Contrasto Armonico / Handel

Monday, February 25th 2008

Handel: Aci, Galatea e Polifemo HWV.72
Contrasto Armonico
Marco Vitale, conductor

・Looking ahead to Handel year 2009 this CD offers a rare opportunity to listen to Handel's Aci, Galatea e Polifemo.
This seldomly heard serenata (musical entertainment) was written by the famous composer when still very young - he was 23 - in Italy.

・True to the original setting of such a piece often outdoors and without acting the cast consists of just three characters.
They are all mentioned in the title.
In this serenata Handel occasionally has been very specific about instruments to be used in performances, thus a violone grosso in Polifemo's aria ''Fra l''ombre e gl''orrori''.

・This is an intimate and brand new recording led by Marco Vitale. He plays the harpsichord together with his orchestra Contrasto Armonico specialized in early music. The singers are Stefanie True (soprano), Luciana Mancini (mezzo-soprano) and bass-baritone Mitchell Sandler.

Handel: Aci, Galatea e Polifemo HWV.72
Aci: Stefanie True, soprano
Galatea: Luciana Mancini, mezzo-soprano
Polifemo: Mitchell Sandler, bass
Contrasto Armonico
Marco Vitale, conductor

15-17 October 2007, Oud-Katholieke Kerk Delft, The Netherlands
Producer: Fabrizio Acanfora