Amadigi

"The soloists, sopranos Elena de la Merced and Sharon Rostorf-Zamir, mezzo Maria Riccarda Wesseling, and countertenor Jordi Domènech are hardly household names, but all have full, richly modulated voices, and are fully invested in the drama. Al Ayre Español, led by Eduardo López Banzo, plays with beautiful tone, high spirits, and dramatic nuance — the musical performances are altogether first rate and fully satisfying".

"It's odd that Handel's Amadigi isn't better known, given what it has going for it. For a start it's short, for a Handel opera (these things are relative), and compact, with only four characters ... All the roles are for high voices, which could have made for unvaried home listening, but there's an effective contrast between the liquid tone of Tim Mead's countertenor in the title role and the distinctive steel-cored contralto of Hilary Summers as his false friend Dardano. The two sopranos, Mary Bevan as Melissa and Anna Dennis as Oriana, are closer in tone but both respond with some glorious singing to the way Handel's music draws their differing characters ... Not so straightforward after all - and this recording should help win the opera some new friends".

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"Vurdering: BBC music choice" - "It's almost 20 years since Marc Minkowski made his recording of Handel's "magic" opera, Amadigi di Gaula (1715). None has appeared commercially since then, so this new release is especially welcome ... I doubt very much if readers will be disappointed either by the singing and sympathetic instrumental playing, or by Handel's consistenly beguiling, often sensuous music".

"Opera choice: Handel took a less-is-more approach to his Amadigi di Gaula. Christian Curnyn's answering restraint reveals the stark solos, shimmering textures, ringing silences and stunning one-to-a-part counterpoint of music that fairly bursts with its composer's early genius ... At the centre of the drama is Melissa, sung by Mary Bevan with transfixing intensity ... Tim Mead gives depth to Amadigi ... The instrumentalists' playing is revelatory, the grace they bring to vocal-woodwind exchanges ... make this a memorable performance".