Flavio – Jeffrey Gall (Flavio)/ Derek Lee Ragin (Guido)/ Lena Lootens (Emilia)/ Bernarda Fink (Teodata)/ Christina Hogman (Vitige)/ Gianpaola Fagotto (Ugone)/ Ulrich Messthaler (Lotario) Ensemble 415/ Chiara Banchini/ Rene Jacobs, conductor
Giulio Cesare – Jennifer Larmore (Giulio Cesare)/ Barbara Schlick (Cleopatra)/ Bernarda Fink (Cornelia)/ Marianne Rorholm (Sesto)/ Derek Lee Ragin (Tolomeo)/ Furio Zanasi (Achilla)/ Dominique Visse (Nireno)/ Olivier Lallouette (Curio)/ Concerto Koln/ Rene Jacobs, conductor
Duetti e cantata da camera – Concerto Vocale – Harmonia mundi HMX 2908241.49 (9 CDs), 635:001 ****:
The real prize in this jam packed nine-CD set is of course the incandescent recording of Giulio Cesare with some of the most phenomenal singing on record by Larmore, Schlick, and Fink. When this came out it created quite a stir, given it is about as complete as it ever has been, and filled with Jacob’s searching and trend-setting conducting. While it won’t displace favorites of yesteryear, those recordings are of a different era and style altogether, and here the opera comes together in a manner fully redolent of what Handel must have envisioned.
Flavio is counter-tenor laden, and that will be a drawback for some; no matter how well sung (and it is), many will miss the dramatic and emotional power present only in a woman’s voice in this opera. However—and this is an important point—it is currently the only recording available, and likely to be so for a long while. That being the case, this will more than fill space on your shelf, and you will enjoy every moment of it.
I think I still prefer the Bartoli/Daniels/Hogwood production of Rinaldo for the sterling vocalism of Cecelia Bartoli. The recording won a lot of awards, and deservedly so. But packaging this opera in this special set has distinct advantages (one of which is not a lack of libretto for any of the works given here) in keeping so many albums in a manageable shelf space, and Vivica Genaux gives a more than creditable account of the hero with here fireworks-laden singing. In this case, there is room for two Rinaldos on my shelves. As usual, great sound in all three operas, and well worth the investment for a depleted collection. The bonus Duetti e cantata da camera only adds to the desirability.
— Steven Ritter
