George Frideric Handel – Semele (Nelson) [1993]

CD1
1. Semele HWV 58 / Act 1 - Overture	English Chamber Orchestra	9:04
2. Semele HWV 58 / Act 1 - Behold! auspicious flashes arise	Mark S. Doss	1:26
3. Semele HWV 58 / Act 1 - Lucky omens bless our rites	Ambrosian Opera Chorus	3:08	
4. Semele HWV 58 / Act 1 - Daughter, obey	Samuel Ramey	0:58	
5. Semele HWV 58 / Act 1 - Ah! me! - O Jove!	Kathleen Battle	2:43	
6. Semele HWV 58 / Act 1 - The morning lark to mine accords his note	Kathleen Battle	7:05
7. Semele HWV 58 / Act 1 - See she blushing turns her eyes	Michael Chance	0:17
8. Semele HWV 58 / Act 1 - Hymen, haste, thy torch prepare	Michael Chance	4:38
9. Semele HWV 58 / Act 1 - Alas! she yields, and has undone me	Michael Chance	0:48
10. Semele HWV 58 / Act 1 - Why dost thou thus untimely grieve?	Michael Chance	2:45
11. Semele HWV 58 / Act 1 - Avert these omens	Ambrosian Opera Chorus	1:59	
12. Semele HWV 58 / Act 1 - Again auspicious flashes rise	Samuel Ramey	0:38
13. Semele HWV 58 / Act 1 - Thy aid, pronubial Juno, Athamas implores! Michael Chance 0:17
14. Semele HWV 58 / Act 1 - Cease your vows	Ambrosian Opera Chorus	0:36	
15. Semele HWV 58 / Act 1 - O Athamas, what toture hast thou borne!	Michael Chance	0:29
16. Semele HWV 58 / Act 1 - Turn, hopeless lover, turn thy eyes	Marilyn Horne	8:26
17. Semele HWV 58 / Act 1 - She weeps!	Michael Chance	0:24	
18. Semele HWV 58 / Act 1 - Your tuneful voice my tale would tell	Michael Chance	4:55
19. Semele HWV 58 / Act 1 - Too well I see, thou wilt not understand me Michael Chance	0:47
20. Semele HWV 58 / Act 1 - You've undone me / With my life I would atone Michael Chance	2:29
21. Semele HWV 58 / Act 1 - Ah, wretched prince / Wing'd with our fears /O prodigy/See, see, Jove's Priests	Michael Chance	2:07	
22. Semele HWV 58 / Act 1 - Hail Cadmus!	Samuel Ramey	1:34
23. Semele HWV 58 / Act 1 - Endless pleasure...	Kathleen Battle	4:30	

CD2
1. Semele HWV 58 / Act 2 - Overture	English Chamber Orchestra	1:30	
2. Semele HWV 58 / Act 2 - Iris, impatient of thy stay	Marilyn Horne	0:46
3. Semele HWV 58 / Act 2 - There from mortal cares retiring	Sylvia McNair	3:27	
4. Semele HWV 58 / Act 2 - No more - I'll hear no more! / Awake Saturnia..	Marilyn Horne	1:55
5. Semele HWV 58 / Act 2 - Hence, Iris, hence away	Marilyn Horne	3:23	
6. Semele HWV 58 / Act 2 - Oh sleep, why dost thou leave me?	Kathleen Battle	3:09
7. Semele HWV 58 / Act 2 - Let me not another moment	Kathleen Battle	0:16
8. Semele HWV 58 / Act 2 - Lay your doubts and fears aside	John Aler	3:02	
9. Semele HWV 58 / Act 2 - You are mortal and require time to rest	John Aler	0:23
10. Semele HWV 58 / Act 2 - With fond desiring	Kathleen Battle	2:54	
11. Semele HWV 58 / Act 2 - How engaging, how endearing	Ambrosian Opera Chorus	3:06
12. Semele HWV 58 / Act 2 - Ah me! why sighs my Semele!	Kathleen Battle	1:23	
13. Semele HWV 58 / Act 2 - I must with speed amuse her	John Aler	3:44	
14. Semele HWV 58 / Act 2 - Now Love that everlasting boy invites Ambrosian Opera Chorus	2:21
15. Semele HWV 58 / Act 2 - By my command	John Aler	1:18
16. Semele HWV 58 / Act 2 - Where'er you walk	John Aler	4:53
17. Semele HWV 58 / Act 2 - Dear Sister	Kathleen Battle	0:46	
18. Semele HWV 58 / Act 2 - But hark! The Heavenly Sphere	Marilyn Horne	2:14
19. Semele HWV 58 / Act 2 - Prepare then, ye immortal choir	Marilyn Horne	2:01
20. Semele HWV 58 / Act 2 - Bless the glad earth	Ambrosian Opera Chorus	2:43

CD3
1. Semele HWV 58 / Act 3 - Overture	English Chamber Orchestra	1:21	
2. Semele HWV 58 / Act 3 - Somnus, awake	Marilyn Horne	0:31	
3. Semele HWV 58 / Act 3 - Leave me, loathsome light	Samuel Ramey	3:07	
4. Semele HWV 58 / Act 3 - Dull God	Sylvia McNair	0:40	
5. Semele HWV 58 / Act 3 - More sweet is that name	Samuel Ramey	2:14	
6. Semele HWV 58 / Act 3 - My will obey	Samuel Ramey	1:22
7. Semele HWV 58 / Act 3 - Obey my will / All I must grant	Samuel Ramey	1:52
8. Semele HWV 58 / Act 3 - My racking thoughts by no kind slumbers freed	Kathleen Battle	2:53
9. Semele HWV 58 / Act 3 - Thus shap'd like Ino	Kathleen Battle	1:14
10. Semele HWV 58 / Act 3 - Behold this mirror	Marilyn Horne	2:40	
11. Semele HWV 58 / Act 3 - O ecstasy of happiness	Kathleen Battle	0:19	
12. Semele HWV 58 / Act 3 - Myself I shall adore	Kathleen Battle	6:39	
13. Semele HWV 58 / Act 3 - Be wise, as you are beautiful	Kathleen Battle	0:37	
14. Semele HWV 58 / Act 3 - Conjure him by his oath	Marilyn Horne	1:27
15. Semele HWV 58 / Act 3 - Thus let my thanks be pay'd	Kathleen Battle	2:13	
16. Semele HWV 58 / Act 3 - Rich odours fill the fragrant air	Kathleen Battle	0:31	
17. Semele HWV 58 / Act 3 - Come to my arms	John Aler	2:58	
18. Semele HWV 58 / Act 3 - O Semele! Why art thou....? / I ever am granting,..	John Aler	1:42
19. Semele HWV 58 / Act 3 - Speak what you desire	John Aler	0:15	
20. Semele HWV 58 / Act 3 - By that tremendous flood, I swear	John Aler	0:26	
21. Semele HWV 58 / Act 3 - You'll grant what I require? /Then cast off this human John Aler	0:33
22. Semele HWV 58 / Act 3 - Ah, take heed	John Aler	1:11	
23. Semele HWV 58 / Act 3 - No, no, I'll take no less	Kathleen Battle	5:14
24. Semele HWV 58 / Act 3 - Ah, whither is she gone?	John Aler	3:01	
25. Semele HWV 58 / Act 3 - Above measure is the pleasure,which my revenge supplies	Marilyn Horne	2:22	
26. Semele HWV 58 / Act 3 - Ah me, too late I now repent	Kathleen Battle	3:44	
27. Semele HWV 58 / Act 3 - Of my ill-boding dream	Marilyn Horne	0:21
28. Semele HWV 58 / Act 3 - Oh, terror and astonishment	Ambrosian Opera Chorus	3:55
29. Semele HWV 58 / Act 3 - How I was hence remov'd	Marilyn Horne	1:00	
30. Semele HWV 58 / Act 3 - Despair no more shall wound me	Michael Chance	5:03
31. Semele HWV 58 / Act 3 - See from above the belling clouds descend	Samuel Ramey	0:17
32. Semele HWV 58 / Act 3 - Sinfonia: Apollo come	English Chamber Orchestra	1:28
33. Semele HWV 58 / Act 3 - Appolo comes, to relieve your care	Neil Mackie	0:56	
34. Semele HWV 58 / Act 3 - Happy shall we be	Ambrosian Opera Chorus	2:56

Cadmus - Samuel Ramey
Athamas - Michael Chance
Semele - Kathleen Battle
Ino - Marilyn Horne
Juno - Marilyn Horne
Jupiter - John Aler
Iris - Sylvia McNair
Somnus - Samuel Ramey
Apolo - Neil Mackie

English Chamber Orchestra
Ambrosian Opera Chorus
John Nelson - conductor

This magnificent performance is without a doubt among the top two or three Handel opera recordings in the catalog. John Nelson outdoes even the period instrument competition, conducting with a vitality and freshness that sweeps all before it. Kathleen Battle is a great Semele (if listening to this woman sing "Myself I Will Adore" isn't a classic example of typecasting, then what is?). But the real palm must go to Marilyn Horne as the jealous Juno, who simply stops the show with her two arias (she sings Ino as well). A very great recording. --David Hurwitz

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