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CHAN 0745
Multiple Set of 3 CDs
Handel: Semele
Running Time: 169:13
Release Date: November 2007
Originally recorded in April 2007
Composer (1685-1759)
George Frideric Handel
George Frideric Handel
Soprano Voice soprano - Semele
Rosemary Joshua
Rosemary Joshua
Solo contralto - Ino
Hilary Summers
Hilary Summers
Bass Voice bass - Cadmus
Brindley Sherratt
Brindley Sherratt
Solo counter-tenor - Athamus
Stephen Wallace
Stephen Wallace
Choral Chorus of Priests and Augurs
Chorus of Early Opera Company
Chorus of Early Opera Company
Solo tenor - Jupiter
Richard Croft
Richard Croft
Solo soprano - Iris
Gail Pearson
Gail Pearson
Bass Voice bass - Somnus
Brindley Sherratt
Brindley Sherratt
Solo tenor - Apollo
Richard Croft
Richard Croft
Choral Chorus of Loves and Zephyrs; Chorus of Nymphs and Swains; Attendants
Chorus of Early Opera Company
Chorus of Early Opera Company
Orchestra
Early Opera Company
Early Opera Company
Conductor
Christian Curnyn
Christian Curnyn
Venue
All Saints' Church, East Finchley, London
All Saints' Church, East Finchley, London
Producer
Nicholas Anderson
Nicholas Anderson
Engineer
Jonathan Cooper
Jonathan Cooper
Engineer (Assistant)
Paul Quilter
Paul Quilter
Genre:
Opera
Opera
Awards
Temporarily out of stock
GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL
(1685-1759)Semele, HWV 58
169:35
first complete recording on period instruments
A musical theatrical entertainment in three acts
Based on a libretto by William Congreve
Edited by Clifford Bartlett
COMPACT DISC ONE
1.
No. 1. Ouverture. [ ]
2:32
2.
Allegro - Adagio -
3:41
3.
Gavotte
1:30
Act I
Scene 1
4.
No. 2. Cadmus: 'Behold! auspicious flashes rise!'
1:23
5.
No. 3. Chorus: 'Lucky omens bless our rites'
3:15
6.
No. 4. Cadmus: 'Daughter, obey'
0:55
7.
No. 5. Semele: 'Ah me! What refuge now is left me?'
2:43
8.
No. 6. Semele: 'The morning lark to mine accords his note'
7:25
9.
No. 7. Athamus: 'See, she blushing turns her eyes'
0:16
10.
No. 8. Athamus: 'Hymen, haste, thy torch prepare'
4:46
11.
No. 9. Ino: 'Alas! she yields'
0:42
12.
No. 10. Cadmus: 'Why does thou thus untimely grieve'
3:02
13.
No. 11. Chorus: 'Avert those omens, all ye pow'rs!'
2:00
14.
No. 12. Cadmus: 'Again auspicious flashes rise'
0:38
15.
No. 13. Athamus: 'Thy aid, pronubial Juno, Athamus implores'
0:14
16.
No. 14. Chorus: 'Cease, cease your vows, 'tis impious to proceed'
0:32
Scene 2
17.
No. 15. Athamus: 'O Athamus, what torture hast thou borne!'
0:29
18.
No. 16. Ino: 'Turn, hopeless lover, turn thy eyes'
8:01
19.
No. 17. Athamus: 'She weeps! The gentle maid, in tender pity'
0:18
20.
No. 18. Athamus: 'Your tuneful voice my tale would tell'
3:50
21.
No. 19. Ino: 'Too well I see'
0:43
22.
No. 20. Ino: 'You've undone me'
2:26
Scene 3
23.
No. 21. Cadmus: 'Ah, wretched Prince, doom'd to disastrous love!' -
2:08
Scene 4
Cadmus: 'See, see, Jove's Priests and holy Augurs come'
24.
No. 22. Chorus: 'Hail, Cadmus, hail! Jove salutes the Theban King'
1:30
25.
No. 23. Semele: 'Endless pleasure, endless love'
4:50
59:57
COMPACT DISC TWO
Act II
1.
No. 24. Sinfonia. Presto
1:34
Scene 1
2.
No. 25. June: 'Iris, impatient of thy stay'
0:47
3.
No. 26. Iris: 'There, from mortal cares retiring'
3:39
4.
No. 27. Juno: 'No more - I'll hear no more'
2:04
5.
No. 28. Juno: 'Hence, Iris, hence away'
3:50
Scene 2
6.
No. 30. Semele: 'O sleep, why dost thou leave me?'
2:54
Scene 3
7.
No. 31. Semele: 'Let me not another moment'
0:19
8.
No. 32. Jupiter: 'Lay your doubts and fears aside'
3:06
9.
No. 33. Jupiter: 'You are mortal, and require'
0:17
10.
No. 34. Semele: 'With fond desiring'
3:21
11.
No. 35. Chorus: 'How engaging, how endearing'
3:04
12.
No. 36. Semele: 'Ah me!' -
1:07
Jupiter: 'Why sighs my Semele?'
13.
No. 37. Jupiter: 'I must with speed amuse her'
3:56
14.
No. 38. Chorus: 'Now Love that everlasting boy invites'
2:21
15.
No. 39. Jupiter: 'By my command'
1:03
16.
No. 40. Jupiter: 'Where'er you walk, cool gales shall fan the glade'
4:56
Scene 4
17.
No. 41. Semele: 'Dear sister, how was your passage hither?'
0:39
18.
No. 42. Ino: 'But hark! the heav'nly sphere turns round'
2:26
19.
No. 43. Ino and Semele: 'Prepare then, ye immortal choir'
1:57
20.
No. 44. Chorus: 'Bless the glad earth with heav'nly lays'
2:42
46:10
COMPACT DISC THREE
Act III
1.
No. 45. [Sinfonia.] Larghetto e piano per tutto
1:28
Scene 1
2.
No. 46. Juno: 'Somnus, awake'
0:31
3.
No. 47. Somnus: 'Leave me, loathsome light'
3:26
4.
No. 48. Iris: 'Dull God, canst thou attend the water's fall'
0:29
5.
No. 49. Somnus: 'More sweet is that name'
2:27
6.
No. 50. Juno: 'My will obey'
1:14
7.
No. 51. Juno: 'Obey my will, thy rod resign'
1:59
Scene 2
8.
No. 52. Semele: 'My racking thoughts by no kind slumbers freed'
2:42
Scene 3
9.
No. 53. Juno: 'Thus shap'd like Ino'
1:26
10.
No. 54. Semele: 'Myself I shall adore'
7:16
11.
No. 55. Juno: 'Be wise, as you are beautiful'
1:48
12.
No. 56. Semele: 'Thus let my tanks be paid'
2:20
13.
No. 57. Juno: 'Rich odours fill the fragrant air'
0:22
Scene 4
14.
No. 58. Jupiter: 'Come to my arms, my lovely fair'
2:51
15.
No. 59. Jupiter: 'O Semele'
0:06
16.
No. 60. Semele: 'I ever am granting'
1:35
17.
No. 61. Jupiter: 'Speak, speak your desire'
0:37
18.
No. 62. Semele: 'You'll grant what I require'
0:10
19.
No. 63. Semele: 'Then cast off this human shape which you wear'
0:16
20.
No. 64. Jupiter: 'Ah, take heed what you press'
1:14
21.
No. 65. Semele: 'No, no! I'll take no less'
5:12
Scene 5
22.
No. 66. Jupiter: 'Ah! whither is she gone! unhappy fair!'
3:06
Scene 6
23.
No. 67. Juno: 'Above measure'
2:22
Scene 7
24.
No. 68. Semele: 'Ah me! too late I now repent'
3:07
Scene 8
25.
No. 69. Ino: 'Of my ill-boding dream'
0:12
26.
No. 70. Chorus: 'O terror and astonishment!'
4:00
27.
No. 71. Ino: 'How I was hence remov'd'
0:41
28.
No. 72. Athamus: 'Despair no more shall wound me'
5:07
29.
No. 73. Cadmus: 'See from above the bellying clouds descend'
0:14
Scene 9
30.
No. 74. Sinfonia. [ ]
1:19
31.
No. 75. Apollo: 'Apollo comes to relieve your care'
0:43
32.
No. 76. All: 'Happy, happy shall we be'
3:02
63:28
Mortals
Solo: Hilary Summers contralto - Ino
Solo: Stephen Wallace counter-tenor - Athamus
Choral: Chorus of Early Opera Company Chorus of Priests and Augurs
Immortals
Solo: Richard Croft tenor - Jupiter
Solo: Hilary Summers contralto - Juno
Solo: Gail Pearson soprano - Iris
Solo: Richard Croft tenor - Apollo
Choral: Chorus of Early Opera Company Chorus of Loves and Zephyrs; Chorus of Nymphs and Swains; Attendants
Orchestra: Early Opera Company
Conductor: Christian Curnyn
16-20 April 2007
