Haydn: Arias / Archibald

ARCHIBALD; ROSNER; ORCHESTRE SYMPHONIQUE BIENNE

Juno Nominee 2012 - CLASSICAL ALBUM OF THE YEAR: VOCAL OR CHORAL PERFORMANCE
Jane Archibald’s coloratura artistry is generating excitement across Europe and North America, with engagements including Rosina in Geneva, Lucia in Berlin and Zurich, Zerbinetta and Konstanze at the Bavarian State Opera Munich, Zerbinetta, Cleopatra and Olympia at the Opéra National de Paris, Sophie (Der Rosenkavalier) at La Scala Milan, Zerbinetta at the Baden-Baden Festival with Christian Thielemann and Renée Fleming, and Zerbinetta at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden. Heralded as “the coloratura of our time”, Ms. Archibald’s 2009 performance as Zerbinetta at Berlin’s Deutsche Oper garnered rave reviews from the European press. Most recently, Ms Archibald stepped in on short notice as Ophélie in Thomas’ Hamlet in a house and role debut at the Metropolitan Opera. Closer to home, Ms. Archibald looks forward to her second engagement with the Canadian Opera Company. She made her COC debut earlier this year as Zerbinetta in Strauss’ Ariadne auf Naxos. She has been invited back to perform the title role in the COC’s production of Handel’s Semele during the 2011/12 season.
Wholenote Discoveries - May 2011
Papa Haydn was an extremely successful musician - and not just by the standards of his era. He was, one could argue, the first musical entrepreneur. In the period of transition from “composer as a servant” to “composer as an artist” he took advantage of the circumstances to sell his works many times over and ended up a wealthy man. He also had a dramatic impact on the development of the Western European musical idiom and established his symphonies as ideals aspired to by many. It is however in the 20 years of service to the Duke Esterhazy when Haydn wrote over 20 operas. Most of them have disappeared from the standard repertoire, but like so many works of Papa Haydn, once brought back, they have a lot of staying power. I am talking here of the comedic Il Mondo della Luna, the classic Orlando Paladino and his last opera, yet another take on the story of Orfeo et Euridice, written in the year of Mozart’s death. Arias from these and other operas are brought to record by the Canadian coloratura soprano, Jane Archibald. Although a fair musical distance from her typical repertoire of Zebrinetta, Musetta, Olympia and Queen of the Night, they provide a showcase for her vocal agility and provide a foreshadowing of the COC performances of next season as Zebrinetta and Semele. An added bonus of the CD is the inclusion of overtures, played beautifully by the Swiss Bienne Symphony, presided over by Thomas Rösner, a very talented Viennese maestro. Robert Tomas

Price: $20.98

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