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Handel - Arminio

Soloists/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis | Format: MP3 Download
5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
Price: £15.99
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Disc 1:
  Song Title Artist Time Price    
Play   1. Arminio, ACT I: Ouverture Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 3:15 £0.89
Play   2. Arminio, ACT I: Menuet Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 1:03 £0.89
Play   3. Arminio, ACT I: Fuggi, fuggi mio bene Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 0:48 £0.89
Play   4. Arminio, ACT I: Il fuggir, cara mia vita Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 3:07 £0.89
Play   5. Arminio, ACT I: Signor, e in tuo poter Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 0:34 £0.89
Play   6. Arminio, ACT I: Non deve Roman petto dar all'amor ricetto Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 3:42 £0.89
Play   7. Arminio, ACT I: Ah! che un vero valore Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 0:13 £0.89
Play   8. Arminio, ACT I: Al lume di due rai piu fiero io pugnero Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 3:08 £0.89
Play   9. Arminio, ACT I: Colla spada d'Arminio Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 0:51 £0.89
Play 10. Arminio, ACT I: Scaglian amore e sangue Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 2:29 £0.89
Play 11. Arminio, ACT I: Arminio, al tuo furore Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 0:37 £0.89
Play 12. Arminio, ACT I: Al par della mia sorte ew forte questo cor Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 5:09 £0.89
Play 13. Arminio, ACT I: Se Arminio oggi non piega Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 0:20 £0.89
Play 14. Arminio, ACT I: Fiacchero quel fiero orgoglio Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 3:43 £0.89
Play 15. Arminio, ACT I: Non son sempre vane larve Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 5:21 £0.89
Play 16. Arminio, ACT I: Ramise oh Dei Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 0:50 £0.89
Play 17. Arminio, ACT I: Sento il cor per ogni lato circondato di spavento Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 3:24 £0.89
Play 18. Arminio, ACT I: Ohime! parte Ramise Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 0:39 £0.89
Play 19. Arminio, ACT I: E'vil segno d'un debole amore Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 4:42 £0.89
Play 20. Arminio, ACT I: Cruda sorella Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 1:02 £0.89
Play 21. Arminio, ACT I: Posso morir, posso morir, ma vivere Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 5:24 £0.89
Play 22. Arminio, ACT II: Sinfonia Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 1:57 £0.89
Play 23. Arminio, ACT II: Come, Signor, vorrai? Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 0:37 £0.89
Play 24. Arminio, ACT II: Con quel sangue dipinta vedrai Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 4:15 £0.89
Play 25. Arminio, ACT II: Questo e, Signore, di Cesare il volere Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 0:29 £0.89
Play 26. Arminio, ACT II: Duri lacci! voi non siete Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 3:09 £0.89
Play 27. Arminio, ACT II: Arminio, in questi accenti Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 0:57 £0.89
Play 28. Arminio, ACT II: Si cadro, ma sorgera sempre vivo Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 3:50 £0.89
Play 29. Arminio, ACT II: Figlia, son vani i pianti Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 0:37 £0.89
Play 30. Arminio, ACT II: Al furor che ti consiglia ad Augusto Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 3:35 £0.89
Play 31. Arminio, ACT II: Prencipe senza fede! Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 1:10 £0.89
Play 32. Arminio, ACT II: Niente spero, tutto credo Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 4:09 £0.89
Disc 2:
  Song Title Artist Time Price    
Play   1. Arminio, ACT II: O Ramise, o Segeste Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 0:21 £0.89
Play   2. Arminio, ACT II: Quella fiamma, ch'il petto m'accende Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 7:12 £0.89
Play   3. Arminio, ACT II: Ola! custodi Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 1:17 £0.89
Play   4. Arminio, ACT II: Vado, vado a morir Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 6:13 £0.89
Play   5. Arminio, ACT II: Tusnelda, io son confuso Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 0:54 £0.89
Play   6. Arminio, ACT II: Rendimi il dolce sposo Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 6:19 £0.89
Play   7. Arminio, ACT III: Fier teatro di morte Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 1:08 £0.89
Play   8. Arminio, ACT III: Ministri, alla mia morte Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 0:39 £0.89
Play   9. Arminio, ACT III: Ritorno alle ritorte Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 4:36 £0.89
Play 10. Arminio, ACT III: Del castello in difesa Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 0:20 £0.89
Play 11. Arminio, ACT III: Mira il Ciel, vendrai d'Alcide Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 6:04 £0.89
Play 12. Arminio, ACT III: Ho veleno e ferro avanti Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 2:04 £0.89
Play 13. Arminio, ACT III: Ti stringo, o illustre acciaro Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 0:41 £0.89
Play 14. Arminio, ACT III: Quando piu minaccia il cielo Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 1:45 £0.89
Play 15. Arminio, ACT III: Arminio sventurato Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 0:51 £0.89
Play 16. Arminio, ACT III: Il sangue al cor favella amore Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 2:58 £0.89
Play 17. Arminio, ACT III: Tra speme e timore mi palpita il core Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 1:21 £0.89
Play 18. Arminio, ACT III: Mia sposa! mia sorella Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 0:55 £0.89
Play 19. Arminio, ACT III: Fatto scorta al sentier della gloria Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 4:52 £0.89
Play 20. Arminio, ACT III: Va che nel dubbio calle Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 0:10 £0.89
Play 21. Arminio, ACT III: Va, combatti ancor da forte Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 4:04 £0.89
Play 22. Arminio, ACT III: Sigismondo, qui resti vittima di Segeste Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 0:59 £0.89
Play 23. Arminio, ACT III: Impara a non temer dal mio costante amor Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 3:45 £0.89
Play 24. Arminio, ACT III: Perche mi dividete dal bell idolo mio Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 0:08 £0.89
Play 25. Arminio, ACT III: Voglio seguir lo sposo, barbari, dispietati Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 2:59 £0.89
Play 26. Arminio, ACT III: Fuggiam, Signor, Varo rimase estinto Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 1:00 £0.89
Play 27. Arminio, ACT III: Ritorna nel core vezzosa brillante / Risplende nell'alma amante festante Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 4:56 £0.89
Play 28. Arminio, ACT III: Goda nostr'alma appieno Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 0:20 £0.89
Play 29. Arminio, ACT III: A capir tante dolcezze Vivica Genaux/Geraldine McGreevy/Dominique Labelle/Manuela Custer/Luigi Petroni/Sytse Buwalda/Riccardo Ristori/Il Complesso Barocco/Alan Curtis 1:56 £0.89
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Product details

  • Original Release Date: 28 Nov 2005
  • Release Date: 14 Aug 2001
  • Number of Discs: 2
  • Label: Virgin Classics
  • Copyright: (C) 2001 EMI Records Ltd./Virgin Classics
  • Total Length: 2:25:53
  • Genres:
  • ASIN: B001IYLKIS
  • Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 299,301 in MP3 Albums (See Top 100 in MP3 Albums)

Customer Reviews

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
'Arminio' is not one of Handel's better known operas nor is it ever likely to be. The plot and libretto are fairly poor, characterisation and motivation lazy and unconvincing. Handel's music however is often excellent and well worth hearing and this is one of Alan Curtis' most consistently pleasing recordings in my opinion.

I accept that Vivica Genaux's voice might be an acquired taste (I know people who can't stand it) but I like it very much and this is one of her best recordings to date culminating in the joyous and brillianly executed 'Fatto scorta'. The final duet with Geraldine McGreevy as faithful wife Tusnelda is also very enjoyable. McGreevy again proves to be a lovely recording artist (I have been disappointed in live performances) and the other female soloists are also very fine (Dominique Labelle and Manuela Custer). The men fare less well though I did like the robust countertenor of Sytse Buwalda.

It's unlikely that there will another full recording of 'Arminio' anytime soon but that's OK as this one will do very well. Highly recommended!
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Amazon.com:  3 reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
The Music is Enough... 11 Jun 2009
By Customer Formerly Known as Giordano Bruno - Published on Amazon.com
Format:Audio CD
... without staging and without laboring through the stuffy libretto in Italian or English, to make Handel's Arminio a balmy entertainment. Most of the flashiest arias, the showiest instrumental passages, the touchingest affectations come in the second and third acts, on CD 2, so be sure you hold judgment on the performance until then, when you've had a chance to hear the unusual duet/trio/quartet recitativos, even including some passages sung by overlapping voices, and the defiant, heroic arias of Arminio and Sigismundo.

Any skepticism I've expressed in other reviews about Vivica Genoux can be dismissed in light of her splendid singing as Arminio, a role which allows her to exploit her lower mezzo timbre to beautiful effect as well as to show off her 'concitato' (frenzied) athleticism. The two higher sopranos, Geraldine McGreevy and Dominique Labelle, achieve dramatic intensity without sacrificing beauty of timbre or accuracy of tuning, evidence I think of the inspiring standards that conductor Alan Curtis always demands of his performers. Basso Riccardo Ristori might seem a little impassive dramatically, in his role as the heavy, but his musical profundo more than compensates. How often do you hear a basso sing sixteenth-note arpeggios with tonal clarity and precision? Italian tenor Luigi Petroni, singing the role of the Roman general Varo, has more technique than natural voice, and I suppose the same is true of countertenor Sytse Buwalda as a Roman captain, but both singers are fully enjoyable to hear.

The opera seria Arminio was first sung in London in 1737. This recording was made in 2001, using a score prepared by Alan Curtis himself. The instrumental parts, fortified by Curtis to suit his polished ensemble Il Complesso Barocco, are robust and stirring, with brilliant moments for the oboes, horns, and theorbos.

This 2-CD recording is.... are you ready for the good news?... included in the box of six Handel operas recently released by Virgin Classics at a rock-bottom price. The other five operas are Rodrigo, Radamisto, Admeto, Fernando, and Deidamia, all recorded by Il Complesso Barocco between 1978 and 2007. Each opera has a different cast of singers, but all six are superlative.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Very Worthwhile Despite Weaknesses 12 Jan 2008
By Leslie Richford - Published on Amazon.com
Format:Audio CD
George Frideric Handel (1685 - 1759): Arminio. Opera in 3 Acts with a libretto by Antonio Salvi. Cast: Vivica Genaux, mezzosoprano (Arminio); Geraldine McGreevy, soprano (Tusnelda); Dominique Labelle, soprano (Sigismondo); Manuela Custer, mezzosoprano (Ramise); Luigi Petroni, tenor (Varo); Sytse Buwalda, countertenor (Tullio); Riccardo Ristori, bass (Segeste); Il Complesso Barocco, dir. Alan Curtis. Recorded at the Teatro dei Rozzi in Siena, Italy, in July 2000, and released in 2001 by Virgin Classics (EMI) as 7243 5 45461 2 9. Total playing time: 146'26".

"Arminio" must be considered as one of Handel's minor operatic works, even though it contains some very attractive, but generally rather conventional music. It was staged by Handel himself towards the end of his career as impresario (1737) and only had six performances, its reception being so bad that it was never staged again until the 20th century. The main problem, of course, is not the music but the libretto, the Italian original (based on Tacitus) having been shortened almost to the point of unintelligibity for the London stage (Handel's English audiences had a notorious dislike of Italian recitative). All this is the subject of Alan Curtis's introductory essay in the documentation, which is here pleasingly complemented by a radio talk given by Donna Leon, explaining some of the intricacies of the "plot", such as it is. I found these essays attractive reading, but was a little disappointed to find that the libretto in the booklet was given only in Italian and in the "translation" used by Handel himself in the 18th century, this being, in fact, anything but literal and blowing up the fairly sane Italian text with Georgian poetic bombast. Despite Donna Leon's misgivings about the plot, I found the moral conflicts involved in the various dilemmas facing the characters to be quite challenging. Yes, of course the 18th century had its conventions, but I still prefer a good opera seria with its often cathartic approach to, say, a 19th century Verismo opera or to the decadence of Viennese operetta.

I agree with another reviewer that the instrumental side of this performance is the greatest highlight, with Alan Curtis's conducting proving him once again to be one of the "grand old men" of the revival of Handel's operas. His choice of singers, on the other hand, is a matter of taste. Vivica Genaux, of course, needs no recommendation from the likes of me; since her album of "Arias for Farinelli" she has been a Handelian star, and her performance as Arminio is beyond criticism. Her rich, dark, creamy mezzo combines with a fire in her declamation which lifts her head and shoulders above the rest of the cast. Dominique Labelle as Sigismondo, the indecisive son of Arminio's enemy Segeste (and the equally indecisive lover of Arminio's sister Ramise), has a pleasingly agile soprano voice which grew on me while listening to these CDs. Geraldine McGreevy, Tusnelda, is a singer I had not come across anywhere before, and I felt that her performance was one which improved during the opera - at the beginning she seemed remarkably "cool" (not to say, cold), and even at the end, when she has some beautiful arias, I felt that a little more "fuoco" would have enhanced her performance. Manuela Custer, mezzo, was a satisfying Ramise.

The male voices, on the other hand, were somewhat disappointing. Sytse Buwalda, countertenor, is able to sing Tullio quite plesantly, but he certainly isn't in the Andreas Scholl class, his timbre sounding falsetto-like and reminding me rather of some of the efforts at countertenor in the 80s. Segeste (Riccardo Ristori) remains surprisingly pale for a villain of his calibre, but it is the tenor part of Varo which here really seems to be the Achilles heel of the production. Without wishing to be unkind, I felt on a number of occasions that I wanted, literally, to shake this Italian performer into a bit of temperament; I think the best I can say of him is that he was involved in the production.

All in all, this is, despite the weaknesses, a very worthwhile project which has closed one of the last gaps in the Handel opera discography and provides some excellent insights into the way Handel combined genius with convention in the battle for survival as an impresario.
7 of 15 people found the following review helpful
I am THRILLED with this opera---and with it's cast! 3 Jan 2002
By A Customer - Published on Amazon.com
Format:Audio CD
I am so glad to have discovered this opera. What a magnificent cast! Vivica Genaux [Arminio] and Geraldine McGreevy [Tusnelda] are a JOY to behold and hear!
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