FT.com print article 03.09.09 09:41 ARTS Financial MUSIIC Close Partenope, Royal Albert Hall, London By Andrew Clark Published: July 20 2009 22:23 | Last updated: July 20 2009 22:23 “Tell me, merciful heaven, which of these beauties I should forsake?” The words sum up the embarrassment of riches facing Arsace in Act One of Handel’s opera, as he calculates whether to opt for Queen Partenope, who fancies him, or his first love, Rosmira, who wants him back. The audience at Sunday’s Prom by the Royal Danish Theatre, Copenhagen, faced an embarrassment of riches of another kind, without having to make any of Arsace’s hard choices: the cast of six were such a homogeneous unit that the “beauties” of one voice never had to be “forsaken” on hearing another. Experience of singing the opera in the theatre had given them the wherewithal to project the quietest words and funniest asides to the lofty recesses of the Royal Albert Hall. This must be one of the fastest four hours I have sat through. At its heart was Concerto Copenhagen, a smaller orchestra than that fielded by the Gabrieli Consort the previous evening for Haydn’s The Creation, but producing a bigger, better integrated sound, with confident brass obbligatos in the hunting and battle scenes. Lars Ulrik Mortensen directed from the harpsichord with the kind of freedom and flexibility you wish other so-called period specialists could emulate. The reading had presence, momentum, dramatic flair, but it wasn’t a performance where one person was seen to be imposing a style. It was, instead, a most wonderful co-ordination and harmonising of talents. Inger Dam-Jensen’s Partenope had star appeal, not just for her brilliant, and brilliantly musical, way with the vocal decorations, but also for her total devotion to the musical characterisation rather than her own ego. Andreas Scholl’s Arsace revealed unexpected comedic gifts and made time stand still in “Ch’io parta?”, one of Handel’s heart-stopping slow arias. Indeed, thanks to equally valuable contributions from Tuva Semmingsen, Christophe Dumaux, Bo Kristian Jensen and Palle Knudsen, the music seemed to become more and more sublime as the opera progressed. All of which forces a reassessment of Partenope within the Handel canon. Isn’t it time we elevated it to the pantheon alongside Alcina, Ariodante, Giulio Cesare and Rodelinda? ★★★★★ www..bbc..co..uk//prroms Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009 "FT" and "Financial Times" are trademarks of the Financial Times. Privacy policy | Terms © Copyright The Financial Times Ltd 2009. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/9d177b1c-7545-11de-9ed5-00144feabd…dwp_uuid=9c60dd0a-a28b-11dc-81c4-0000779fd2ac,print=yes.html Seite 1 von 1.