Vinci L'Artaserse

Artaserse - Philippe Jaroussky (countertenor) Mandane - Max Emanuel Cencic (countertenor) Artabano - Daniel Behle (tenor) Arbace - Franco Fagioli (countertenor) Semira - Valer Barna-Sabadus (countertenor) Megabise - Yuriy Mynenko (countertenor) The story of Artaserse as written in libretto by Metastasio is the tale of a Persian King Artaxeres. Though there are over 40 known settings of Metastasios text, the libretto was first set by Leonardo Vinci (1690-1730) in 1730 for Rome. And it is this setting of the perils of the Persian King that is featured in this rather amazing showcase of countertenors from around the world. The text was also set by such composers as Gluck, JC Bach, Hasse, Galuppi, Myslivicek and Arne, but it is the original setting that gathers the most historic musical attention. The opera is a string of florid pearls - arias so complex yet so penetratingly beautiful that it would seem after this recording that opera houses will begin to pay attention to the work. Of interest a French scholar, Charles de Brosses, wrote 10 years after Vincis death from poisoning, `Vinci is the Lully of Italy: true, simple, natural, expressive, writing in the most beautiful, uncontrived way for the voice ... Artaserse has a reputation as his finest work, and one of Metastasios finest too ... It is the most famous Italian opera. And that is fine preparation for the performance captured here. Diego Fasolis conducts the Concerto Cologne in a completely authentic manner. At the time of the composition of Artasere, a papal decree banned women from appearing on the stages of the citys theatres, so the entire cast was male, with the female roles sung by castrati. This recording not only recognizes that bit of significant history, it honors it with the challenge of single-sex casting with a spectacular line-up of fine countertenors from around the world: Croatian-born Max Emanuel Cencic, the Frenchman Philippe Jaroussky, the Argentine Franco Fagioli, Romanian Valer Barna-Sabadus and Yuriy Mynenko from the Ukraine. The sole tenor in the recording is the German Daniel Behle. In addition to the beauties of the music both for orchestra and for singers that this fascinating work offers is the opportunity to hear the various comparisons of the differences in the qualities of vocal production of these five countertenors. Each voice in unique with some more florid in the upper range and others more dramatic in the lower - alto - range. In the end each of these gifted men is able to create a wholly credible character while at the same time offering some of the most thrilling examples of the gift of countertenor vocal production. This is a dazzling success of a recording!