Gratuitous Friday - The Wunderlich/Ludwig Non-HIP Edition

Earworm's hankering for another recording of Giulio Cesare made me (for some strange reason) think of this performance from 1966*. So, of course, I needed to track it down. In this clip, Fritz Wunderlich and Christa Ludwig as Sesto and Cornelia, sing "Madre...Son nata a lagrimar." But acutally, in this performance from Munich (with the Münchner Philharmoniker, Ferdinand Leitner, conducting) it's in German: "Mutter...Nur weinen lernte ich." 

These performances are not what we'd consider "Historically Informed," though I think they were pretty HIP for the time (pace N. Harnoncourt). Some da capos are cut, but the ones that remain are ornamented. Not ornamented in the way we expect today, (I am not sure what historical period these ornaments would fit into), but I think it's fascinating to hear that they were making an effort to authenticize in a modern setting. 

And of course, here, Sesto is a tenor, but what a tenor!! The main point here is the marvelous singing from both mother and son, and the opportunity to hear these two great artists singing in duet. It will never supplant the most wonderful performances of mezzos, sopranos, or counter tenors singing Sesto, but it's not meant to. 

And for a bonus, here are Walter Berry as Caesar and Lucia Popp as Cleopatra (she's off- or above-stage, which is why she sounds more distant and echo-y).

Sunday Brunch – Christopher Lowrey Sings Handel

The first singer you see/hear in Cavalli's Elena from the Festival of Aix en Provence is American-born, British-trained countertenor Christopher Lowrey; and his appearance is arresting. He sings beautifully and remains engaging even when the focus is on other singers. Here is some bio information from his website:

Countertenor Christopher Lowrey, originally from the United States, holds degrees with distinction from Brown University, St John's College, Cambridge, and the Royal College of Music International Opera School. He won the New England Regional Finals of the 2013 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions...[and] was a finalist in the 2008 London Bach Society Competition.

Christopher is a flexible singer/actor, portraying Disorder in the prologue, as one of Neptune’s wavy/watery attendants, and other assorted characters.

I’ll write more about Elena (available now on Liveweb.arte.com, and featuring an cast of impressive soloists) in a few days. Meanwhile, here is Christopher Lowrey singing Giulio Cesare’s aria Aura, deh per pieta:

Giulio Cesare: Audio Webcast Monday, Live in HD Next Weekend

I always forget to tune in to these webcasts. There are two more this season.

And of course, we can head to the cinema next Saturday to catch this:

I wonder who will be singing Cleopatterer...

The Otterphile – Handel: Son nata lagrimar

Handel: Giulio Cesare: Son nata lagrimar

from the  Salzburger Pfingstfestspiele  2012
Music to melt the hardest heart:

Anne Sofie von Otter & Philippe Jaroussky

(the mean-looking guy is Ruben Drole)

(Make the jump for more info on this production, and a link to the complete first act!)