The Handel Album (Deluxe)

1. Imeneo HWV 41, 1740 - Libretto after Silvio Stampiglia - Act 1, Scene 1 - Se potessero i sospir’ miei Tirinto
2. Riccardo primo HWV 23, 1727 - Libretto by Paolo Antonio Rolli, after Francesco Briani - Act 1, (Scene 6) - Agitato da fiere tempeste Riccardo
3. Siroe HWV 24, 1728 - Libretto by Pietro Metastasio, adapted by Nicola Haym - Act 3, Scene 7 - Son stanco, ingiusti Numi...
4. Deggio morire, o stelle Siroe
5. Serse HWV 40, 1738 - Libretto after Silvio Stampiglia - Act 2, Scene 9 - Sì, la voglio Arsamene
6. Radamisto HWV 12a, 1720 - Libretto by Nicola Haym - Act 2, Scene 2 - Ombra cara Radamisto
7. Radamisto HWV 12a, 1720 - Libretto by Nicola Haym - Act 3, Scene 5 - Vieni, d’empietà mostro crudele!...
8. Vile! Se mi dai vita Radamisto
9. Radamisto HWV 12a, 1720 - Libretto by Nicola Haym - Act 3, Scene 7 - Qual nave smarrita Radamisto
10. Flavio HWV 16, 1723 - Libretto by Nicola Haym, after Matteo Noris: Flavio Cuniberto - Act 2, Scene 6 - Privarmi ancora...
11. Rompo i lacci Guido
12. Amadigi di Gaula HWV 11, 1715 - Libretto by ? Nicola Haym - after Antoine Houdar de la Motte: Amadis de Grèce - Act 2, Scene 1 - Sussurrate, onde vezzose Amadigi
13. Tolomeo HWV 25, 1728 - Libretto by Nicola Haym, after Carlo Sigismondo Capece - Act 3, Scene 6 - Che più si tarda omai...
14. Stille amare Tolomeo
15. Giustino HWV 37, 1737 - Libretto by Niccolò Berengani and Pietro Pariati - Act 1, Scene 5 - Chi mi chiama alla gloria?...
16. Se parla al mio cor Giustino
17. Ezio HWV 29, 1732 - Libretto by Pietro Metastasio - Act 1, Scene 2 - Pensa a serbarmi, oh cara Ezio
18. Flavio HWV 16, 1723 - Libretto by Nicola Haym, after Matteo Noris: Flavio Cuniberto - Act 1 Scene 4 - Son pur felice al fine...
19. Bel contento Guido

This album, which focuses on arias from Handel’s more rarely-performed operas, is the first that Philippe Jaroussky has devoted entirely to the composer – though his Erato discography already includes complete recordings of Faramondo, Partenope and, on DVD, Alcina, and arias by Handel feature on the countertenor’s Carestini: A Castrato’s Story. Praising Jaroussky in Handel, the New York Times has described him as “incomparable … thrilling of voice.”

Now, for the first time, Jaroussky brings his impeccable Handelian credentials to an entire album devoted to arias by the composer, who produced thirty-five operas for the London stage between 1711 and 1741. For all Handel’s current popularity, comparatively few of his operas are performed with great regularity. Works such as Giulio Cesare, Alcina, Ariodante, Agrippina, Serse, Rodelinda, Rinaldo, Partenope, Orlando, and Tamerlano have achieved varying degrees of currency, but, apart from an aria from Rodelinda, Jaroussky’s new album puts the emphasis on operas we are less likely to hear in the theatre or concert hall: Amadigi di Gaula; Arianna in Creta; Flavio, re di Longobardi; Giustino; Imeneo; Radamisto (represented by no fewer than four arias); Riccardo primo, re d'Inghilterra; Siroe, re di Persia and Tolomeo, re di Egitto. A number of these operas were written for the famous castrato Senesino, who created many leading roles for Handel.