Lorraine Hunt - Lorraine Hunt Lieberson - Handel Arias
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Music CD Cover Artist: Lorraine Hunt Composer: George Frideric Handel Conductor: Harry Bicket Orchestra: Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment Performer: Lorraine Hunt Lieberson Performer: Stephen Stubbs Performer: Phoebe Carrai Edition: Music CD Format: Hybrid SACD, Import CD Release Date: 2004-08-10 Music Label: Avie Soundtracks:
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Free Music Notes for Lorraine Hunt Lieberson - Handel Arias Album
Free Music Review: Stunning Beauty by a True Handelian, Hunt Lieberson Soars
Hit: 5 Stars
Mezzo-soprano Lorraine Hunt Lieberson has such a warm, glowing voice of subtle power and nuance that one wonders what took her so long to record the five arias from the classic 1996 Peter Sellars staging of Handel's "Theodora" at Glyndebourne. For those who have not seen that production, it is captured faithfully on a DVD released just last year (very strongly recommended). If you get it, you can see one of the most powerfully moving oratorios Handel ever wrote with stellar performances, in particular, by Hunt Lieberson and countertenor David Daniels. She portrayed Irene, the heroine's friend and supporter, and here she recaptures the spiritual purity of her character with a particularly distinctive and beautiful mezzo voice that continues to deepen and resonate over the years. Her unerring tone is even and accurate across its range, and she leaves herself emotionally available in a naturalistic manner that does not make her seem the least bit mannered. The high point of these arias is the opening selection, "As with rosy steps the morn", a beautiful hymn that rises stepwise in a series of repeated notes that bloom into an even lovelier melody that describes a soul's inexorable progression toward spiritual rapture. It's a stunning vocal performance that retains a gulf of humanity far outweighing the religious overtones.
The 21-minute "La Lucrezia" cantata provides a dramatically temperamental contrast to the ethereal Irene, wherein Hunt Lieberson embodies the mercurial emotional changes experienced by the dishonored queen without any prima donna posturing. She moves seamlessly from rage to remorse to utter hopelessness, encompassing the character's arc through her instinct for accepting all the musical possibilities. The concluding two "Serse" selections demonstrate this same musical acumen in what seems like diametrically opposite ways. The rage of "Se bramate d'amar, chi vi sdegna" is captured in a series of sharp movements, while the familiar closer, "Ombra mai fù", is sung so simply and beautifully that it becomes inspirational. Daniels' wondrous version on his "Handel Opera Arias" CD (strongly recommended) is the closest to Hunt Lieberson's in capturing the same emotional depth and vocal virtuosity. Perhaps because Hunt Lieberson has extensive experience in playing these roles on stage to great acclaim, she manages to harness her dramatic intensity within the bounds of the character and musical style in which she happens to be working. As a true Handelian, she demonstrates impeccable diction in either English and Italian, and unlike someone like Renée Fleming, Hunt Lieberson uses vocal decorations to complement the flow of drama and feeling within each piece versus seizing opportunities for gymnastic flourishes. Another true Handelian, Harry Bicket provides expert musical direction here, no surprise since he has brought his unmistakable skill to other wonderful recordings such as Fleming's recent "Handel Arias" and Daniels' "Sento Amor" (both strongly recommended). He leads the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment expertly with perfectly played period instruments. This is a stunning recording of the highest magnitude.