the kind of sensitive vulnerability that (Act 1). To the role of Adelberto’s Opera on CD automatically inspires protective intended wife Matilda, the mezzo Anna sentiments. ‘Affanni del pensier’ (Act 1), Starushkevych brings a rich warmth, an aria wracked with chromatic pain, is although as yet the voice lacks distinctive drawn with a wonderful sense of line that colour, while the bass Pavel Kudinov Ottone, Handel finds her at her most affecting, but completes the line-up with a strongly sung Lauren Snouffer (Teofane), Ann Hallenberg (Gismonda), DISC OF Snouffer is quite outstanding throughout. Emireno, the blustering pirate eventually Anna Starushkevych (Matilda), Max Emanuel Cencic (Ottone), Cencic is an admirable Ottone, who at revealed as Teofane’s brother Basilio. Xavier Sabata (Adelberto), Pavel Kudinov (Emireno), Il Pomo THE MONTH last seems to have found something of a Vocal ornamentation throughout is d’Oro, c. George Petrou. Decca 483 1814 (three CDs) trill, while the beauty of Xavier Sabata’s admirably stylish and consistent, giving a countertenor gives his lustful Adelberto a final mark of approbation to what is the The viewpoint that Ottone is one of 12 January 1723, but the Operformance drooping, honeyed tone entirely finest Handel opera recording to come my Handel’s less memorable operas has the incorporates two arias written for the appropriate for an aria such as ‘Bel labbro’ way for some time. brian robins backing of most Handel authorities, who benefit performance in March of in the main are less than enchanted with Francesca Cuzzoni (Teofane), making Nicola Haym’s adaptation of a libretto her London debut in Ottone. Also added originally written by Pallavicino for as an appendix are three arias for Ottone Uthal, Méhul Antonio Lotti. Yet revisiting it in this (Senesino) composed for Handel’s 1726 splendid new Decca recording has revival, in which Senesino also took the Karine Deshayes (Malvina), Yann Beuron (Uthal), Sébastien Droy (Ullin), Reinoud prompted a rethink, especially in the case role. Van Mechelen (Premier Barde), Artavazd Sargsyan (Deuxième Barde), Jean‑Sébastien of the music for the first two acts, much I’m inclined to think this the best yet Bou (Larmor), Philippe-Nicolas Martin (Chef des Bardes/Troisième Barde), Jacques- of which professes rare eloquence. If the of George Petrou’s extensive series of Greg Belobo (Quatrième Barde), Namur Chamber Choir, Les Talens Lyriques, final act doesn’t in general quite maintain Handel opera recordings. Although by c. Christophe Rousset. Ediciones Singulares ES1026 (one CD) that level, well, Ottone is hardly unique now expected, the gulf between tempo in that respect. The libretto, retelling extremes is excessive and there are odd In its few years of existence the Palazetto biblical drame mêlée de chants events leading up to the marriage of King moments of over-fussy continuo, but the Bru Zane, the Venice-based ‘Centre de occupying 28th place in Méhul’s lyric- Otto II of Germany (Ottone) to the overall sense of dramatic frisson is musique romantique française’, has theatre worklist of 35, crops up more eastern princess Theofano (Teofane), is apparent from the opening bars of the already notched up 14 complete often than anything else on that list, but hardly the worst Handel set, even if the overture and rarely lets up, while Petrou recordings of French lyric-theatre almost always in the form of its serenely characteristically drastic truncation of the draws outstanding playing from Il Pomo rarities. The series, whose stated aim is to lyrical tenor aria ‘Champs paternel’. original libretto leaves significant holes d’Oro. But what really seals the success ‘favour the rediscovery of the French William Christie’s fine 1995 recording of in the plot. of the set is a cast that could currently musical heritage of the years 1780-1920 the early Stratonice (no. 5, 1792) reveals, The version recorded here is scarcely have been bettered. While the and obtain international recognition for according to its opera reviewer Ronald fundamentally that presented at the principal plaudits have to go to Ann that repertoire’, has proved of consistent Crichton, a ‘shapely piece’ with ‘writing opera’s opening at the King’s Theatre on Hallenberg’s scheming Gismonda, there value, a point attested to inter alia by the for the voices … as masterly as the is absolutely no weak link. Gismonda is respectful reviews most of those issues instrumental detail’ (December 1996, essentially a monster every bit as have received in opera. The latest PBZ pp. 1446-7). hungrily ambitious for her son as publication, no. 15, deserves, I feel, not And in the last of their three Agrippina, yet while she can disgorge just respect but warm enthusiasm: it’s a Tragédiennes CDs the soprano bile in an aria such as ‘Trema, tiranno’ splendidly compelling account of Uthal, Véronique Gens and conductor (Act 3), Handel also gave her the the single-act opéra-comique (i.e., a Christophe Rousset offer a long scena beautiful accompagnato and aria ‘Ben a drama spoken as well as sung) that is from Ariodant (no. 15, 1799) that in ragion … Vieni, o figlio’ (Act 2), a probably its composer’s single most these pages (February 2012, pp. 225-6) heartbreaking expression of motherly remarkable theatrical achievement. I deemed ‘so full of musico-dramatic love for her condemned son Adalberto, Étienne-Nicolas Méhul (1763-1817) interest as to make one wonder whether which is sung by Hallenberg with such holds, of course, a secure place in music- the opera has had any previous modern- profoundly touching feeling as to elicit history books as France’s most day revivals, and if not, why not’. On tears from a sympathetic listener. significant musical figure, alongside his record there’s hardly any other operatic Hallenberg at this stage is hardly a near-contemporary friend and mentor Méhul. My hunch, though, is that this revelation, but the young American Cherubini, during the years of Uthal (no. 26, 1806), in a splendidly Lauren Snouffer’s Teofane is. The timbre Revolution, Consulate and Empire—yet assured reading by Rousset and his is lovely, pure and flexible, yet possessing he’s seldom revived. Joseph (1807), the Talens Lyriques and Namur choral

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