Porpora - Arias - Karina Gauvin (2009 )

Friday, December 11, 2009

Porpora - Arias - Karina Gauvin (2009 )

This recording should have enough appeal to put Karina Gauvin on the radar of anyone who enjoys glorious singing.

Karina Gauvin sings better in every new recording. Just this year she dazzled with her Morgana in Archiv's new Alcina, and now she offers a very special recital with opera arias from Handel's London rival Nicola Porpora. This was a great idea. Porpora of course, is not as great a composer as Handel, rather like Salieri or Paisiello to Mozart, but not being that kind of genius doesn't mean that he was a mediocre composer, he was a famous man in his time, working in the opera houses of Naples, Venice, London and Vienna, and he taught and composed for many of the great castratos of his day, including Farinelli. The music of Porpora is very different from Handel's, so maybe there is no point in comparing them, just as Salieri and Mozart are so different from each other. Karina Gauvin fully understands this and sings in a more italianate way his arias. She is admirable: she embellishes with exquisite taste, her trills are sure and exciting, but most important of all, she has the imagination to give variety and interest to a succession of arias. In all these she has the invaluable support of the marvelous ensemble Complesso Barocco and the experience of Alan Curtis

CD Content

01. Adelaïde: Nobil Onda
02. Adelaïde: Non Sempre Invendicata
03. Ezio: Misera, Dove Son?
04. Ezio: Non Son Io Che Parlo
05. Polifemo: Aci, Amato Mio Bene
06. Polifemo: Smanie
07. Imeneo: Mi Chiederesti
08. Angelica: Mentre Rendo A Te La Vita
09. Arianna: Overture
10. Arianna: Ahi Che Langue
11. Arianna: Il Tuo Dolce Mormorio
12. Arianna: Misera, E Che Farò?
13. Arianna: Misera Scenturata
14. Arianna: Si Caro Ti Consola