Sandrine Piau, not English and not even Italian, is arguably the greatest Handelian soprano of the day, and the commercial success of this release is absolutely no surprise. It makes a great place to start if one is looking for a Handel aria recital. Handel wrote many of his soprano arias for the muscular voice of the castrato, and if there's one chink in Piau's armor is that other artists are stronger and more colorful in the top of their ranges. However, in the slow numbers and long lines, Piau is absolutely unmatched. ...
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Sandrine Piau, not English and not even Italian, is arguably the greatest Handelian soprano of the day, and the commercial success of this release is absolutely no surprise. It makes a great place to start if one is looking for a Handel aria recital. Handel wrote many of his soprano arias for the muscular voice of the castrato, and if there's one chink in Piau's armor is that other artists are stronger and more colorful in the top of their ranges. However, in the slow numbers and long lines, Piau is absolutely unmatched. Seeing that she ends her program with "Lascia ch'io piango," from Alcina, HWV 34, listeners may wonder if the market needed another recording of that well-worn tune. Wonder no more; Piau's reading is riveting, and Handel's enchantresses are usually women whose suffering in love leads them to unleash their powers. The melancholy mood at which Piau excels is in good supply here. Another selling point is the upbeat "Desterò dall'empia Dite," from the underrated early opera Amadigi di...
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