Nude Soprano Sings Händel in Slovenia's Maribor Festival

"One of Slovenia's proudest cultural contributors is the Maribor Festival, located in the country's second city. With Australian violinist Richard Tognetti at the helm, the 2011 version provided edgy classical music thrills ranging from a naked soprano singing Handel to deconstructionist Marino Formenti playing after hours in an undeground pub...The naked soprano was Aleksandra Zamojska singing Handel's great aria from Giulio Cesare, "Piangero la sorte mia," topless in her underwear. Resisting the efforts by female members of the chorus to cover her nudity, Zamojska wielded a voice of velvety beauty and impeccable intonation that would have been sensationally sufficient had she been fully clothed. The exhibitionist coup de theatre, with lights transforming Zamojska's body into a anti-puerilistic cubist fantasy, gave it that little extra oomph that festival goers, eager to tell the folks back home what they missed, always appreciate. Not to be outdone, Marino Formenti -- who has performed nude himself -- ventured his first performance ever of John Cage's iconic 4:33 and made it a thing of casual, exquisite beauty." [Source] Watch Aleksandra Zamojska in a rather dramatic scena (compliments of director Sebastian Hirn) from Händel's Agrippina after the jump.

Canadian Artists Release Recording of Händel Delights

"The oratorios from which Karina Gauvin and Marie-Nicole Lemieux perform excerpts on Streams of Pleasure were premiered between 1744 and 1750 and are among Handel’s last compositions. Soprano and contralto are joined for this pleasurable collection by internationally acclaimed early music ensemble Il Complesso Barocco under its musical director Alan Curtis. Highly regarded contralto Marie-Nicole Lemieux has recorded for numerous labels, and now enjoys an exclusive contract with Naïve, for which she has recorded the title roles in Vivaldi’s operas Griselda and Orlando furioso, and La Fida Ninfa. In recent times she has released a critically acclaimed programme of Vivaldi arias with the Ensemble Matheus under Jean-Christophe Spinosi. Fellow Canadian soprano Karina Gauvin’s has recorded for labels including ATMA, Astrée, and Dorian, and has appeared on Naïve’s recording of Vivaldi’s Tito Manlio as well Handel’s Ezio, Alcina, and Tolomeo with I’l Complesso Barocco for DG and DG Archiv." [Source] Listen to excerpts from the album here and check out the complete track listing after the jump.

George Frideric Handel  (1685-1759)

Belshazzar: ‘Destructive war’* 
Theodora: ‘To thee, thou glorious son of worth’*** 
Alexander Balus: ‘Fury with red sparkling eyes’*
Susanna: ‘Lead me – Crystal streams in murmurs flowings’**
Judas Maccabaeus: ‘From this dread scene’***
Theodora: ‘Streams of pleasure ever flowing’***
Theodora: ‘Ah! whither should we fly? – As with rosy steps the morn’*
Joseph and his brethren: ‘Prophetic raptures swell my breast’**
Joshua: ‘Our limpid streams with freedom flow’***
Solomon: ‘Can I see my infant gor’d’** 
Alexander Balus: Fair virtue shall charm me’*
Solomon: ‘Thou fair inhabitant – Welcome as the dawn of day’***
Hercules: ‘Forgive me – My father’**
Theodora: ‘But why art thou disquieted – Oh! that I on wings could rise’**
Belshazzar: ‘Great victor, at your feet I bow’***

Karina Gauvin (soprano) *
Marie-Nicole Lemieux (contralto) **

Il Complesso Barocco
Alan Curtis

NEW Harmonia Mundi: Gheorghiu, Mehta and Pendatchanska

Harmonia Mundi will be making three fall releases that may grab the attention of vocal enthusiasts. The first is a disc with soprano Teodora Gheorghiu titled Anna de Amicis with Christophe Rousset and Les Talens Lyriques on the subsidiary label Aparté. "The pre-classicist programme is dedicated to the historic figure of Anna de Amicis, famous soprano who first created the role of Giunia in W.A. Mozart's Lucio Silla. Besides works of the young Mozart the programme comprises arias by N. Jomelli, J. C. Bach, C.W. Gluck and others." [Source] Watch a video (below) featuring the recording of some wonderful music that has been forgotten for many years. (Release dates: Germany - September 11, 2011; UK - October 3, 2011)

The second disc is a follow-up for countertenor Bejun Mehta to his debut disc with Harmonia Mundi (Ombra Cara featuring Händel arias). This time around the singer chose to work with pianist Julius Drake to focus on English songs of the 19th & 20th centuries on a disc called Down By The Salley Gardens. Included are such legendary composers as Howells, Finzi, Tippett and Britten. To listen to some audio clips from the album, click here. (Release dates: USA - September 13, 2011; Internationally - September 16, 2011)

Lastly is a complete recording of Händel's opera Agrippina featuring Alexandrina Pendatchanska, Jennifer Rivera, Sunhae Im, Bejun Mehta, Marcos Fink, Neal Davies and Dominique Visse with the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin under the direction of René Jacobs. Ms. Pendatchanska has performed on other Harmonia Mundi recordings with René Jacobs including Mozart's Don Giovanni, Idomeneo and La Clemenza di Tito. This particular recording is taken from a live stage version done in Berlin and there will be a limited edition of the opera put out with a DVD. Watch (below) Alexandrina Pendatchanska sing "L'alma mia fra le tempeste" from Agrippina. (Release dates: USA - October 11, 2011; Internationally - January 1, 2012)

Coffee Break: Edda Moser as Medea in Händel's "Teseo"

Singing the aria "Sibilando, ululando atterrate la rival che mi schermi!" from Händel's opera Teseo.

Coffee Break: Gorgeous Baroque Duet Executed in Glory

"Son nata a lagrimar" Giulio Cesare (Händel)

Live from the Metropolitan Opera, 1999
David Daniels........Sesto
Stephanie Blythe....Cornelia