Editor’s Choice, Opera – August 2015

A few years ago I welcomed unreservedly the revelatory recording of Leonardo Vinci’s late opera Artaserse (Virgin 6028692) as an undiscovered masterpiece. Featuring a stellar line-up of no less than five countertenors (thanks to prudish Roman fashions, the women’s parts too were written for men), the opera, composed in the high-Neapolitan gallant style is a glorious succession of imaginatively scored virtuosic arias with no duds and plenty of hummable tunes. With the same cast bar one, this DVD is in some ways even better as the confusion between who is singing what, when so many roles are sung in falsetto, is no longer an issue.

Artaserse was one of the hit libretti of the period, set by everyone who was anyone, but Vinci’s is rather special. The villainous vizier (Artabano) has killed his king letting suspicion fall upon his own son (Arbace), best friend to the new king (Artaserse). When Arbace won’t dob on dad, a tangled web of blame and deceit ensues before all comes good in a magnanimous finale involving a poisoned chalice.

Silviu Purca˘rete’s production is the campest thing you’ll see this side of Eurovision, with costumes that would make Cinderella’s sisters weep – how the cast don’t topple over under the sheer weight of wigs and helmets is a miracle! The camera work, frequently showing singers revving up in the wings and the stagehands doing what is clearly intended not to be seen is annoying, the use of the stage revolve unremitting, but otherwise it’s all great fun. 

The cast are superb with Philippe Jaroussky a compelling, conflicted princeling and Franco Fagioli extraordinary as his former best mate. The latter’s end of Act One showstopper is one of the most extraordinary vocal feats you’ll likely ever hear. Max Emanuel Cencˇic´ and Valer Sabadus make the two ladies into more than just an accomplished pair of drag queens (though they are frequently dressed like those dolls you used to see covering toilet rolls). 

As the ultra-nasty father, Juan Sancho snarls and glowers, chewing up anything unlucky enough to come in his path. Yuriy Mynenko (a star of the recent Five Countertenors CD – see last issue) is again a standout as the even nastier Megabise.

Diego Fasolis whips Concerto Köln into a frenzy of colourful passion and the sound is pretty good for a live opera captured without benefit of head-mics, just a little recessed at times. Go on, be seduced.