Carl Heinrich Graun - Cleopatra e Cesare (1996)

Disc: 1
1. Ouverture
2. Coro
3. Recitativo
4. Aria
5. Recitativo
6. Aria
7. Recitativo
8. Aria
9. Recitativo
10. Aria
11. Recitativo
12. Aria					CD1 
13. Recitativo
14. Aria
15. Recitativo
16. Aria
17. Recitativo
18. Aria
19. Recitativo
20. Aria

Disc: 2
1. Recitativo
2. Sinfonia
3. Recitativo
4. Sinfonia
5. Recitativo
6. Aria						CD1 
7. Recitativo
8. Recitativo
9. Aria
10. Recitativo
11. Aria
12. Recitativo
13. Aria
14. Recitativo
15. Aria
16. Recitativo
17. Aria
18. Recitativo
19. Recitativo
20. Recitativo
21. Aria

Disc: 3
1. Recitativo
2. Aria
3. Recitativo
4. Aria
5. Recitativo
6. Aria
7. Recitativo
8. Aria
9. Recitativo
10. Aria
11. Recititivo
12. Aria					CD1 
13. Recitativo
14. Duetto
15. Recitativo
16. Chorus

Cleopatra – Janet Williams - soprano
Cesare – Iris Vermillion - mezzo-soprano
Cornelia – Lynne Dawson - soprano
Tolomeo – Robert Gambill - tenor
Arsace – Ralf Popken - contratenor
Lentulo – Jeffrey Francis - tenor
Achilla – Klaus Häger - barítono
Cneo – Elisabeth Scholl - soprano
Sesto – Maria-Cristina Kiehr - soprano

Rias-Kammerchor
Concerto Köln
René Jacobs – conductor

The story is the same as that of Handel's opera of the same name. The selection of voices and voice timbres and range is superb. Janet Williams as Cleopatra is stunning, as is Robert Gambill as Tolomeo and Jeffrey Francis as Lentulo. Lynne Dawson sings beautifully though lacking a bit of dramatic clout. Iris Vermillion whose voice is a little rough compensates and gives a spectular performance with her dramatic authority in the role of Cesare. The orchestral playing and conducting are splendid especially the harpsichord playing which is spectacular. This is one of the all time best opera recordings and will become one of your favorites if you love baroque opera. --- Marcolorenzo (Italy), amazon.com

Carl Heinrich Graun (7 May 1704, Uebigau-Wahrenbrück – 8 August 1759, Berlin) was a German composer and tenor singer. Along with Johann Adolf Hasse, he is considered to be the most important German composer of Italian opera of his time. Graun was born in Wahrenbrück in Brandenburg. He sang in the chorus of the Dresden opera before moving to Braunschweig, singing there and writing six operas for the company. In 1735 Graun moved to Rheinsberg, after he had written an opera for the crown prince, when marrying Elisabeth Christine in Salzdahlum. He was kapellmeister to Frederick II of Prussia (Frederick the Great) from his ascension to the throne in 1740 until Graun's death nineteen years later in Berlin.

Graun wrote a number of operas. His opera Cesare e Cleopatra inaugurated the opening of the Berlin opera house in 1742. Others, such as Montezuma (1755), with a libretto by King Frederick. None of his pieces are often performed today, though his passion Der Tod Jesu (The Death of Jesus, 1755) was frequently given in Germany for many years after his death. His other works include concertos and trio sonatas.

download: uploaded anonfiles yandex 4shared solidfiles mediafire mega filecloudio

back