Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38: Ouverture - Allegro Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco 2:46
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38: Andante Larghetto Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco 2:31
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38: Gigue Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco 1:27
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act I: Recitativo: Aristobolo, A Noi (Berenice)...Recitativo: Berenice, Al Tuo Soglio (Fabio,Alessandro, Berenice) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Klara Ek/Ingela Bohlin/Anicio Zorzi Giustiniani 1:25
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act I: Aria: No, Che Servire Altrui (Berenice) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Klara Ek 4:48
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act I: Recitativo: Fabio, Vedesti Mai Più Bell'Orgoglio? (Alessandro,Fabio) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Ingela Bohlin/Anicio Zorzi Giustiniani 0:51
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act I: Aria: Vedi L'ape Che Ingegnosa (Fabio) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Anicio Zorzi Giustiniani 4:32
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act I: Recitativo: Lo Di Selene? (Aleesandro) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Ingela Bohlin 0:24
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act I: Aria: Che Sarà Quando Amante Accarezza (Alessandro) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Ingela Bohlin 4:57
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act I: Recitativo: Cara, Non Sospirar! (Demetrio,Selene) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Romina Basso/Franco Fagioli 0:58
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act I: Aria: No, Soffrir Non Può Il Mio Amore (Demetrio) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Franco Fagioli 4:38
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act I: Recitativo: Selene, Oh Dei! (Aristobolo, Selene) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Franco Fagioli 0:16
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act I: Aria: Gelo, Avvampo (Selene) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Romina Basso 4:46
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act I: Recitativo: Alla Quiete D'Egitto (Aristobolo) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Vito Priante 0:21
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act I: Aria: Con Gli Strali D'amor (Aristobolo) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Vito Priante 3:19
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act I: Recitativo: Roma, Sì, Sì Ti Intendo (Berenice,Arsace)....Recitativo: Oh Dei! Sorella, Oh Dei! (Berenice,Selene) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Klara Ek/Romina Basso/Mary Ellen Nesi 2:32
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act I: Aria: Dice Amor, Quel Bel Vermiglio (Berenice) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Klara Ek 5:26
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act I: Recitativo: Principessa, Ed Ã? Ver? (Arsace,Selene) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Romina Basso/Mary Ellen Nesi 0:35
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act I: Aria: Senza Nutrice Alcuna (Arsace) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Mary Ellen Nesi 2:27
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act I: Recitativo: Alessandro, Che Pensi? (Alessandro)....Recitativo: Neppur Le Regie Porte (Demetrio,Alessandro,Berenice,Fabio,Aristobolo) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Klara Ek/Ingela Bohlin/Franco Fagioli/Anicio Zor
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act I: Aria: Quell'oggetto Che Ã? Caro (Alessandro) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Ingela Bohlin 4:14
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act I: Recitativo: Che Valor! (Demetrio,Berenice) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Klara Ek/Franco Fagioli 0:19
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act I: Duetto: Se Il Mio Amor Fu Il Tuo Delitto (Berenice,Demetrio) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Klara Ek/Franco Fagioli 4:51
Track Listings (20) - Disc #2
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act II: Cavatina: Se Non Ho l'idol Mio (Demetrio) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Franco Fagioli 1:25
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act II: Cavatina: Guerra E Pace (Fabio) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Anicio Zorzi Giustiniani 1:31
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act II: Recitativo: Molto Afflitto, Demetrio, Ancor Paventi? (Berenice,Demetrio) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Klara Ek/Franco Fagioli 0:28
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act II: Aria: Sempre Dolci Ed Amorose (Berenice) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Klara Ek 7:10
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act II: Recitativo: Accompagnato: Selene, Infida! (Demetrio) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Franco Fagioli 1:32
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act II: Aria: Sù, Megera, Tesifone, Aletto! (Demetrio) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Franco Fagioli 5:34
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act II: Cavatina: Mio Bel Sol, Dove T'aggiri? (Alessandro) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Ingela Bohlin 2:47
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act II: Recitativo: Prence Alessandro (Arsace,Alessandro).... Recitativo: Oh Dei! Fabio Minaccia (Aristobolo,Alessandro,Arsace) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Ingela Bohlin/Mary Ellen Nesi/Vito Priante 1:11
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act II: Aria: La Bella Mano (Alessandro) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Ingela Bohlin 3:36
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act II: Recitativo: Aristobolo, Oh Dei! (Arsace,Aristobolo) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Mary Ellen Nesi/Vito Priante 0:36
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act II: Aria: Amore Contro Amor (Arsace) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Mary Ellen Nesi 3:24
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act II: Recitativo: Tiranna Degl'Affetti (Aristobolo) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Vito Priante 0:19
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act II: Aria: Senza Te Sarebbe Il Mondo (Aristobolo) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Vito Priante 1:29
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act II: Recitativo: E Qual Furor Geloso (Selene,Demetrio)....Recitativo: Lo Solo Per Tuo Amor Sono Infelice (Demetrio,Berenice,Selene) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Klara Ek/Romina Basso/Franco Fagioli 1:01
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act II: Aria: Traditore, Traditore! (Berenice) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Klara Ek 3:35
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act II: Recitativo: Empia, Tu Piangi? (Demetrio,Selene)...Recitativo: Principessa, T'arresta (Berenice,Selene,Demetrio,Arsace)...Recitativo:A Me Ne Fe' Il Rifiuto (Fa Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Klara Ek/Romina Basso
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act II: Aria: Sì, Tra I Ceppi E Le Ritorte (Demetrio) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Franco Fagioli 5:37
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act II: Recitativo: Ã? Questo L'amor Tuo? (Selene,Arsace) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Romina Basso/Mary Ellen Nesi 0:15
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act II: Aria: Sì Poco � Forte (Selene) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Romina Basso 5:40
Track Listings (19) - Disc #3
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act III: Sinfonia Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco 2:07
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act III: Recitativo: Olà ! Tra Lacci Suoi (Berenice,Aristobolo)...Recitativo:Eccomi, O Berenice (Demetrio,Berenice,Aristobolo) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Klara Ek/Franco Fagioli/Vito Priante 1:59
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act III: Aria: Per Sì Bella Cagion (Demetrio) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Franco Fagioli 4:02
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act III: Recitativo: Mia Regina...(Aristobolo,Berenice)...Recitativo: Regina, Addio! (Fabio, Berenice) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Klara Ek/Anicio Zorzi Giustiniani/Vito Priante 1:10
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act III: Aria: Chi T'intende, O Cieca, Instabile (Berenice) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Klara Ek 10:31
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act III: Cavatina: Tororella Che Rimira (Selene) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Romina Basso 2:57
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act III: Recitativo: Qui Dove Il Mio Tesoro (Selene,Arsace) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Romina Basso/Mary Ellen Nesi 0:54
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act III: Aria: Questa Qual Sia Beltà (Selene) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Romina Basso 5:11
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act III: Recitativo: Qual Arduo Impegno, O Arsace! (Arsace,Alessandro) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Ingela Bohlin/Mary Ellen Nesi 0:57
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act III: Duetto: Le Dirai...(Alessandro,Arsace) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Ingela Bohlin/Mary Ellen Nesi 2:09
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act III: Recitativo: Prence, D'Iside Al Tiempo (Fabio,Alessandro) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Ingela Bohlin/Anicio Zorzi Giustiniani 0:30
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act III: Aria: In Quella Sola (Alessandro) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Ingela Bohlin 6:02
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act III: Recitativo: De'satrapi Ã? Adunata L'assemblea (Aristobolo,Berenice) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Klara Ek/Vito Priante 0:42
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act III: Aria: Avvertite, Mie Pupille (Berenice) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Klara Ek 4:34
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act III: Sinfonia Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco 1:44
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act III: Recitativo: Gran Nume Tutelar Di Questo Regno (Berenice,Selene,Arsace,Alessandro) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Klara Ek/Romina Basso/Ingela Bohlin/Mary Ellen Nesi 2:10
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act III: Duetto: Quel Bel Labbro (Alessandro,Berenice) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Klara Ek/Ingela Bohlin 3:50
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act III: Recitativo: Ora Selene Ã? Mia.... (Arsace,Selene,Demetrio,Alessandro,Berenice) Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco/Klara Ek/Romina Basso/Ingela Bohlin/Franco Fagioli/Mary Ellen Nesi 1:01
Berenice, Regina D'Egitto HWV 38, Act III: Coro Finale: Con Verace Dolce Pace Alan Curtis/Il Complesso Barocco 2:13
This Berenice is Curtis' seventh complete recording of a Handel opera for Virgin Classics; the six previous works (Admeto, Arminio, Deidamia, Radamisto, Rodrigo and Fernando, rè di Castiglia) were re-released in a... more » special 15-CD box in 2009, and 2011 will bring the release of Ariodante, with Joyce Di Donato in the title role, supported by Karina Gauvin, Sabina Puertolas, Marie-Nicole Lemieux, Topi Lehtipuu. In Berenice, set in Alexandria in 80 B.C., the title role of the Egyptian queen is taken by Swedish soprano Klara Ek, while Italian countertenor Franco Fagioli is Demetrio, the man she loves, but who loves her sister Selene, played by Italian mezzo Romina Basso; another Swedish soprano, Ingela Bohlin takes the travesty role of Alessandro, the man Berenice is expected to marry for political expediency, but whom she finally happily chooses as her consort. Berenice was composed at a turbulent time in Handel's career, when he was undergoing both professional and personal crises. It turned out to be the last opera he wrote for John Rich's new theatre in Covent Garden and was performed only four times before disappearing from view. The first staged production since the 18th century took place in 1985 in the UK, at the University of Keele; the opera was subsequently staged in Cambridge in 1993; in Germany, the Karlsruhe Handel Festival presented Berenice in 2001« less
This Berenice is Curtis' seventh complete recording of a Handel opera for Virgin Classics; the six previous works (Admeto, Arminio, Deidamia, Radamisto, Rodrigo and Fernando, rè di Castiglia) were re-released in a special 15-CD box in 2009, and 2011 will bring the release of Ariodante, with Joyce Di Donato in the title role, supported by Karina Gauvin, Sabina Puertolas, Marie-Nicole Lemieux, Topi Lehtipuu. In Berenice, set in Alexandria in 80 B.C., the title role of the Egyptian queen is taken by Swedish soprano Klara Ek, while Italian countertenor Franco Fagioli is Demetrio, the man she loves, but who loves her sister Selene, played by Italian mezzo Romina Basso; another Swedish soprano, Ingela Bohlin takes the travesty role of Alessandro, the man Berenice is expected to marry for political expediency, but whom she finally happily chooses as her consort. Berenice was composed at a turbulent time in Handel's career, when he was undergoing both professional and personal crises. It turned out to be the last opera he wrote for John Rich's new theatre in Covent Garden and was performed only four times before disappearing from view. The first staged production since the 18th century took place in 1985 in the UK, at the University of Keele; the opera was subsequently staged in Cambridge in 1993; in Germany, the Karlsruhe Handel Festival presented Berenice in 2001
CD Reviews
Handel Milestone
Paul Van de Water | Virginia, USA | 07/17/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Once again Alan Curtis and EMI/Virgin Classics give us an excellent recording of a little-known Handel opera. (The one previous recording of Berenice is called merely "satisfactory" by its sole Amazon reviewer.)
Now professor emeritus of musicology at Berkeley, Curtis helped kick off the Handel renaissance with his complete recording of Admeto for EMI in 1977. That recording, which is still available on Virgin CD , starred Rene Jacobs, James Bowman, Max van Egmond, and other pioneers in historically informed performance. The band was Il Complesso Barocco, then comprised primarily of Dutch musicians.
Curtis didn't record any more Handel operas for many years afterwards, but recently he has more than made up for lost time. From his European base, Curtis has reconstituted Il Complesso Barocco as a largely Italian ensemble (although cellist Richte van der Meer plays in both Admeto and Berenice). Since 1999, they have produced CDs of Alcina, Arminio, Deidamia, Ezio, Fernando, Floridante, Lotario, Radamisto, Rodelinda, Rodrigo, and Tolomeo and a fine DVD of Arioidante Handel - Ariodante / Hallenberg, Cherici, Vandoni Iorio, Nesi, Lepore, Stains, Prato, Il Compresso Brocco, Curtis, Pascoe (Spoleto Festival 2007). Many of these are first recordings, and several have won awards. (A box containing six of these operas is currently available from ArkivMusik, although it is not listed at Amazon.)
The plot of Berenice, based on a libretto by Antonio Salvi, is typically convoluted. "The characters gyrate around the central theme of politically expedient marriage in a bewildering series of twists and turns, hoodwinkings, prevarications and plain falsehoods, creating, by Act II, an almost buffo-like imbroglio," writes David Kimbell in the Cambridge Handel Encyclopedia. Nonetheless, as Kimbell says, the opera is "packed with fine arias," of which the most famous are Demetrio's "Si, tra i ceppi" and Berenice's "Avvertite, mie pupille." The three duets are especially appealing.
Although this is apparently Klara Ek's recording premiere, her performance has received widespread praise. Andrew Clark in the Financial Times writes, "No one with an interest in Handel operas will be disappointed by the performance or by a cast led by the bright-voiced Klara Ek in the soprano title role and two excellent mezzos, Romina Basso and Mary Ellen Nesi." Nesi has previously been a stand-out as Polinesso in Curtis's DVD of Ariodante and as Teseo in Petrou's CD of Arianna in Creta. Soprano Ingela Bohlin portrayed the captive Princess Iole in Christie's superb DVD of Hercules Handel - Hercules / Shimell, DiDonato, Spence, Bohlin, Ernman, Kirkbride, Les Arts Florissants, Christie, Luc Bondy (Opera de Paris 2005).
Curtis's Berenice marks a milestone. Every surviving Handel opera has now had at least one high-quality recording--although, unfortunately, not every one remains in print."