vaike Posted June 3, 2011 Report Share Posted June 3, 2011 Thomas Arne - Artaxerxes - Page, Classical Opera Company (2011) EAC rip | FLAC + .cue, log-file | Scans | Rar 3% rec. | 2 CD, 634 MB Genre: Classical | Label: Linn Records Metastasian opera seria had a long life and was the supreme type of serious opera for many composers. So it is not surprising that when Thomas Arne came to write a serious opera for Covent Garden in 1762 he should set a libretto by Metastasio, albeit one translated into English. Metastasio?s Artaserse was originally written in 1729 and had been set by over ninety composers including Vinci, Gluck and J.C. Bach. Arne used his own translation, something which caused quite a bit of comment at the time but his text seems quite serviceable, albeit with one or two Gilbertian moments. Artaxerxes was popular and remained in the Covent Garden repertory until the late 1830s but it then fell out of use (with one notable exception) until Ian Page and the Classical Opera Company revived it last year. The notable exception involved Joan Sutherland who recorded The soldier, tir?d of war?s alarms on her Art of the Prima donna set. Anyone who heard that stunning account of the aria must have been puzzled about the opera?s absence from disc. The problem was that in 1808, all the manuscript materials were destroyed in a fire at the Theatre Royal. Arne had published the arias, duets and ensembles (except for the finale), but there was no score of the complete opera. The later 19th century performances were in a version by Henry Bishop. Luckily the complete libretto survived, so for the 2009 revival, Page re-composed the recitatives and commissioned Duncan Druce to create a new finale, It is this that has been recorded in the wake of the live performances at Covent Garden. Artaserse is, frankly, not one of Metastasio?s best libretti. It requires a substantial suspension of disbelief when it comes to the character of the hero, Arbaces. But it was Arbaces? very nobility which probably was the cause of the opera?s popularity. Eighteenth century audiences liked seeing princes being put through the wringer and displaying a profound nobility of characters in the most trying of unlikely circumstances. Within these limits the result is a remarkably fluent and dramatic opera. Arne keeps the pace going so that the entire opera, all three acts of it, lasts a bit over two hours even though it includes some 29 arias, duets and ensembles. Arne?s set-pieces are generally short, but they often require virtuoso skills. They never overstay their welcome. As this recording came after a series of performances, the cast are all firmly in charge of the drama and the record make rather gripping - and sometimes - thrilling listening. The cast?s diction is uniformly excellent so that, though a complete libretto is provided, you never need to refer to it in order to follow the complexities of the plot. Duncan Druce?s finale concludes things in fine style. The orchestra provides strong support and despatches Arne?s lively overture with élan. Arne writes for quite a big band, with horns, trumpets and timpani. Anyone with an interest in 18th century opera ought to try the disc. They won?t be disappointed.-- Robert Hugill Tracklist: 01 - Christopher Ainslie, Elizabeth Watts, Caitlin Hulcup, Andrew Staples, Rebecca Bottone, Daniel Norman - Overture (05:13) 02 - Christopher Ainslie, Elizabeth Watts, Caitlin Hulcup, Andrew Staples, Rebecca Bottone, Daniel Norman - Recitative: Still Silence Reigns Around (00:29) 03 - Christopher Ainslie, Elizabeth Watts, Caitlin Hulcup, Andrew Staples, Rebecca Bottone, Daniel Norman - No.1, Duettino: Fair Aurora, Prithee Stay (02:16) 04 - Christopher Ainslie, Elizabeth Watts, Caitlin Hulcup, Andrew Staples, Rebecca Bottone, Daniel Norman - Recitative: Alas, Thou Know'st That For My Love To Thee (01:13) 05 - Christopher Ainslie, Elizabeth Watts, Caitlin Hulcup, Andrew Staples, Rebecca Bottone, Daniel Norman - No. 2, Air: Adieu, Thou Lovely Youth (03:21) 06 - Christopher Ainslie, Elizabeth Watts, Caitlin Hulcup, Andrew Staples, Rebecca Bottone, Daniel Norman - Recitative: O Cruel Parting! How Can I Survive* (00:57) 07 - Christopher Ainslie, Elizabeth Watts, Caitlin Hulcup, Andrew Staples, Rebecca Bottone, Daniel Norman - No. 3, Air: Amid A Thousand Racking Woes (04:38) 08 - Christopher Ainslie, Elizabeth Watts, Caitlin Hulcup, Andrew Staples, Rebecca Bottone, Daniel Norman - Recitative: Be Firm, My Heart (01:26) 09 - Christopher Ainslie, Elizabeth Watts, Caitlin Hulcup, Andrew Staples, Rebecca Bottone, Daniel Norman - No. 4, Air: Behold, On Lethe's Dismal Strand (03:36) 10 - Christopher Ainslie, Elizabeth Watts, Caitlin Hulcup, Andrew Staples, Rebecca Bottone, Daniel Norman - Recitative: Stay, Artaxerxes, Stay (00:29) 11 - Christopher Ainslie, Elizabeth Watts, Caitlin Hulcup, Andrew Staples, Rebecca Bottone, Daniel Norman - No. 5, Air: Fair Semira, Lovely Maid (03:26) 12 - Christopher Ainslie, Elizabeth Watts, Caitlin Hulcup, Andrew Staples, Rebecca Bottone, Daniel Norman - Recitative: I Fear Some Dread Disaster... (01:29) 13 - Christopher Ainslie, Elizabeth Watts, Caitlin Hulcup, Andrew Staples, Rebecca Bottone, Daniel Norman - No. 6, Air: When Real Joys We Miss (01:59) 14 - Christopher Ainslie, Elizabeth Watts, Caitlin Hulcup, Andrew Staples, Rebecca Bottone, Daniel Norman - Recitative: Ye Gods, Protectors Of The Persian Empire (00:36) 15 - Christopher Ainslie, Elizabeth Watts, Caitlin Hulcup, Andrew Staples, Rebecca Bottone, Daniel Norman - No, 7, Air: How Hard Is The Fate (04:01) 16 - Christopher Ainslie, Elizabeth Watts, Caitlin Hulcup, Andrew Staples, Rebecca Bottone, Daniel Norman - Recitative: Whither Do I Fly* (03:23) 17 - Christopher Ainslie, Elizabeth Watts, Caitlin Hulcup, Andrew Staples, Rebecca Bottone, Daniel Norman - No. 8, Air: They Father! Away, I Renounce The Soft Claim (01:23) 18 - Christopher Ainslie, Elizabeth Watts, Caitlin Hulcup, Andrew Staples, Rebecca Bottone, Daniel Norman - Recitative: Ye Cruel Gods, What Crime Have I Committed (00:14) 19 - Christopher Ainslie, Elizabeth Watts, Caitlin Hulcup, Andrew Staples, Rebecca Bottone, Daniel Norman - No. 9, Air: Acquit Thee Of This Foul Offence (01:27) 20 - Christopher Ainslie, Elizabeth Watts, Caitlin Hulcup, Andrew Staples, Rebecca Bottone, Daniel Norman - Recitative: Appearance, I Must Own, Is Strong Against Me (00:48) 21 - Christopher Ainslie, Elizabeth Watts, Caitlin Hulcup, Andrew Staples, Rebecca Bottone, Daniel Norman - No. 10, Air: O Too Lovely, Too Unkind (04:24) 22 - Christopher Ainslie, Elizabeth Watts, Caitlin Hulcup, Andrew Staples, Rebecca Bottone, Daniel Norman - Accompanied Recitative: Dear And Beloved Shade (00:48) 23 - Christopher Ainslie, Elizabeth Watts, Caitlin Hulcup, Andrew Staples, Rebecca Bottone, Daniel Norman - No. 11, Air: Fly, Soft Ideas, Fly (05:03) 24 - Christopher Ainslie, Elizabeth Watts, Caitlin Hulcup, Andrew Staples, Rebecca Bottone, Daniel Norman - Recitative: Guards, Speed Ye To The Tower (00:37) 25 - Christopher Ainslie, Elizabeth Watts, Caitlin Hulcup, Andrew Staples, Rebecca Bottone, Daniel Norman - No. 12, Air: In Infancy, Our Hopes And Fears (02:12) 26 - Christopher Ainslie, Elizabeth Watts, Caitlin Hulcup, Andrew Staples, Rebecca Bottone, Daniel Norman - Recitative: So Far My Great Resolve Succeeds (01:28) 27 - Christopher Ainslie, Elizabeth Watts, Caitlin Hulcup, Andrew Staples, Rebecca Bottone, Daniel Norman - No. 13, Air: Disdainful You Fly Me (02:46) 28 - Christopher Ainslie, Elizabeth Watts, Caitlin Hulcup, Andrew Staples, Rebecca Bottone, Daniel Norman - Recitative: Why, My Dear Friend, So Pensive, So Inactive* (02:05) 29 - Christopher Ainslie, Elizabeth Watts, Caitlin Hulcup, Andrew Staples, Rebecca Bottone, Daniel Norman - No. 14, Air: To Sigh And Complain (01:51) 30 - Christopher Ainslie, Elizabeth Watts, Caitlin Hulcup, Andrew Staples, Rebecca Bottone, Daniel Norman - Recitative: How Many Links To Dire Misfortune's Chain (01:12) 31 - Christopher Ainslie, Elizabeth Watts, Caitlin Hulcup, Andrew Staples, Rebecca Bottone, Daniel Norman - No. 15, Air: If O'er The Cruel Tyrant Love (03:01) cd2 01 - Rebecca Bottone, Classical Opera Company, Ian Page - Recitative: Which Fatal Evil Shall I First Oppose?, (00:31) 02 - Rebecca Bottone, Classical Opera Company, Ian Page - No.16, Air: If The River's Swelling Waves (02:34) 03 - Christopher Ainslie, Elizabeth Watts, Caitlin Hulcup, Andrew Staples, Rebecca Bottone, Classical Ope - Recitative: Ye Solid Pillars Of The Persian Empire (05:00) 04 - Caitlin Hulcup, Classical Opera Company, Ian Page - No.17, Air: By That Belov'd Embrace (03:31) 05 - Elizabeth Watts, Andrew Staples, Classical Opera Company, Ian Page - Recitative: Ah Me, At Poor Arbaces' Parting (00:46) 06 - Elizabeth Watts, Classical Opera Company, Ian Page - No.18, Air: Monster, Away (02:36) 07 - Christopher Ainslie, Andrew Staples, Rebecca Bottone, Classical Opera Company, Ian Page - Recitative: See, Lov'd Semira (01:02) 08 - Andrew Staples, Classical Opera Company, Ian Page - Accompanied Recitative: At Last My Soul Has Room (00:37) 09 - Andrew Staples, Classical Opera Company, Ian Page - No.19, Air: Thou, Like The Glorious Sun (05:02) 10 - Caitlin Hulcup, Classical Opera Company, Ian Page - No.20, Air: Why Is Death For Ever Late (02:57) 11 - Christopher Ainslie, Caitlin Hulcup, Classical Opera Company, Ian Page - Recitative: Arbaces! Gracious Heav'n, What S This I See* (01:13) 12 - Caitlin Hulcup, Classical Opera Company, Ian Page - No.21, Air: Water Parted From The Sea (02:19) 13 - Christopher Ainslie, Classical Opera Company, Ian Page - Recitative: That Face, Secure In Conscious Innocence (00:25) 14 - Christopher Ainslie, Classical Opera Company, Ian Page - No.22, Air: Though Oft A Cloud With Envious Shade (03:38) 15 - Andrew Staples, Daniel Norman, Classical Opera Company, Ian Page - Recitative: My Son, Arbaces... Where Art Thou Retir'd* (01:52) 16 - Daniel Norman, Classical Opera Company, Ian Page - No.23, Air: O Let The Danger Of A Son (02:15) 17 - Andrew Staples, Classical Opera Company, Ian Page - Accompanied Recitative: Ye Adverse Gods! (00:41) 18 - Andrew Staples, Classical Opera Company, Ian Page - No.24, Air: O, Much Lov'd Son, If Death (05:15) 19 - Elizabeth Watts, Rebecca Bottone, Classical Opera Company, Ian Page - Recitative: Perhaps The King Releas'd Arbaces (01:34) 20 - Elizabeth Watts, Classical Opera Company, Ian Page - No.25, Air: Let Not Rage, Thy Bosom Firing (04:24) 21 - Rebecca Bottone, Classical Opera Company, Ian Page - Recitative: What Have I Done* Alas, I Vainly Thought (00:24) 22 - Rebecca Bottone, Classical Opera Company, Ian Page - No.26, Air: 'Tis Not True That In Our Grief (04:08) 23 - Caitlin Hulcup, Elizabeth Watts, Classical Opera Company, Ian Page - Recitative: Nor Here My Searching Eyes Can Find Mandane (01:20) 24 - Caitlin Hulcup, Elizabeth Watts, Classical Opera Company, Ian Page - No.27, Duetto: For Thee I Live, My Dearest (03:37) 25 - Christopher Ainslie, Elizabeth Watts, Andrew Staples, Rebecca Bottone, Classical Opera Company, Ian - Recitative: To You, My People, Much Belov'd (02:20) 26 - Elizabeth Watts, Classical Opera Company, Ian Page - No.28, Air: The Soldier, Tir'd Of War's Alarms (03:33) 27 - Caitlin Hulcup, Christopher Ainslie, Elizabeth Watts, Classical Opera Company, Ian Page - Recitative: Behold, My King, Arbaces At Thy Feet (02:25) 28 - Christopher Ainslie, Elizabeth Watts, Caitlin Hulcup, Andrew Staples, Rebecca Bottone, Daniel Norman - No.29, Finale: Live To Us, To Empire Live (03:26) Download (Links) http://filesonic.com/file/1078176114/02.Thomas.Arne.Artaxerxes.Page.Classical.Oper.Company.part1.rarhttp://filesonic.com/file/1078180334/02.Thomas.Arne.Artaxerxes.Page.Classical.Oper.Company.part2.rarhttp://filesonic.com/file/1078186454/02.Thomas.Arne.Artaxerxes.Page.Classical.Oper.Company.part3.rarhttp://filesonic.com/file/1078186274/02.Thomas.Arne.Artaxerxes.Page.Classical.Oper.Company.part4.rarhttp://filesonic.com/file/1078186404/02.Thomas.Arne.Artaxerxes.Page.Classical.Oper.Company.part5.rarhttp://filesonic.com/file/1078186414/02.Thomas.Arne.Artaxerxes.Page.Classical.Oper.Company.part6.rarhttp://filesonic.com/file/1078186494/02.Thomas.Arne.Artaxerxes.Page.Classical.Oper.Company.part7.rar Download from fileserve.com http://www.fileserve.com/file/5j3Efnv/02.Thomas.Arne.Artaxerxes.Page.Classical.Oper.Company.part1.rarhttp://www.fileserve.com/file/URTxtny/02.Thomas.Arne.Artaxerxes.Page.Classical.Oper.Company.part2.rarhttp://www.fileserve.com/file/NJW8Nhj/02.Thomas.Arne.Artaxerxes.Page.Classical.Oper.Company.part3.rarhttp://www.fileserve.com/file/SrAX2Gq/02.Thomas.Arne.Artaxerxes.Page.Classical.Oper.Company.part4.rarhttp://www.fileserve.com/file/p2tjvcv/02.Thomas.Arne.Artaxerxes.Page.Classical.Oper.Company.part5.rarhttp://www.fileserve.com/file/qnMRPP9/02.Thomas.Arne.Artaxerxes.Page.Classical.Oper.Company.part6.rarhttp://www.fileserve.com/file/nQgM9nH/02.Thomas.Arne.Artaxerxes.Page.Classical.Oper.Company.part7.rar Download from uploadstation.com http://www.uploadstation.com/file/nwDUcgT/02.Thomas.Arne.Artaxerxes.Page.Classical.Oper.Company.part1.rarhttp://www.uploadstation.com/file/D2uzVnN/02.Thomas.Arne.Artaxerxes.Page.Classical.Oper.Company.part2.rarhttp://www.uploadstation.com/file/gS3czPA/02.Thomas.Arne.Artaxerxes.Page.Classical.Oper.Company.part3.rarhttp://www.uploadstation.com/file/aBqywuK/02.Thomas.Arne.Artaxerxes.Page.Classical.Oper.Company.part4.rarhttp://www.uploadstation.com/file/uvYC37t/02.Thomas.Arne.Artaxerxes.Page.Classical.Oper.Company.part5.rarhttp://www.uploadstation.com/file/MarwMEG/02.Thomas.Arne.Artaxerxes.Page.Classical.Oper.Company.part6.rarhttp://www.uploadstation.com/file/D3q2YZX/02.Thomas.Arne.Artaxerxes.Page.Classical.Oper.Company.part7.rar Download from uploading.com http://uploading.com/files/767bme8b/02.Thomas.Arne.Artaxerxes.Page.Classical.Oper.Company.part1.rarhttp://uploading.com/files/153a9ecd/02.Thomas.Arne.Artaxerxes.Page.Classical.Oper.Company.part2.rarhttp://uploading.com/files/76em62em/02.Thomas.Arne.Artaxerxes.Page.Classical.Oper.Company.part3.rarhttp://uploading.com/files/a1m9e1fd/02.Thomas.Arne.Artaxerxes.Page.Classical.Oper.Company.part4.rarhttp://uploading.com/files/m5533e73/02.Thomas.Arne.Artaxerxes.Page.Classical.Oper.Company.part5.rarhttp://uploading.com/files/2c49c3e8/02.Thomas.Arne.Artaxerxes.Page.Classical.Oper.Company.part6.rarhttp://uploading.com/files/d9a6e1be/02.Thomas.Arne.Artaxerxes.Page.Classical.Oper.Company.part7.rar Download from wupload.com http://www.wupload.com/file/3068441/02.Thomas.Arne.Artaxerxes.Page.Classical.Oper.Company.part1.rarhttp://www.wupload.com/file/3068467/02.Thomas.Arne.Artaxerxes.Page.Classical.Oper.Company.part2.rarhttp://www.wupload.com/file/3068658/02.Thomas.Arne.Artaxerxes.Page.Classical.Oper.Company.part3.rarhttp://www.wupload.com/file/3068662/02.Thomas.Arne.Artaxerxes.Page.Classical.Oper.Company.part4.rarhttp://www.wupload.com/file/3069037/02.Thomas.Arne.Artaxerxes.Page.Classical.Oper.Company.part5.rarhttp://www.wupload.com/file/3069044/02.Thomas.Arne.Artaxerxes.Page.Classical.Oper.Company.part6.rarhttp://www.wupload.com/file/3068671/02.Thomas.Arne.Artaxerxes.Page.Classical.Oper.Company.part7.rar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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