Blessed Spirit: A Gluck Retrospective

Blessed Spirit: A Gluck Retrospective

The Classical Opera Company is delighted to announce the release of its second recording, ‘Blessed Spirit: A Gluck Retrospective’ which was recorded live at the company’s January 2010 Wigmore Hall recital of the same name, and has been released on the prestigious Wigmore Hall Live label.

The CD features a selection of works from Christoph Willibald Gluck’s prolific operatic output, performed by company Associate Artist, soprano Sophie Bevan, former Royal Opera House Jette Parker Young Artist, soprano Ailish Tynan and BBC New Generation artist, mezzo soprano Anna Stéphany. Ian Page conducts the dynamic, period-instrument Orchestra of the Classical Opera Company.

To buy the CD, go to: http://www.wigmore-hall.org.uk/wigmore-hall-live/buy-cds/view/cd037-classical-opera-company-26113

A full track listing is as follows:

1. Aria ‘Il Ciel mi vuol oppresso’ from La Semiramide riconosciuta - 04.42
2. Aria ‘Se povero il ruscello’ from Ezio - 08.07
3. Aria ‘Se mai senti spirarti sul volto’ from La clemenza di Tito - 10.24
4–5. ‘Berenice, che fai?’ – Aria ‘Perché, se tanti siete’ from Antigono - 08.21
6–7. ‘Ombre tacite e chete’ – Aria ‘Dall’ orrido soggiorno’ from Telemaco - 05.28
8–9. ‘Elisa? Aminta? È sogno?’ – Duet ‘Vanne a regnar, ben mio’ from Il re pastore - 06.47
10. Aria ‘Non jamais un tel époux’ from L'ivrogne corrigé - 02.46
11–14. Scene from Act Three of Orfeo ed Euridice - 11.06
15–16. ‘Figli, diletti figli!’ – Aria ‘Ah, per questo già stanco’ from Alceste - 07.15
17. Aria ‘O del mio dolce ardor’ from Paride ed Elena - 02.53
18–19. ‘Dieux puissants’ – Aria ‘Jupiter, lance la foudre’ from Iphigénie en Aulide - 04.39
20. Aria ‘On s’étonnerait moins que la saison nouvelle’ from Armide - 03.36

ENCORE

21. Introduction to encore - 00.25
22. Trio ‘Ah, lo veggo’ from Paride ed Elena - 02.18

Reviews
“Gluck’s journey from the formal opera seria to his mature masterworks … is underappreciated … What emerged most strongly from the Classical Opera Company’s showcase was how organic that development actually was.
"When Anna Stéphany delivered the furies of ‘Il Ciel mi vuol oppresso’ from La Semiramide riconosciuta, here already was a shot of operatic angst in an age of frothy lattes. That Stéphany has a terrific cutting edge to her voice added to the charge of the moment.
"She was in good company, too. Sophie Bevan used her rich and supple soprano with unerring intelligence … Ailish Tynan, a lighter, brighter voice, ploughed sweeter furrows.” The Times
“...the overwhelming grace and profound simplicity of Gluck's music was tantamount; one could only recall the composer's statement that his work was based on ‘the immutable foundations of beauty and truth’, an evaluation that was brought to light repeatedly throughout the course of the evening.” Opera Britannia