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Arminio is hardly one of Handel's more celebrated operas. It was a flop when first performed and has been pretty much ignored since then. So does it warrant such neglect? Well, the libretto--which relates the tale of the German leader Hermann (Arminius) fighting for freedom against the Romans in the first century AD--is pretty unsatisfactory, with characters left largely undeveloped and events unexplained. Mind you, that's hardly uncommon in the land of opera, and nor is it necessarily a recipe for disaster if the music's up to scratch. And here, though there are patches of Handel on autopilot, there is plenty more to please. Tr
Arminio is hardly one of Handel's more celebrated operas. It was a flop when first performed and has been pretty much ignored since then. So does it warrant such neglect? Well, the libretto--which relates the tale of the German leader Hermann (Arminius) fighting for freedom against the Romans in the first century AD--is pretty unsatisfactory, with characters left largely undeveloped and events unexplained. Mind you, that's hardly uncommon in the land of opera, and nor is it necessarily a recipe for disaster if the music's up to scratch. And here, though there are patches of Handel on autopilot, there is plenty more to please. Try, for example, "Mira il ciel" (disc two, track 11) which finds Luigi Petroni duetting most effectively with oboes and horns. Or for something a bit gentler sample "Non sono sempre vane larve" (disc one, track 15), wonderfully sung by Dominique Labelle. Generally the female soloists steal the limelight, but there are no serious weaknesses in the solo cast. If you're a Handel groupie you will need to have this. But even for those less committed, it's an interesting work, well recorded here, and the instrumental playing, under Curtis's direction, is unfailingly vigorous and full-blooded. --Harriet Smith
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Manufacturer: Virgin Veritas
Release date: 14 August 2001
EAN: 0724354546129 UPC: 724354546129
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