Vivaldi: Farnace

As a bassoon major at University 45 years ago, my experience of Vivaldi was limited to several bassoon concerti and the famous Gloria. In the last year I have discovered a new wealth of Vivaldi material in the singing of Phillipe Jaroussky and Max Emanuel Cencic.I refer to the recordings of Vivaldi's "Farnace" and Vinci's "Artaserse."Firstly, the orchestra and Diego Fasolis. I am astounded by the attention to minute detail. I found myself able to hear inner parts, and carefully crafted phrasings throughout the score in every instrumental part. Someone here has done their homework and thoroughly rehearsed. Kudos to Mr. Fasolis for his amazing work with the orchestra.Vocalists: First, there is not a weak link. Like the orchestra, these singers are all absolutely top-notch, both in terms of terrific voices, and in terms of a scholarly knowledge of the style of the Baroque, Vivaldi's music in particular.Max Cencic is beyond words! I think it quite possible that this may have been what the very best castrati sounded like, such as Farinelli and Carestini. The voice is feminine, yes, but has a core of masculine metal, along with evenness of range and a very broad range at that. The flexibility of the voice is amazing!Karina Gauvin, Ann Hallenberg, Daniel Behle, and the others all are exemplary in their performances, adding many, many changes in the da capo sections of their arias.The vocalists, like the orchestra have paid great attention to the tiny, minute details, that make such a difference in this performance.The harpsichords!!! These players are not just mindlessly tinkling along with the strings!! They are inventing and creating atmosphere and colour!! I played harpsichord at one point in my musical career. I know how much knowledge one must have to do this style correctly! And then they add to it!! WOW!This recording, like the recording of Artaserse, should be studied in Music History classes in universities, so that students gain not only an appreciation of the Baroque opera, but also become aware of the performance practice of the periodAgain, congratulations to Maestro Fasolis and the entire cast, for a performance more than well done!!

"Farnace" is an opera previously unknown to me, as most Vivaldi operas have been until the last five years or so. The music is inspired, full of color and energy with inventive interplay between solo instruments and voice. The technical demands on singers and instrumentalists are daunting. Not only are there plenty of bravura arias for everybody, but there are beautiful tender moments that not only provide repose but exhault in their melodic grace and profound emotion. The recording excels with Max Emanuel Cencic in the title role. There is no more distinguished counter-tenor performing today. Mr. Cencic voice is powerful, agile, and perfectly equalized from alto to soprano range. His coloratura is impeccable. Many female singers performing today do not even approach this level of technique. Mr. Cencic, of course, has been at this for a long time. He dazzled as a boy soloist with the Wiener Sängerknaben, singing such showpieces as the Allelujah from Exultate Jubilate and Strauss' Frühlingstimme. The mature voice of today retains the ability to dazzle, and has acquired the weight and projection of a mature body, and the depth of interpretation that can only come from thorough musical studies and careful development of his unique artistic gifts. He shines in Farnace in music that demands no less. But in this marvelous performance everybody else shines: Roxandra Donose gives much pleasure, such as she did in the beautiful Glyndebourne Cenerentola, but here in a serious role. Mary Ellen Nesi as Berenice is a find. Diego Fasano conducts with clarity and vivacity a score that cries for a wider audience. Which is indeed the case with Vivaldi operas. The series on the French label Naïve as well as this Virgin recording are commendable for the quality of performances they give us, indeed unmatched by recordings that we routinely see of the standard repertoire. But more importantly, they serve notice that the Red Priest wrote much more than string concertos, that he was an important theatrical composer, and that we are much poorer for not paying attention to his operas. This recording of Farnace is a musical and dramatic success (never mind the plot). It is highly recommended.

This is not a pasticcio by Vivaldi - the entire work is authentically Vivaldi's composition, though never performed.According to information, there were two versions of this opera which Vivaldi wrote. This performance is the latter Ferrara (and never performed) version. In this recording, we got two bonus tracks from the first version that were cut from this latter Ferrara version.The vocal line up is extraordinary - all the singers are baroque experts, if not outright 'super stars'.In the title role, Croatian countertenor Max Emanuel Cencic depicts a tortured King of Pontus who was betrayed by members of his own family following political defeat.As his aggressive mother-in-law Queen of Cappadocia Berenice, Mary Ellen Nesi, an expert mezzo in trouser roles, sung an overbearing middle-aged queen with a chillingly incisive timbre.The relatively minor character of her captain Gilade, a love-sick for Farnace's sister Selinde, is very effectively portrayed by the wonderful soprano Karina Gauvin. Her aria in the final Act is enchanting in an unearthly manner that demonstrates nothing but artistic greatness.As Farnace's schemy sister Selinde, Ann Hallenberg is aptly elegant and steely in turn, which can at the quick-sand like instant become devastatingly enchanting. This great baroque mezzo-soprano has been around for almost two decades without ever receiving her due!The male characters are also wonderfully effective, and so is Tamira, the spouse of Farance, sung by Bulgarian soprano Donose.Fasolis and his 'band', needless to say, is all that you would ask for on such a stellar performance.

Well, I hesitated for quite a while before buying this set as I already own the Alia Vox (recently re-issued by Naive) set of this opera and really had to convince myself that I needed two recordings of this late Vivaldi opera. I was perfectly happy with my old recording (although I accept that there are all sorts of things wrong with it stylistically) and it is a fine piece. I have to say though that this new recording by Diego Fasolis is much, much better! I just bursts with energy and is conducted with such flair. I Barrochisti are glorious with brass - there are a couple of arias for Aquilio and Tamiri that I just can't stop listening to!The cast are uniformly excellent. I doubt if there is a countertenor voice out there at the moment that I enjoy as much as Max Cencic (although Franco Fagioli comes very close) and he sings the title role very well indeed. His unfortunate wife Tamiri is sung by my new favourite mezzo soprano, Ruxandra Donose - this lady must record more baroque music; her voice is glorious! Belligerent queen Berenice is also sung with tremendous flair by the ever more impressive Mary Ellen Nesi. Alan Curtis regulars Ann Hallenberg and Karina Gauvin are as distinguished as always in their roles and there are a couple of really good tenors in Daniel Behle and Emiliano Gonzalez Toro.The whole thing is just splendid and I don't really care if its a little over the top - its just tremendously good fun! Highly recommended.

Exceptional quality. Reconstructed integral score of Acts 1 & 2 as written by Vivaldi from 2nd edition, with Act 3 ( which is lost) having been reconstructed from previous Vivaldi first edition with some cuts and additions.Brilliant melodies and powerful emotions. The singers are very good and the voice distribution is excellent.Ruxandra Donose a dark mezzo, but with agility is well suited to Queen Tamiri. Mary-Ellen Nesi, is full-bodied and biting, and is ideally suited to the role of Berenice the vengeful mother-in-law. Ann Hallenberg, is full of intelligence and finesse in the role of Selinda, Farnace’s sister. Mezzo soprano Karina Gauvin is impeccable as Gilade, a royal prince and Berenice’s captain.The two tenors - Daniel Behle and Emiliano GonzalezToro are perfect. Max Emanuel Cencic as Farnace , gives a dramatic interpretation which is full of cultivated finesse.I Barocchisti under the direction of Diego Fasolis are accurate in their accents, nuances, colours, contrasts, and with a great sense of theater. One of the best Vivaldi opera recordings. Highly recommended.

I have been overwhelmed by the power and beauty of this new Erato/Virgin recording of Vivaldi's Farnace. Diego Fasolis conducts I Barocchisti with passion, sensitivity and warmth, and the soloists are of the highest quality. However, it is the truly exceptional voice of the countertenor, Max Emanuel Cencic, that turns this recording into an event. The final track on disc three ('Gelido in ogni veni'), for example, should be enough to win over even the hardest hearted listener to the power of Baroque opera. For me, there simply isn't any other art form that delves so successfully into the depths of the human psyche, and Farnace does this supremely well. This is the most successful recording of a Vivaldi opera I have come across so far and it deserves to be much better known.

For lovers of Vivaldi another opera for the collection with a excellent cast. This opera was unknown to me apart from one or two excerpts. I am so pleased I have bought it and recommend this to anyone thinking about buying it

A good performace from Cencic.