Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
Early music specialists are still working through the wealth of Handel operas that began coming more to light in the late 20th century. Flavio, Rè di Longobardi remains one of his more obscure works. Its musical variety and richness make it a piece that deserves more attention and this excellent recording in Chandos' series of Baroque operas featuring Christian Curnyn and Early Opera Company makes a strong case for it. The plot, like that of many of Handel's operas, is convoluted to the point of being indecipherable, but each of the characters is carefully drawn. These singers invest each one with an incisive dramatic distinctiveness, and their voices are different enough that here is never in doubt as to which characters are singing. Curnyn leads a superb cast in an elegant performance. Countertenors Tim Mead and Iestyn Davies have voices that aren't particularly large, but they sing with effortless-sounding agility and lyrical attention to long lines, and because Mead is an alto and Davies a mezzo their voices are always easy to distinguish. The women, soprano Rosemary Joshua, Renata Pokupic, and contralto Hilary Summers, are all stellar, with warm, large, sensuous voices that they deploy with shapely musicality and dramatic insight. (In a disorienting voicing decision, for one pair of lovers Handel writes the women's part for a contralto and the trousers male role for mezzo-soprano.) Tenor Thomas Walker and bass-baritone Andrew Foster-Williams are also compelling, almost but not quite in the same league. The Early Opera Company delivers a polished performance that conveys both the score's drama and its sometimes less than serious commentary on the characters' plights. Chandos' sound is clean and immediate.
© TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From kr133,33/month
Flavio, Re de' Longobardi, HWV 16, Overture (Georg Friedrich Händel)
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
Flavio, Re de' Longobardi, HWV 16, Act I Scene I (Georg Friedrich Händel)
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Hilary Summers, MainArtist - Renata Pokupic, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Hilary Summers, MainArtist - Renata Pokupic, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
Flavio, Re de' Longobardi, HWV 16, Act I Scene II (Georg Friedrich Händel)
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Hilary Summers, MainArtist - Thomas Walker, MainArtist - Andrew Foster-Williams, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Iestyn Davies, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
Flavio, Re de' Longobardi, HWV 16, Act I Scene III (Georg Friedrich Händel)
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Rosemary Joshua, MainArtist - Hilary Summers, MainArtist - Thomas Walker, MainArtist - Andrew Foster-Williams, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Iestyn Davies, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
Flavio, Re de' Longobardi, HWV 16, Act I Scene IV (Georg Friedrich Händel)
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Iestyn Davies, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Iestyn Davies, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
Flavio, Re de' Longobardi, HWV 16, Act I Scene V (Georg Friedrich Händel)
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Hilary Summers, MainArtist - Tim Mead, MainArtist - Thomas Walker, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Hilary Summers, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
Flavio, Re de' Longobardi, HWV 16, Act I Scene VI (Georg Friedrich Händel)
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Tim Mead, MainArtist - Renata Pokupic, MainArtist - Andrew Foster-Williams, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
Flavio, Re de' Longobardi, HWV 16, Act I Scene VII (Georg Friedrich Händel)
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Tim Mead, MainArtist - Thomas Walker, MainArtist - Andrew Foster-Williams, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
Flavio, Re de' Longobardi, HWV 16, Act I Scene VIII (Georg Friedrich Händel)
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Tim Mead, MainArtist - Renata Pokupic, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Tim Mead, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
Flavio, Re de' Longobardi, HWV 16, Act I Scene IX (Georg Friedrich Händel)
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Renata Pokupic, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Renata Pokupic, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
Flavio, Re de' Longobardi, HWV 16, Act I Scene X (Georg Friedrich Händel)
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Thomas Walker, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Iestyn Davies, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
Flavio, Re de' Longobardi, HWV 16, Act I Scene XI (Georg Friedrich Händel)
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Iestyn Davies, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
Flavio, Re de' Longobardi, HWV 16, Act I Scene XII (Georg Friedrich Händel)
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Rosemary Joshua, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Iestyn Davies, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
Flavio, Re de' Longobardi, HWV 16, Act I Scene XIII (Georg Friedrich Händel)
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Rosemary Joshua, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
Flavio, Re de' Longobardi, HWV 16, Act II Scene I (Georg Friedrich Händel)
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Hilary Summers, MainArtist - Tim Mead, MainArtist - Thomas Walker, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
Flavio, Re de' Longobardi, HWV 16, Act II Scene III (Georg Friedrich Händel)
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Hilary Summers, MainArtist - Thomas Walker, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
Flavio, Re de' Longobardi, HWV 16, Act II Scene IV (Georg Friedrich Händel)
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Rosemary Joshua, MainArtist - Andrew Foster-Williams, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Andrew Foster-Williams, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
Flavio, Re de' Longobardi, HWV 16, Act II Scene V (Georg Friedrich Händel)
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Rosemary Joshua, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Iestyn Davies, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Rosemary Joshua, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
Flavio, Re de' Longobardi, HWV 16, Act II Scene VI (Georg Friedrich Händel)
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Iestyn Davies, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Iestyn Davies, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
DISC 2
Flavio, Re de' Longobardi, HWV 16, Act II Scene VII (Georg Friedrich Händel)
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Tim Mead, MainArtist - Renata Pokupic, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Tim Mead, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
Flavio, Re de' Longobardi, HWV 16, Act II Scene VIII (Georg Friedrich Händel)
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Hilary Summers, MainArtist - Renata Pokupic, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Hilary Summers, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
Flavio, Re de' Longobardi, HWV 16, Act II Scene IX (Georg Friedrich Händel)
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Renata Pokupic, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Renata Pokupic, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
Flavio, Re de' Longobardi, HWV 16, Act II Scene X (Georg Friedrich Händel)
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Andrew Foster-Williams, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Iestyn Davies, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
Flavio, Re de' Longobardi, HWV 16, Act II Scene XI (Georg Friedrich Händel)
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Rosemary Joshua, MainArtist - Andrew Foster-Williams, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
Flavio, Re de' Longobardi, HWV 16, Act III Scene I (Georg Friedrich Händel)
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Rosemary Joshua, MainArtist - Tim Mead, MainArtist - Thomas Walker, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Rosemary Joshua, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
Flavio, Re de' Longobardi, HWV 16, Act III Scene II (Georg Friedrich Händel)
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Hilary Summers, MainArtist - Tim Mead, MainArtist - Renata Pokupic, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Hilary Summers, MainArtist - Tim Mead, MainArtist - Renata Pokupic, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Tim Mead, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Hilary Summers, MainArtist - Renata Pokupic, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Hilary Summers, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
Flavio, Re de' Longobardi, HWV 16, Act III Scene III (Georg Friedrich Händel)
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Renata Pokupic, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Renata Pokupic, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
Flavio, Re de' Longobardi, HWV 16, Act III Scene IV (Georg Friedrich Händel)
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Rosemary Joshua, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Iestyn Davies, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Iestyn Davies, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
Flavio, Re de' Longobardi, HWV 16, Act III Scene V (Georg Friedrich Händel)
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Hilary Summers, MainArtist - Tim Mead, MainArtist - Thomas Walker, MainArtist - Renata Pokupic, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Iestyn Davies, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
Flavio, Re de' Longobardi, HWV 16, Act III Scene VII (Georg Friedrich Händel)
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Rosemary Joshua, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Iestyn Davies, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
George Frideric Handel, Composer - Hilary Summers, MainArtist - Tim Mead, MainArtist - Thomas Walker, MainArtist - Renata Pokupic, MainArtist - Christian Curnyn, Conductor, MainArtist - Iestyn Davies, MainArtist - Early Opera Company, MainArtist
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
Album review
Early music specialists are still working through the wealth of Handel operas that began coming more to light in the late 20th century. Flavio, Rè di Longobardi remains one of his more obscure works. Its musical variety and richness make it a piece that deserves more attention and this excellent recording in Chandos' series of Baroque operas featuring Christian Curnyn and Early Opera Company makes a strong case for it. The plot, like that of many of Handel's operas, is convoluted to the point of being indecipherable, but each of the characters is carefully drawn. These singers invest each one with an incisive dramatic distinctiveness, and their voices are different enough that here is never in doubt as to which characters are singing. Curnyn leads a superb cast in an elegant performance. Countertenors Tim Mead and Iestyn Davies have voices that aren't particularly large, but they sing with effortless-sounding agility and lyrical attention to long lines, and because Mead is an alto and Davies a mezzo their voices are always easy to distinguish. The women, soprano Rosemary Joshua, Renata Pokupic, and contralto Hilary Summers, are all stellar, with warm, large, sensuous voices that they deploy with shapely musicality and dramatic insight. (In a disorienting voicing decision, for one pair of lovers Handel writes the women's part for a contralto and the trousers male role for mezzo-soprano.) Tenor Thomas Walker and bass-baritone Andrew Foster-Williams are also compelling, almost but not quite in the same league. The Early Opera Company delivers a polished performance that conveys both the score's drama and its sometimes less than serious commentary on the characters' plights. Chandos' sound is clean and immediate.
© TiVo
About the album
- 2 disc(s) - 51 track(s)
- Total length: 02:26:00
- 1 Digital booklet
- Main artists: Christian Curnyn, Early Opera Company, Tim Mead, Iestyn Davies, Rosemary Joshua, Hilary Summers, Renata Pokupic, Thomas Walker
- Composer: Georg Friedrich Händel
- Label: Chandos
- Genre: Classical Opera
2010 Chandos Records 2010 Chandos Records
Improve album information
Why buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.