Album Description

An astonishing disc of Handel Arias sung by one of opera’s rising stars, Sarah Connolly. Arias of both Heroes and Heroines from Alcina, Solomon, Ariodante and Hercules.

Sarah Connolly began her career with The Sixteen, singing in the choir in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and has gone on to be described as ‘our best Handel mezzo in years’. Sarah is now in demand in the US, across Europe and beyond. In this programme she demonstrates her versatility as both hero and heroine. By turn reflective, pleading or defiant, she shows off her richly colourful voice with an instinctive understanding of how to bring the beauty and expressiveness of these wonderful arias to life. Performing with Sarah on this new album is The Sixteen’s acclaimed orchestra The Symphony of Harmony and Invention. In addition to the thrilling and heart-stoppingly beautiful arias on this recording, the orchestra has some ‘solo’ tracks of its own which include The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba (from Solomon).

Artists

Track Listing

George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)
Alcina (Ruggiero) 
1. Sinfonia (Act 3) 
2. Sta nell’ Ircana 
3. Mi lusingha il dolce affetto

Solomon (Queen of Sheba) 
4. Sinfonia – Arrival of the Queen of Sheba 
5. Recit & Aria: Will the sun forget to streak

Ariodante (Ariodante) 
6. Sinfonia to Act 2 
7. Recit & Aria: Scherza infida 
8. Dopo notte

Alcina (Ruggiero) 
9. Entrée des songes agréables 
10. Verdi prati

Hercules (Dejanira) 
11. Sinfonia (Act 2) 
12. Recit & Aria: Cease, ruler of the day 
13. Where shall I fly

TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 63.44