Latest News: Classical, Handel (composer)
-
Recording of the Week,
Handel's Messiah from John Nelson 22nd December 2023Devotion and drama work hand-in-glove on the American conductor's live recording from Coventry Cathedral with The English Concert and soloists Lucy Crowe, Alex Potter, Michael Spyres & Matthew Brook.
-
Recording of the Week,
Handel's Theodora from Maxim Emelyanychev and Il Pomo d'Oro 28th October 2022A starry cast headed by Lisette Oropesa and Joyce DiDonato offers a wealth of fresh insights into Handel’s oratorio about religious persecution and intolerance in ancient Rome on this new studio recording, made after a run of concert-performances across Europe.
-
Interview,
Harry Bicket on Handel's La Resurrezione 9th May 2022The conductor talks about his new recording of Handel's unusual oratorio dramatising the post-Easter story.
-
Interview,
Sandrine Piau on Handel's Enchantresses 3rd February 2022The French soprano talks to Katherine about her new album featuring snapshots of Alcina, Morgana, Cleopatra and others, and about her rather unorthodox route to a solo singing career...
-
Interview,
David Bates on Handel's 'Unsung Heroes' 6th December 2021The Artistic Director of La Nuova Musica talks about his new album of Handel arias, shining the spotlight not just on the vocalists but on the instrumentalists whose obbligato lines enhance the music.
-
Recording of the Week,
Handel's Rodelinda from Harry Bicket and The English Concert 14th May 2021Social distancing is no barrier to superb ensemble-playing on this terrific new recording of Handel's 1725 opera, with Lucy Crowe in the title-role and Iestyn Davies as her estranged husband Bertarido.
-
Recording of the Week,
Handel's Semele from John Eliot Gardiner 2nd October 2020John Eliot Gardiner revisits Handel's tempestuous tale of gods and mortals, with show-stopping performances from Louise Alder, Hugo Hymas and Lucile Richardot.
-
Interview,
Richard Egarr on Handel's Brockes-Passion 7th April 2020The conductor talks to David about his recording of Handel's visceral Passion setting, which was taken from a live performance at the Barbican on Good Friday 2019 and released on the Academy of Ancient Music's own label last autumn.
-
Interview,
Kate Lindsey on Arianna 11th February 2020The American mezzo (currently starring as Nerone in Handel's Agrippina at the Metropolitan Opera) talks to Katherine about her new recording of cantatas by Alessandro Scarlatti, Handel and Haydn, released last month on Alpha.
-
Recording of the Week,
Handel's Agrippina starring Joyce DiDonato 31st January 2020The American mezzo sings the title role of the scheming Roman matriarch in a starrily-cast recording of Handel's early opera with Il Pomo d'Oro, conducted by Maxim Emelyanychev.
-
Recording of the Week,
Handel's Brockes-Passion from Richard Egarr and the Academy of Ancient Music 4th October 2019Using a new performing edition by oboist Leo Duarte, the Academy of Ancient Music and some exceptional young soloists make a compelling case for Handel's visceral 'Passion-Oratorio' on the 300th anniversary of its premiere.
-
Recording of the Week,
Handel's Concerti Grossi Op. 6 from the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin 26th July 2019David enjoys sparkling accounts of Handel's sunny, Italianate concerti grossi Op. 6 from Bernhard Forck and the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin.
-
Interview,
Carolyn Sampson on Abbandonata 27th December 2018The soprano talks to Katherine about her recording of four of Handel's Italian cantatas, including Armida abbandonata and Agrippina condotta a morire, released on Vivat in October.
-
Interview,
Christopher Purves on Handel 5th July 2018The British bass-baritone talks to Katherine about the second volume of 'Finest Arias for Base Voice', out now on Hyperion.
-
Interview,
Franco Fagioli on Handel 1st February 2018Katherine talks to the Argentinian countertenor about his new album of arias from operas including Serse, Rinaldo and Ariodante - the latter previously unrecorded by this voice-type.
-
Recording of the Week,
Christmas music from Le Concert Spirituel, the Sistine Chapel, and Merton College Oxford 1st December 2017Katherine enjoys a contemplative programme of Advent and Christmas motets from the Vatican choir (plus a very special guest!) and an incisive Messiah with a difference from Hervé Niquet.
-
Recording of the Week,
Bach's Christmas Oratorio from John Butt and Handel's Messiah from Andrew Davis 2nd December 2016David listens to a contrasting double-bill of festive oratorios, with the Dunedin Consort and the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and Symphony Orchestra.
-
Interview,
Christopher Purves on Glyndebourne's Saul 5th July 2016Katherine talks to the bass-baritone about singing the title-role in Barrie Kosky's staging of Handel's oratorio.
-
Interview,
Handel at Vauxhall 11th April 2016David talks to conductor Bridget Cunningham about the latest intriguing instalment in her Handel series.
-
Recording of the Week,
Robert King conducts Mendelssohn's arrangement of Handel's Israel in Egypt 11th March 2016David listens to Robert King's new recording of Handel's biblical oratorio, orchestrated by Mendelssohn.