Handel: Giulio Cesare

Handel: Giulio Cesare

This new recording of Handel's great Giulio Cesare was taped live in Vienna and has the exciting aura of a live performance--and also some of the problems. Minkowski leads an exciting reading, and he has a Caeser who can keep up with his aggressive tempi: mezzo Marijana Mijanovic sings fluently, accurately, and with stunning tone and great involvement, and the fact that she sounds as if she might be a countertenor only helps the situation. Magdalena Kozena's Cleopatra is wonderful as well--insinuating, ruthless, sad, loving by turns, and (although we're accustomed to the role being sung by a higher-voiced woman) Kozena is properly feminine and alluring. (Still, no-one compares with Beverly Sills on RCA.) Charlotte Hellekant's Cornelia is moving and well sung but could use a somewhat darker tone; Bejun Mehta's countertenor rings forth with style as Tolomeo. A problem is Anne Sofie von Otter's Sesto--she sounds tired--and occasionally, the orchestra is less than accurate. RenÃ© Jacobs' recording on Harmonia Mundi remains the first choice, but this is a very close second. Handel lovers will need both. --Robert Levine
Country USA
Brand Dolce & Gabbana
Manufacturer Archiv
Binding Audio CD
ItemPartNumber 028947421023
Model 028947421023
ReleaseDate 2003-08-12
UnitCount 3
Format Live
UPCs 028947421023
EANs 0028947421023

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