Join Amazon Prime and get unlimited Free One-Day Delivery. Already a member? Sign in.

Quantity:

More Buying Choices

20 used & new from �13.50

Have one to sell? Sell yours here

	Available to Download Now
	Buy the MP3 album for �12.99

See larger image and other views

Share your own customer images

Handel: Fernando

~ Antonio Abete (Bass), George Frederick Handel (Composer), Alan Curtis (Conductor), Max Emanuel Cencic (Counter Tenor), Marianna Pizzolato (Mezzo Soprano), et al.

3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)

Price:	�29.17 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
	o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

In stock.
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk. Gift-wrap available.

Only 2 left in stock--order soon (more on the way).

Want guaranteed delivery by Saturday, July 11? Choose Express delivery at checkout. See Details

15 new from �16.99 5 used from �13.50

Buy the MP3 album for �12.99 at the Amazon MP3 Downloads store.

Discover millions of songs and albums in our MP3 music downloads store.

Frequently Bought Together

Price For All Three: �77.13

Some of these items ship sooner than the others. Show details

This item: Handel: Fernando ~ Antonio Abete
In stock.
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
This item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
Handel: Radamisto ~ Carlo Lepore
Usually dispatched within 9 to 12 days.
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
This item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
Handel - Floridante ~ Marijana Mijanovic
In stock.
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
This item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Handel - Faramondo

~ Max Emanuel Cencic

5.0 out of 5 stars (2) �13.98

Handel: Ezio

~ Ann Hallenberg

5.0 out of 5 stars (2) �22.98

Handel - Tolomeo / Hallenberg, Gauvin, Bonitatibus, Basso, Spagnoli, Il Complesso Barocco, Curtis

~ Ann Hallenberg

4.8 out of 5 stars (4) �23.98

Handel - Oreste

~ Petros Magoulas

5.0 out of 5 stars (1) �13.69

Handel - Floridante

~ Marijana Mijanovic

4.0 out of 5 stars (1) �23.98

› Explore similar items

Product details

Orchestra: Il Complesso Barocco
Conductor: Alan Curtis
Composer: George Frederick Handel
Audio CD (5 Feb 2007)
SPARS Code: DDD
Number of Discs: 2
Label: Virgin Classics
ASIN: B000FIHZM8
Other Editions: MP3 Download

Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)

Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 102,350 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Customers Viewing This Page May Be Interested in These Sponsored Links

(What is this?)

Antonio

www.thomsonbeach.com Antonio 2009 Sale Save up to �150 per couple

Pino Art

www.TheOnlineArtShop.com Up to 16% discount on limited edition prints by Pino

Listen to Samples and Buy MP3s

Songs from this album are available to purchase as MP3s. Click on "Buy MP3" or view the MP3 Album.

Disc 1:

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

(What's this?)

Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.

george frideric handel(1)

lawrence zazzo(1)

Customer Reviews

3 Reviews

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

Average Customer Review

3.0 out of 5 stars (3 customer reviews)

Share your thoughts with other customers:

Create your own review

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Diamond from Curtis & Co., 27 Feb 2007

By	Morten Fuglestad (Norway) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

It is not a surprise that Sosarme, Re di Media (which was the name this opera had it's premiere under in 1732) was a huge success. The plot of hostillity between a father and a son is timeless, but in 1732 the relations between King George II and Frideric, Prince of Wales, were ice cold, and was at the centre of gossip and politics in England. The public took interest in the subject and perhaps this issue also was a main inspiration for Handel in composing this opera and choosing this libretto, which probably had been gathering dust on Handel's shelves for about 25 years at this point.

It was probably the touchy relations with Portugal (an important allied to Britain) that made Handel switch the tittle from Fernando, Re di Castiglia to Sosarme, Re di Media, when he set about to compose Act III, and thus change the names of the characters. By this easy change of names Handel showed that the opera was not a commentary on political issues in Portugal, but rather on the theme of reconcilliation of a father and a son.

Charles Burney (a leading historian of music in second half of the 18th century) thought highly of this opera and deemed it one of Handel's best. The first aria (Handel' only aria in B-major) in the opera (I;1), beautifly sung by Veronica Cangemi (Elvida), is very moving and should be "canonised" into the main repetoire of sopranos. Also the duet "Per le porte del tormento" (II;8) is stunning, and Burney mentions this particullary as a true masterpiece. Here Elvida sings together with Fernando (Lawrence Zazzo), and this duet is perhaps worth the two CDs alone.

The tenor Filippo Adami (Dionisio, king of Portugal) has one of the most demanding parts in this opera. Adami is a good actor and infuses the role with a tremendous sense of energy. Antonio Abete's bass (Altomaro) is also full of life, which is remarkable, as Curtis' casting of the bass Vito Priante in Vivaldi's Montezuma was a real letdown. Abete has nouances in his voice that is ideal to his interpretation of the villain's part. Altomaro isn't Handel's most interesting psycological portrayal of a villain, but he certainly composed some impressive music to his famed bass Mantagnena for this opera, and Abete is perfect for this.

Fernando is sung by counter-tenor Lawrence Zazzo. His interpretations are not so tastefull as i.e. a Phillipe Jarousky (which I belive would be ideal in this part) surely would have sung it. However Zazzo has a real sense of drama and heroism in the war-like arias and is moving in the more sensual arias. The other counter-tenor part, Sancio (Fernando's half-brother), is sung by Max Emanuel Cencic. His part in the plot is quite important, and could, with a little rewriting of the libretto, have been the protagonist. Cencic's interpretation of Sancio's first aria "Si, si minacia" (I;6), where his over-genorous use of vibrato in order to portray vengance threatening to destroy the kingdom, seems to go dangeroulsy near the pathetic. In other arias he showes a more interesting use of his voice, and on the whole he is a good singer.

Curtis' conducting is dramatic and brings shades and light to the music without sacrificing poetry to drama. He is alert to the different rethorical modi which the arias calls upon and pushes the story forward with his deep sense of the drama's logical unity.

As Curtis' interpretation of Deidamia (Handel's last opera) showed, he is not at all suited to the humoristic modes in Handel. There are however no comic elements in Fernando, and this fullfledged seria opera is more in his vein.

The recording (2005) from Tonhalle, St. Gallen, is quite dry and renders the bass a little wooly. You will certainly not find the close microphone sound of many of todays baroque-orchestras, but if you like the sound (and approach to Handel) of his compatriot Nicholas McGegan, this recording will certainly prove a very succesfull one.

It is also very nice to have Veronica Cangemi in such a splendid role where this rising star is given sufficient room to shine.

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 'Sosarme' by another name, 2 Dec 2008

By	Iain C. Davidson "iain1825" (Scotland) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

'Fernando' is basically Handel's opera 'Sosarme' in a brief earlier incarnation. There seems to have been little point in Alan Curtis recording the opera under this name other than to market it under the banner of 'world premiere'. The music and plot are almost exactly the same with only the character names changing. Having said that, this is still a very good recording of the piece.

I have not heard the ancient Alfred Deller recording and can make no comparisons to that. I have however heard the Somary recording on Newport Classics and Curtis' reading of the piece is almost entirely superior to that. Curtis' cast is preferable to Somary's in most respects - two exceptions being the roles of Isabella/Erinice (sung very beautifully for Somary by Jennifer Lane) and Dionisio/Haliate (John Aler in much better voice for Somary that Fillipo Adamo's rough, nasal whine for Curtis. Lawrence Zazzo in the title role of Fernando is in excellent voice and brings considerable drama to the role. Veronica Cangemi is pretty good as Elvida (although to hear the ravishing 'Per la porte' duet sung really well you have to go to the duets disc with Joyce DiDonato and Patrizia Ciofi) and Max Cencic brings a warm, graceful tone to the part of Sancio. I find the basses in the two recordings quite equally matched; Abete has the fresher more agile voice but there is also something appealing about Nathaniel Watson's more sonorous tones for Somary.

I don't find Curtis' conducting boring - I think it springs along quite nicely although without that extra something that a conductor like Rene Jacobs sometimes brings to a piece (in fairness sometimes he brings too much!). I liked this recording overall and would recommend it.

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)

9 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A missed opportunity, 22 Feb 2007

By	Webster Forrest (London United Kingdom) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Despite the presence of first rate singers Cangemi, Zazzo and Cencic in this recording, this is one of the most boring recordings of an opera I've heard to date. This must be ascribed to the unimaginative direction by Curtis, a cast otherwise containing competent to mediocre singers and an uninspired ensemble which sounds small and ineffective in the more dramatic moments. The score is not remarkable when compared with "Alcina" or "Tamerlano", however it does contain many items of interest: 'Dite pace', 'Fra l'ombre', 'Cuor di madre' to name but a few. This recording is only worth the purchase as it attempts to recreate Handel's original intention of setting the drama in renaissance Portugal instead of the mythical antiquity of Sosarme, Re di Media. The much older recording with Alfred Deller as Sosarme should remain preferable overall, as it is more energetic and engaging than this present dull recording. What this project needed in my opinion was a Minkowkis or a Jacobs at the helm.

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review

› See all 3 customer reviews...

.jsOffDisplayBlock { display: block; } .jsOffDisplayInline { display: inline; } .jsOffVisibility { visibility: visible; } .jsOnDisplayBlock { display: none; } .jsOnDisplayNoneBlock { display: block; } .jsOnDisplayNoneInline { display: inline; } .jsOnDisplayInline { display: none; } .jsOnVisibility { visibility: hidden; } .jsOnDisplayBlock { display: none; } .jsOnDisplayInline { display: none; } .jsOnVisibility { visibility: hidden; }

Customer Discussions

Beta (What's this?)

This product's forum (0 discussions)

	Discussion	Replies	Latest Post
	No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight

Start a new discussion

Topic:

First post:

Prompts for sign-in

[Cancel]

Guidelines

Active discussions in related forums

Discussion	Replies	Latest Post
classical music English Renaissence Music	29	4 hours ago
classical music Bruckner & Shostakovich...Best places to start??	70	6 hours ago
classical music Jazz...	1	6 hours ago
music Slade's Dave Hill's Prog album went where?	12	6 hours ago
music One Artist Collection	20	6 hours ago
music Can a thread have a point ?	13	6 hours ago
music Curved Air	6	6 hours ago

Related forums

classical music (172 discussions)
music (810 discussions)

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

	39% buy the item featured on this page: Handel: Fernando 3.0 out of 5 stars (3) �29.17
	34% buy Handel - Faramondo 5.0 out of 5 stars (2) �13.98
	10% buy Handel - Tolomeo / Hallenberg, Gauvin, Bonitatibus, Basso, Spagnoli, Il Complesso Barocco, Curtis 4.8 out of 5 stars (4) �23.98
	10% buy Handel - Riccardo Primo, re d'Inghilterra / Zazzo, Rial, McGreevy, Kammerorchster Basel, Goodwin 5.0 out of 5 stars (3) �14.98

Explore similar items

Listmania!

Essential Handel Recordings: A list by Music Lover
Arleen Aug�r (soprano) - great recordings . . .: A list by Dalua
Max Emanuel Cencic: A list by Mr Richard Fitzsimmons

Create a Listmania! list

Look for similar items by category

Music > Classical > Classical Instrumental > Chamber Music
Music > Classical > Classical Instrumental > Composers
Music > Classical > Classical Instrumental > Record Labels > Virgin Classics
Music > EMI Classics > All EMI Classics
Music > EMI Classics > Classical Instrumental
Music > EMI Classics > Opera & Vocal

Feedback

Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Health & Beauty at Amazon.co.uk

From soap to shavers, massagers to mascara, stock up on your daily essentials or truly pamper yourself.

›Discover Health & Beauty

Up to 75% off Shoes

Save up to 75% on shoes for the whole family.

›Shop clearance shoes

Train Hard...Play Hard

Gear up with up to 60% off athletic and outdoor shoes.

›Shop now

Treat Someone

With an Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificate, you can get them what they want (even if you don't know what that is).

›Learn more about Gift Certificates

Where's My Stuff?

track your recent orders
view or change your orders in Your Account

Delivery and Returns

see our delivery rates and policies
thinking of returning an item? (See our Returns Policy)

Need Help?

Forgot your password?
Buy Gift Certificates.
still have questions? Visit our Help Pages

Your Recent History

(What's this?)

You have no recently viewed items or searches.

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.

Look to the right column to find helpful suggestions for your shopping session.

Continue Shopping: Top Sellers

The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson

4.5 out of 5 stars (72)�3.86

Breaking Dawn (Twilight Saga) by Stephenie Meyer

4.1 out of 5 stars (457)�6.49

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

4.1 out of 5 stars (161)�3.99

Eclipse (Twilight Saga) by Stephenie Meyer

4.4 out of 5 stars (216)�3.84


Amazon Home

International Sites: United States \| Germany \| France \| Japan \| Canada \| China

Business Programs: Sell on Amazon \| Fulfilment by Amazon \| Join Associates \| Join Advantage

Customer Service \| Help \| View Basket \| Your Account

About Amazon.co.uk \| Careers at Amazon


Amazon Home

International Sites: United States \| Germany \| France \| Japan \| Canada \| China

Business Programs: Sell on Amazon \| Fulfilment by Amazon \| Join Associates \| Join Advantage

Customer Service \| Help \| View Basket \| Your Account

About Amazon.co.uk \| Careers at Amazon