitative: Sire, come imponesti (Arcane, Egeo)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act IV Scene 1: Air: Voglio stragi, e voglio morte (Egeo)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act IV Scene 1: Recitative: Amor per Agilea (Arcane)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act IV Scene 1: Air: Benche tuoni, e l'etra avampi (Arcane)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act IV Scene 2: Recitativo: Cruda; ed ancor non vuoi (Agilea, Medea)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act IV Scene 2: Recitative: E che mai veggio, oh Dio (Agilea)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act IV Scene 3: Air: Deh! v'aprite, o luci belle (Agilea)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act IV Scene 3: Recitative: E ancor su'gli occhi miei (Medea)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act IV Scene 3: Air: Dal cupo baratro venite, o Furie (Medea)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act IV Scene 3: Recitative: S'arma contro di me tutto l'inferno (Agilea, Medea)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act IV Scene 4: Arioso: Chi ritorna alla mia mente (Teseo)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act IV Scene 4: Mira qual cura prendo (Medea, Teseo)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act IV Scene 5: Recitative: Agilea piu non m'ama (Teseo, Agilea)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act IV Scene 5: Qual tigre e qual megera (Teseo)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act IV Scene 5: Tu piangi! e a me, l'ascondi! (Teseo, Agilea)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act IV Scene 5: Amarti si vorrei (Agilea)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act IV Scene 6: Non vi lagnate piu fidi amatori (Medea, Agilea, Teseo)

Teseo, HWV 9: Act IV Scene 7: Cara, caro, ti dono in pegno il cor (Teseo, Agilea)

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