Amazonレビュー
Handels
Aci, Galatea e Polifemo is a product of his early years in Italy, not to be confused with the pastorale
Acis and Galatea, written a decade later to an English text. The Italian
Aci is a cantata for three voices, really a chamber opera chock-full of gorgeous melodies, many of which Handel lifted for later works. It tells the story of the lovers Aci and Galatea and the jealous giant Polifemo, whose unrequited love for Galatea drives the tragedy. The music ranges from the idyllic to deep, dark arias vividly depicting the characters dilemmas. It demands top-flight singers and gets them here. Piaus lyric soprano sails lightly through coloratura passages and darkens when the plot turns grim. Mingardo is superb, singing with tremendous feeling in a voice whose richness and ease throughout its range make her depiction of Galatea truly memorable. Naouris role may be the most demanding,; requiring a cruelly wide range, from treble A to low D. Just getting those notes would be enough to earn respect, but he not only nails them but sings with feeling, making a real character out of the stage giant. His "Fra lombre e glorrori" is one of the set's many highlights. The period instruments of Le Concert d'Astre play with verve and conductor Emmanuelle Ham paces the work well. A first-rate performance of a neglected Handel masterpiece.
--Dan Davis