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Heroes and Heroines cor16025 Delirio Amoroso cor16030 Sarah Connolly - Handel arias Ann Murray - Handel Italian secular cantatas Harry Christophers Harry Christophers The Symphony of The Symphony of Harmony & Invention Harmony & Invention "Connolly seals her "...a dazzling revelation... reputation as our best Ann Murray sings Handel mezzo in many superlatively." years." bbc music magazine financial times Vivaldi: Gloria in D Allegri - Miserere cor16014 Fedel e Costante Bach: Magnificat in D cor16042 & Palestrina: Missa Papae Marcelli, Stabat Mater Russell, Fisher, Lotti: Crucifixus Browner, Partridge, "Christophers draws HANDEL ITALIAN CANTATAS George brilliant performances from "Singing and playing his singers, both technically on the highest level." assured and vividly Elin Manahan Thomas bbc music magazine impassioned." the guardian Principals from The Symphony To find out more about The Sixteen, concert tours, and to buy CDs, visit www.thesixteen.com cor16045 of Harmony and Invention There are many things about The Sixteen her unique amongst her peers. This live elcome to the world of four that make me very proud, above all the recital of Handel Italian Cantatas was part of women, all of whom have nurturing of future talent. Over the years, the 2006 Handel in Oxford Festival. Those Wbeen betrayed by love and its we have produced some outstanding who were actually present at that concert deceitful charms, to varying degrees and performers; among them are Carolyn were witness to a performance of captivating for numerous reasons. Sampson, Sarah Connolly, Mark Padmore, communication and sparkling intelligence. Agrippina condotta a morire pretends Christopher Purves and Jeremy White. It is now for you to enjoy the immediacy to voice the words of Agrippina, sister Elin is someone destined for that stardom; of this Live recording. of Caligula and wife of Claudius, on she is not only a stylish and intelligent the eve of her death. She has poisoned singer but also possesses an individuality her husband to ensure that the Roman of expression and interpretation that makes empire falls under the control of her son, Nero, and now he in turn, after Agrippina bo Recit: L’occhio nero vivace 0.53 years of struggling against his mother’s 1 Recit: Dunque sarà pur vero 1.05 bp Aria: Se Licori, Fili ed io 1.29 control, decides to kill her. In fact, 2 Aria: Orrida, oscura l’etra 3.03 bq Recit: Ma, se non hai più 0.45 Nero organised several attempts on his mother’s life – three times through 3 Recit: Ma pria che d’empia morte 0.57 br Aria: Se non ti piace amarmi 4.06 poison, once with a rigged ceiling, and 4 Aria: Renda cenere il tiranno 2.35 bs Recit: Ma il tuo genio incostante 0.49 5 bt once using a collapsible boat! – until she Recit: Sì, sì, del gran tiranno 1.17 Aria: Sì crudel, ti lascierò 1.09 was eventually stabbed and clubbed to 6 Arioso: Come, o Dio 6.20 abbandonata death by an assassin. 7 Aria: Se infelice al mondo vissi 6.08 bu Recit: Dietro l’orme fugaci 1.03 In Handel’s account of her last to a noble death, at the hands of her cruel, 8 Recit: Trema l’ingrato figlio 1.02 cl Aria: Ah, crudele! 4.47 moments, Agrippina is furious at the ignoble son. 9 Aria: Su lacerate il seno 2.28 cm Recit: Per te mi struggo, infido 0.26 savage audacity of her son, and at the In a happier vein, but still focussing cn bl Nel dolce dell'obblio 7.32 Recit: O voi, dell’ incostante 0.51 barbarity of fate, as the Rome she loves on love’s treacherous ways, Nel dolce dell’ co Aria: Venti, fermate, sì 2.30 abandons her. The cantata sees her oblio describes the sweet oblivion of sleep, Tu fedel? Tu costante? cp Recit: Ma che parlo, che dico? 0.53 vacillate from fiery monarch in outrage as the beloved Fili lies dreaming of her to a tender mother appalled by her son’s bm Sonata & recit: Tu fedel? 3.24 cq Aria: In tanti affanni miei 4.13 darling. In her thoughts, love plays tricks, weakness. At the last, she resigns herself deceiving her with charming images of bn Aria: Cento belle ami Fileno 5.19 Total playing time 65.10 2 3 her beloved so as to make her love him returns to his ship and abandons her. In all the more. But surely, Handel sagely some versions of the story, the pair are Italian Cantatas suggests, even if we all awoke from the eventually reunited, but Handel’s cantata ost of Handel’s chamber cantatas was usually played out in a never-never dream of love and realised its deception, picks up the tale at its saddest point, were written during his youthful land of lush pastoral groves inhabited by we would still decide that its lies have and opens with the sorceress wandering, years in Rome between about fickle nymphs and shepherds endlessly their charms, and so would prefer to be desolate and alone. She bemoans her M 1707 and 1709. The secular cantata bemoaning the sweet pains brought by blinded by it in spite of everything: and fate, torn between a desperate love and a flourished in Rome as nowhere else Cupid’s arrows. Nel dolce dell’ oblio fits so say all of us! furious hatred, and the cantata closes with because was banned by Papal decree this mould perfectly – cast in the R-A-R-A a meltingly sad refrain, as Armida faces Tu fedel? Tu costante? has a theme and so cantatas became the main vehicle pattern, and concerned with nothing her destiny of lonely, unrequited love. which has resonated through the ages! for the star singers of the time. Indeed, more than a sleepless shepherdess whose The singer berates her beloved, Fileno, for I have lived and breathed these cantatas some works grew to semi-dramatic nights are filled with thoughts of her lover. his philandering ways. He is in love with a for many months, and have been haunted, proportions – like Agrippina and Armida – Handel lifts the work out of the ordinary hundred beauties, and wishes to share his if not possessed, by the overwhelming with elaborate accompanying instrumental by responding to the theme of sleep – as heart among them all, leaving the singer emotion captured in every one. Indeed, parts and singers in genuine character he often did – by writing an exquisite feeling used and humiliated. Until the last each cantata is almost a whole opera in roles. This was an elite entertainment then, obbligato part for the recorder or flute. aria, that is, when she decides either to itself, and brings to life four remarkable and one in which composers, poets and is an altogether love another, or else – horror of horrors! personalities who inspired Handel performers could experiment with new more ambitious work. It was written – to live entirely without love. to compose some of his finest, most ideas which would have been alien to the in Rome in June 1707 for the Marquis Finally, Armida abbandonata tells a dramatic music. It has been a privilege rigid conventions governing contemporary Francesco Maria Ruspoli who employed tale which has been told many times in to perform these works, and I hope that . Handel at his Roman palace and country music throughout history. It is an episode they will prove a powerful and moving The structure of the cantata had estate at Vignanello between 1707 and which is taken from Tasso’s Gerusalemme collection. been standardised in the later works of 1709. Ruspoli seems to have had virtually Liberata, in which the crusader Elin Manahan Thomas Alessandro Scarlatti and his Neapolitan a standing order for cantatas from Handel, is captured, and indeed captivated, by contemporaries and usually consisted of who supplied him with around forty the Saracen witch, Armida. When she two da capo arias, each preceded by a such pieces. Most were relatively modest falls in love with the warrior, Armida brief recitative – the so-called R-A-R-A in scale, but eight of them, including bewitches him to love her in return, but form. Their subject matter was similarly Armida, required elaborate instrumental eventually her spell fails, so that Rinaldo stylised: love was usually in the air, and accompaniments and tested their soloists

4 5 to the extreme – in this case the talented The change in Armida’s sentiment is his characters by blurring the distinction dated 16 May 1707. As with Armida Margherita Durastanti, who subsequently vividly charted in the two following between recitative and aria and creating and Agrippina, the singer for whom it followed Handel to London and sang recitatives: the first with stark continuo declamatory scenas where the emotions was intended was Ruspoli’s protégée in some of his finest during the accompaniment, the second accompanied fluctuate wildly. Margherita Durastanti, and there’s a 1720s. by furious rushing strings. This leads to The plot, drawn from Roman history, strong possibility that the anonymous text The anonymous text was based on an operatic ‘rage’ aria, ‘Venti, fermate, si, is simple. Queen Agrippina is for the was specifically written to reflect her bold the epic poem Gerusalemme Liberata fermate’, full of pounding octaves in the chop, and over the course of five arias personality. It portrays a woman firmly ( Liberated) by the sixteenth- upper strings depicting Armida’s wrath and recitatives she laments her fate and and decisively rejecting her fickle lover century Italian poet . as she conjures up monsters. The final rages against her son – the Emperor Nero (Fileno), and it comes as a welcome break Armida is a Saracen sorceress who has aria sets Armida’s appeal to the God – who has decided she’s too dangerous from the usual conventions of pastoral cast her spells over the Christian knights, of Love to the lilting rhythms of a 12/8 to live. But should we pity her? Handel’s love, generally expressed from the male and in this episode of the story she has siciliana. Although she begs to forget her not sure. After all, she poisoned anyone perspective. been deserted by her soldier lover. At lover, Handel’s music suggests a deeper who crossed her, including her third Unusually, the cantata opens with first she laments, but then becomes angry emotional ambivalence in its use of husband the Emperor Claudius. Her spiky a delightfully garrulous instrumental and calls on the monsters of the deep to unsettling chromaticism, a widely leaping arrogance and emotional instability are introduction – possibly intended to punish him. She soon discovers, though, unison violin accompaniment and a clearly audible in the music, and yet so too express the ‘brio’ which Fileno says he that despite his faithlessness she still loves deeply personal middle section in which is an inner core of vulnerability – Handel admires so much in the woman. The work him and calls the monsters off. Finally the strings are silenced. Handel’s gifts for always had a bit of a soft spot for his anti- also ends with a novel touch – a miniature she prays to the God of Love to help her such psychological insights were to find heroes. The cantata ends starkly with a aria with a butter-wouldn’t-melt-in-my- forget him. fuller expression a few years later in his short recitative, but Handel still had a lot mouth sort of tune in which the singer The cantata opens with an impassioned operas for the London stage. more to say about this complex character finally and unsentimentally dismisses the accompanied recitative in which Armida’s Agrippina condotta a morire may well and devoted a whole opera to Agrippina philandering Fileno with a flea in his ear. sense of desolation is heightened by have been written at around the same in 1709. Handel obviously enjoyed writing this Handel’s silencing of the underpinning time and possibly for the same singer as Tu fedel? Tu costante? is also about piece, and later returned to the delightful continuo part, thus throwing the voice Armida. The two cantatas certainly have a feisty woman. It was one of the first aria ‘Se non ti piace’ which he reworked as into sharp relief. The opening aria ‘Ah! a lot in common. Both are tragic works, cantatas Handel wrote for his Roman the final chorus of Alexander’s Feast. Crudele’ is in Handel’s most economical each featuring a classical heroine in crisis, patron Marquis Ruspoli. In fact we can and personal style – a spot-lit soliloquy and show Handel in experimental mood, date it precisely, since the score and Simon Heighes accompanied by continuo alone. trying to capture the mental turmoil of parts are mentioned in a copyist’s bill 6 7 TEXTS & TRANSLATIONS 3 Recitativo Ma pria che d’empia morte, nel But before cruel death pours his black Agrippina condotta a morire misero mio seno, giunga l’atro veleno; poison into my miserable breast; pria che pallida esangue sparga before I, wan and bloodless, breathe my ne’fiati estremi e l’alma e’l sangue; last, and surrender my soul and my blood; 1 Recitativo Giove, Giove immortale, tu, che Jove, immortal Jove, you who from high vuoti dall’ etra, sopra il capo de’ rei, heaven rain down your tremendous arrows Dunque sarà pur vero, che disseti la So, has it really come to this, that the la tremenda faretra, on the heads of evildoers; terra il sangue mio? earth shall drink my blood? tu, che fra gli altri Dei, di provvido e you, who above other gods value and prize E soffrir deggio, o Dio, che mi And must I suffer, O God, yielding my di giusto hai pregio e vanto, wisdom and justice – trapassi il sen destra ribelle? breast to the rebellious sword? vendica questo pianto, avenge these tears, Cruda Roma! Empie stelle! Cruel Rome! Wicked stars! e la ragion di così acerba pena; and the cause of such bitter pain. Barbaro mio destin! Figlio inumano! Barbarous fate! Inhuman son! tuona, Giove immortal, Send your thunder, immortal Jove, E qual furore insano a condannar vi What insane fury drives you to condemn tuona e balena! thunder and lightning! spinge alma innocente? an innocent soul? Ah, cuore! Ah, cuor dolente! Ah, my agonised heart, heart of a mother 4 Cuor di madre tradita e disprezzata, who is betrayed and scorned – Aria vuol così la tua sorte: see before you your fate! Renda cenere il tiranno un tuo Turn the pitiless tyrant to ashes with your spira l’anima forte, vilipesa, Let my strong spirit die, reviled, fulmine crudel, cruel thunderbolt, schernita, invendicata! despised and unavenged! Giove in ciel, se giusto sei! Jove in heaven, if you are just!

In vendetta dell’ inganno, As vengeance for my deception, 2 Aria usa sdegno e crudeltà, use all your scorn and cruelty, Orrida, oscura l’etra si renda Horrid and dark the heavens rend per pietà de’ torti miei! if you pity me. e spesso avvampi col balenar. themselves asunder, and countless flashes 5 of lightning flare. Recitativo E tuoni e lampi, per mia sventura, And they thunder and crash for my Sì, sì, del gran tiranno provi l’alta Yes, let the traitor feel the power of the old a sparger prenda nel mio spirar! misfortune, and rain down upon me in potenza’l traditore; celestial tyrant! my last hour. lacero l’empio core, Let his black heart be torn in pieces,

8 9 esca d’augel rapace, and fed to the birds! Recitativo renda sol per mia pace il suo destino; e Only if this is his destiny can I have peace. sparsa e palpitante, sopra le nude arene, And scattered, trembling, over the bare E chi? L’amata prole? But who? My beloved child? miri poscia ogni fibra il sands, may his limbs be seen by the lonely Ahi! Tolga il ciel che chiuda i lumi ai Ah, heaven forbid that he should close his pellegrino; wanderer. rai del sole; eyes to the light of the sun. con pestiferi fiati gli ultimi suoi respiri With evil vapours let his last breath viva benchè spietato, Let him live, though he is merciless, avveleni la terra, poison the world. sì, viva! yes, let him live! e l’ossa infrante, fra tormenti severi, And before he dies, let his bones, E si confonda, con esempio d’amor, And may his ungrateful heart be confounded pria che l’anima spiri, broken in severe torment, un cuore ingrato. by the example of love I will show him. servano poi d’orror a’ passagieri; bring horror to all passers-by. mora l’indegno figlio... Ah! Let my unworthy son die! ... Ah! Arioso Che a tal nome penso ancor che son That one word recalls that I am his mother A me sol giunga la morte, Let death come to me alone, madre, e manca il mio furor, still, and suddenly my fury vanishes: Che sarò costante e forte. and I will be constant and strong. ne sò dir come. I cannot tell how.

6 Arioso Recitativo Incauta e che mai dissi? Foolish woman, what am I saying? Come, o Dio, bramo la morte a chi How, O God, can I wish for the death of Non vuò che Roma apprenda, I do not want Rome to know that I, vita ebbe da me? him to whom I gave life? che cinta d’oro e d’ostro io fui enrobed in gold and regal purple, was

Recitativo bastante a partorire un mostro. capable of giving birth to such a monster! Forsennata che parli? Mad woman, what are you saying? Arioso Mora, mora l’indegno! Let the impudent traitor die! Che d’empio morte è degno, chi sol He, whose only enjoyment is to delight in Cada lacero e svenato, mora sì, mora Torn to shreds, disembowelled, let him die, brama godere al mio periglio! my terrible fear. l’indegno che nemico a me si fè! he who has made an enemy of me! Ho rossor d’esser madre a chi forse I am ashamed to be the mother of him, who ha rossor d’esser mio figlio. is surely, himself, ashamed to be my son! Recitativo Arioso Sparga quel sangue istesso, che sol Spill that blood which, for my delight, he per mio diletto trasse tenero infante stole into his veins from his mother’s womb. Sì, sì, s’uccida, lo sdegno grida! Yes, yes, let him die! My fury cries out... nella materne viscere concetto. Let the wicked Nero die, yes, let him perish! 10 11 Pera l’empio Neron, sì, pera...... Ah, how is it that, even in so perilous a 8 Recitativo Ah! Come in si fiero periglio torni time as this, my lips can still utter the name su i labbri miei nome di figlio. of my son? Trema l’ingrato figlio di plauso Let my ungrateful son tremble! May the trionfal sponde gemmate; stridan le triumphant cheers of a glimmering throng Arioso ruote aurate, e superbo, e tiranno di follow the golden chariot, as the haughty tal vittoria altero giunga cinto d’alloro tyrant, proud of his victory, arrives crowned Come, o Dio, bramo la morte a chi How, O God, can I wish for the death of in Campidoglio! with a laurel wreath at the Capitol. vita ebbe da me? him to whom I gave life? Che l’ultrici saette io di Giove non voglio I do not need the tremendous thunderbolts of a fulminare il contumace orgoglio! Jove to strike him down in his hateful pride; Recitativo Io sola, ombra dolente, se vuol I, a lamenting shadow, must do it alone, since Sì, sì, viva Nerone, Yes, yes, let Nero live. barbaro Ciel che sì m’accora, barbarous heaven wishes me to suffer thus. e sol de la sua madre servan l’ossa in May only the bones of his mother be che’il colpevole viva, e’l giusto mora. So the guilty lives, and the innocent dies. sepolte a gli aratri d’inciampo; a hindrance to the plough. beva l’arido campo, bevan le selve May the dry fields, and the wild woods, 9 Aria incolte, tratto dal cor che langue il drink up my most vibrant and vital spirit, Su lacerate il seno, ministri, Up, ministers, and rend my breast – più vitale e spiritoso umore; drained from a dying heart. e che si fa? why do you hesitate? indi tutta rigore passi l’alma infelice, Then, cold as ice, let my unfortunate soul là ne’ più cupi abissi; pass on and sink into the dark abyss, Usate ogni rigore, Be as cruel and harsh as you will, ivi apprenda empietà, poscia ritorni there to learn evil and soon return, morte vi chiede il core, e morte date my heart begs you for death. At least, give a funestar d’un figlio ingrato i giorni. to afflict the days of a thankless son. almeno a chi non vuol pietà! death to her who wants no pity from you!

7 Aria Recitativo Se infelice al mondo vissi, If I have lived an unhappy life on earth, Ecco a morte già corro, e d’un figlio See, I run to my death! And so my cruel ne’ profondi e cupi abissi, then in the deep and dark abyss, ingrato sarà pur vanto, che si nieghi son can boast that he denied his mother the infelice ancor sarò. I shall be unhappy still. a la madre, e l’onor della tomba, privilege of a tomb, nor even honoured her e quel del pianto. with tears. Ma vendetta almen farò! But I shall at least have vengeance! Ombra nera, e larva errante, As a black shadow, a restless ghost, di rigor furia, Baccante, a Fury and Bacchante, chi m’offese agiterò! I shall return to torment my betrayer! 12 13 Nel dolce dell’ obblio Tu fedel? Tu costante? bl Sonata & Recitativo bm Sonata & Recitativo Nel dolce dell’ oblio, benchè riposi la In sweet sleep, my adored Fili, though Tu fedel? Tu costante? You, faithful? You, constant? mia Fili adorata veglia coi pensier resting, was wakeful in her thoughts. Ah, non è vero! Ah, that isn’t true. suoi, e in quella quiete Amor non And still, in this quiet moment, Love did Tu usurpi ingiustamente titoli così You claim such noble titles unjustly, cessa mai con varie forme la sua not cease to trouble her sleeping peace, in belli, empio Fileno! evil Fileno. pace turbar, mentre ella dorme. his various ways. Tu fedel, cui scintillano nel seno You, faithful, in whose desire there is always sempre nove faville? a new fire burning? Aria Tu costante, ch’il cuore vanti diviso You, constant, who boast that your heart can Giacche il sonno a lei dipinge la From the first moment, sleep seems to paint in mille parte e in mille? be divided into a thousand pieces and more? sembianza del suo bene, before her the picture of her lover; Incostante, infedele, traditore! Inconstant, unfaithful, traitor – these, nella quiete nè pur finge and in this peace and stillness, she seems Questi, Fileno, questi giusti titoli Fileno, these are the correct and true titles d’abbriacar le sue catene. to embrace the chains of his love. sono e pregi tuoi, onde superbo ir for you, and yet you walk around proudly as puoi spergiuro, menzognero! a perjurer, a liar.

Tu fedel, tu costante? You, faithful? You, constant? Recitativo Ah, non è vero! Ah, that isn’t true! Così fida ella viva al cuor che Thus she lay sleeping, faithful as always to adora, the heart that she adores. bn e nell’ ombra respira la luce di quel And in the shadows she breathed in the Aria sol per cui sospira. light of him, for whom she sighs. Cento belle ami Fileno, e poi vanti Fileno, you love a hundred beauties, aver in seno un costante e and then boast that you have a constant and Aria fido cor! faithful heart! Ha l’inganno il suo diletto, se i Deceit has its charms! Or so it seems if our Stolta è ben colei che crede, ch’in te Stupid is she, who believes that in you resides pensier mossi d’affetto stiman ver thoughts, moved and confused by love, believe sia costanza e fede, a constant and loyal love, ciò che non sanno. to be true that which they do not even know. empio, infido, mentitor! O wicked lover! Ma se poi, si risveglia un tal errore But, if the mind awakens from such a cheating il pensier ridice a noi: dream, may it speak the truth to us all: “ha l’inganno il suo dolore”! “such deceit also brings pain”! 14 15 bo Recitativo e pesa del non essere amata l’esser more even than not being loved by you, da te tradita e vilipesa. is being an object of betrayal and scorn. L’occhio nero vivace di Fili a te dà Fili’s lively dark eyes strike pain in your heart; pena; di Licori ti piace il labbro in Licori, it is her luscious lips you love; br Aria lusinghiero; di Lidia il biondo crine it’s Lidia’s long blonde tresses which have al tuo core è catena; ensnared your desires; Se non ti piace amarmi, forzar non If it doesn’t please you any more to love me, in me ti piace il brio: in me, it’s my vivacity that pleases you; ti poss’io, se amor mi vuoi negar, I cannot force you. If you want to deny me e con vario desio, or per Lidia, or and with constantly-changing fancies non mi potrò doler, no, no. your love, I won’t find cause to complain. per Fili, or per Licori, ed or per – boasting that you have in your breast a Ma se per oltraggiarmi quel cor, che But if, in an insult to me, you give your heart me, vantando nel tuo seno nudrir constant heart, now for Lidia, now for Fili, già fu mio, ad altri vuoi donar, to another, this heart which once was mine costanti ardori con volubile genio now for Licori, and now for me – with such io non saprò tacer. – then, I will not be able to keep silent! ed incostante, sei di tutte, o Fileno, a fickle nature you are in truth, O Fileno, infido traditor, non fido amante! betraying all of us, and in no way a faithful lover! bs Recitativo bp Aria Ma il tuo genio incostante non But your fickle nature cannot cease from può lasciar d’amare, e ti fa sempre loving, and it means that you are always a Se Licori, Fili ed io abbiam parte If Licori, Fili and I all share your heart amante, or di questa, or di quella, lover, either of this beauty or of that one, who nel tuo core, come poi dir, traditore, between us, how can you say, traitor, that che sembra a gli occhi tuoi vezzosa seems beautiful and attractive in your eyes. ch’il tuo core è tutto mio? your heart belongs in its entirety to me? e bella. Che farò dunque, che farò? What shall I do, then? What shall I do? Se a me doni ed a Licori, ed a Lidia If you give your heart to me, and to Licori, Spietato, infido, traditor, spergiuro, Cruel, faithless, disloyal, liar, ungrateful lover! il cor, Fileno, and to Fili at the same time, Fileno, ingrato; più non me tradirai. No more will I let you betray me. quanti mai racchiudi in seno dillo how many hearts do you actually have in Sì lasciarò d’amarti, e tanto Yes, I will stop loving you, and soon ingrato quanti cori! your breast? Tell me, O thankless lover! t’ odierò quanto t’amai. I will hate you as much as once I loved you. bq Recitativo bt Aria Ma, se non hai più d’un sol cuore But if you do not have more than one sole Sì crudel, ti lascierò, novo amante Yes, cruel one, I will leave you. I shall find a in petto, o tra lascia d’amarmi, o fai heart in your breast, either stop loving me, troverò, che per mia sia tutta amor. new love, who will love me alone. che sola io sia dell’amor tuo gradito or ensure that I alone am the object of your Se non trovo, tornerà all’ antica If I don’t find a lover, my heart will return to oggetto, che a me più duole, desire; for what gives me most pain, libertà senza amar questo mio cor. its old freedom, and live without love! 16 17 ah, pur lo sai che sol da’ tuoi bei rai Ah, you even know that my heart Armida abbandonata per te piagato ho il seno, e pur tu breaks for your eyes alone, and yet you m’abbandoni, infido amante! abandon me – unfaithful lover! bu Recitativo Dietro l’orme fugaci del guerrier, Following wearily in the footsteps of the cn Accompagnato che gran tempo, in lascivo soggiorno fugitive warrior, with whom for so long she O voi, dell’ incostante e procelloso O, you fearful and terrifying monsters of ascoso avea, Armida abbandonata had enjoyed love while she kept him safely amare orridi mostri, dai più profondi the sea’s abyss! From the deepest cloisters il piè movea; e poi che vidde al concealed, the abandoned Armida trekked. chiostri, a vendicarmi uscite, e contro of the ocean, hurry to avenge me, and fine che l’oro del suo crine, i vezzi, But at last, when she realised that her quel crudel in crudelite! turn your cruelty against this cruel lover! i sguardi, i preghi non han forza golden tresses, her charms, her beseeching, Sì, sì sì, sia vostro il vanto e del Yes, yes! In your pride and boasting che leghi il fuggitivo amante, fermò her prayers, had no power to hold back her vostro rigore un mostro lacerar di voi bring forth a monster even greater than le stanche piante, e afissa sopra un fleeing lover, she stayed her tired feet, and maggiore! Onde, venti, che fate, che yourselves! Waves! Winds! Stop! Do not scoglio, calma di rio cordoglio, a sat on a rock, calm in her despair; and she voi nol sommergete? Ah, no! Fermate! drown him – ah, no! Stop! quel leggiero abete, che il suo ben gazed upon the slender mast which carried le rapia, le luci affisse, piangendo e away her love. And weeping, and sighing, sospirando così disse: she said: co Aria Venti, fermate, sì, nol sommergete! Winds, stay! No, do not drown him! cl Aria È ver che mi tradì, It is true that he has betrayed me, Ah, crudele! E pur ten vai, e mi lasci Ah, cruel one, you are leaving me, and yet ma pur l’adoro! but still I love him! in preda al duolo, e pur sai che sei you know that you are the sole delight of my Onde crudeli no, non l’uccidete! Cruel waters, do not kill him! tu solo il diletto del mio cor. heart! È ver che mi sprezzò, It is true that he has broken my heart, Come, ingrato, e come puoi involare How, thankless one, can you steal from my ma è il mio tesoro. yet still he is my beloved! a questo sen, il seren de’ lumi tuoi, breast the light of your starry eyes, se per te son tutta ardor? when you know that I burn for you alone? cp Recitativo cm Ma che parlo, che dico? Ah, ch’io But no, what am I saying? Ah, I am Recitativo vaneggio; e come amar potrei un raving! And how could you, treacherous Per te mi struggo, infido, I yearn for you, faithless one! traditore, infelice mio core? heart, still love a traitor? per te languisco, ingrato; I suffer for you, ungrateful that you are! Rispondi, o Dio, rispondi! Ah, che Answer me, O God, answer me! Ah, my 18 19 tu ti confondi, dubbioso e palpitante heart, you are confused, doubtful and ELIN MANAHAN THOMAS vorresti non amare e vivi amante. trembling, you wish only not to love, and Spezza quel laccio indegno, che tiene yet still you love. Shatter these unworthy Born and bred in Swansea, before graduating Night’s Dream in the Palau de la Música avvinto ancor gli affetti tuoi. chains, which still ensnare your affections. from Clare College Cambridge in Anglo- Catalana, Barcelona; and Purcell’s Dido and Che fai misero cor, che fai misero cor? What are you doing, poor sad heart? Saxon, Norse and Celtic, Elin is fast coming Aeneas in Seoul and Kuala Lumpur. She Ah, tu non puoi! Ah, you cannot! to light as one of Wales’s leading young has performed Judith Weir’s King Harald’s sopranos. She is the first singer ever to Saga in collaboration with the composer, record Bach’s Alles mit Gott, a birthday ode and premièred Sir John Tavener’s latest cq Aria written in 1713 and discovered in 2005. work Shunya at his 60th birthday concert. In 2006, Elin made her début at the Royal On the opera stage, Elin has played the In tanti affanni miei assisti mi almen In this, my darkest hour, help me, Opera House as Papagena, in the Lincoln role of Pamina (Mozart Die Zauberflöte), tu, nume d’amore! O God of Love! Center New York and the San Francisco The Governess (Britten Turn of the Screw), E se pietoso sei, And, if you have any pity for me, Symphony Hall with Mozart's Requiem, and Micaela (Bizet Carmen), Ninetta (Mozart fa ch’io non ami più quel traditore! destroy the love I have for this traitor. the Birmingham Symphony Hall with Fauré's La Finta Semplice) and Arminda (Mozart Requiem. She first received great acclaim La Finta Giardiniera), Despina (Mozart for her ‘Pie Jesu’ on Naxos’ award-winning Cosí Fan Tutte), Mermaid (Weber Oberon) recording of John Rutter's Requiem, and and Coryphée (Berlioz Les Troyens) at was praised as soloist in Bach’s St Matthew the Châtelet Theatre, Angelica (Handel Passion at the Thomaskirche in Leipzig, Orlando), Constance (Poulenc Dialogue des under Sir John Eliot Gardiner. Carmélites), Lucy (Menotti The Telephone), and recently Night/Nymph in the Armonico Recent concert performances include Consort’s acclaimed production of Purcell’s Britten’s Death in Venice for Richard Hickox Fairy Queen. in the QEH; Mozart concert arias with the Gabrieli Consort in the Barbican; Bach’s Elin studied as a post-graduate at the Royal Christmas Oratorio with Peter Schreier in College of Music, where she was awarded St John’s Smith Square; Mozart’s Mass in C the Ted Moss and Bertha Stach-Taylor Minor in King’s College Chapel, Cambridge; Lieder Prize. In 2005 she was a finalist in Glück’s Orfeo in the Snape Maltings; Haydn’s the prestigious Joaninha Award. Elin has Heiligemesse and Mozart's Vespers on a tour recently been signed to Universal Music of the USA; Monteverdi's Vespers in St. Classics and Jazz. In rehearsal Mark’s, Venice; Mendelssohn’s Midsummer 20 21 The Principals from the Symphony of Harmony and Invention The Principals from Violins: Walter Reiter, Miles Golding The Symphony of Cello: Joe Crouch Harmony and Flute: Katy Bircher Invention Theorbo: David Miller Harpsichord: Alastair Ross Walter Reiter The Symphony of Harmony and Invention Alastair Ross The Symphony of Harmony and Invention the Buxton Festival in productions of Handel’s Miles Golding is the creation of its conductor, Harry Semele and Hercules. David Miller Christophers. The orchestra’s strengths have been built around his passion for baroque Its many recordings, on Hyperion, Virgin, Katy Bircher music, that of its inspirational leader, Walter Chandos and now on The Sixteen’s own Joe Crouch Reiter, and a continuo section full of invention label CORO, have won critical approval and and style. The accent is always on freshness international accolades, including a Grand Prix of delivery. Part of its existence is as period- du Disque (Handel Messiah), Diapason d’Or orchestra to The Sixteen and here it acts as a (Teixeira Te Deum) and Deutsche Schallplatten superb complement to the in major works prize (Handel Alexander’s Feast). Its recent of the baroque and classical eras. disc on the CORO label, entitled 'Heroes and Recording Producer and Editor: Raphael Mouterde Heroines', a recording of Handel arias with Recorded live at the 2006 Recording Engineer: Mike Hatch (Floating Earth Ltd) The orchestra has emerged triumphantly in the stunning British mezzo-soprano, Sarah Production Consultant: Harry Christophers the field of Baroque opera. After praised Connolly, is nothing short of a revelation. Recorded live on Saturday, 6 September 2006 at semi-staged performances of Purcell’s Fairy Critics everywhere have been ecstatic in their Grove Auditorium, Magdalen College, Oxford Queen in Tel Aviv and London, a fully-staged praise. Translation of Italian text: Elin Manahan Thomas production of Purcell’s King Arthur, in Lisbon’s The Symphony of Harmony and Invention Cover image: Laurin Rinder, Shutterstock Inc. Belém Centre, was followed by an invitation Festival Design: Andrew Giles from the Lisbon Opera House to perform the has appeared at all the world’s major concert halls and festivals it is a regular performer at 2007 The Sixteen Productions Ltd. complete cycle of Monteverdi’s operas. The © 2007 The Sixteen Productions Ltd. first, a new production by Aidan Lang of the Barbican’s Mostly Mozart Festival and at The Handel in Oxford Festival For further information about recordings on CORO Il Ritorno d’Ulisse in Patria, took place in other UK festivals. Future engagements include concerts in Amsterdam, the Canary Islands, is made possible through the or live performances and tours by The Sixteen, 1998 and Poppea at English National Opera 44 (0) 1865 793 999 Lisbon, Porto, Madrid and Valencia. call + in October 2000 was a subsequent triumph. generous support of the or email [email protected] Over the past two seasons, it has appeared at Zvi & Ofra Meitar Family Fund www.thesixteen.com ��������������������� 22 23