Handel: Alcina

Listen on Presto Music. Free thirty day trial. Find out more.

The orchestra plays with fastidious attention to Handel’s ever-changing palette, and its support for the singers – particularly with the obbligatos – is unfailingly sensitive. And the singers... — BBC Music Magazine, March 2024, 5 out of 5 stars (Performance) / 4 out of 5 stars (Recording) More…

Release Date: 2nd Feb 2024
Catalogue No: PTC5187084
Label: Pentatone
Length: 3 hours 11 minutes

Presto Recording of the Week

9th February 2024

In stock

Usually despatched within 1 working day

Early Music - up to 35% off selected titles

Special offer ends: 04/06/2024

Handel: Alcina, HWV 34, Act I

Work length1:01:21

$32.55

$40.30

$49.60

Les Musiciens du Louvre, Alois Mühlbacher, Elizabeth DeShong, Alex Rosen, Anna Bonitatibus, Erin Morley, Valerio Contaldo, Magdalena Kozená
Marc Minkowski

Ouverture

Track length3:01

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Ouverture, Musette

Track length0:58

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Ouverture, Menuet

Track length0:41

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Oh Dei!

Track length0:56

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

O s'apre al riso

Track length4:30

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Questo è il cielo di contenti

Track length2:19

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Ballet, Gavotte

Track length0:44

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Sarabande

Track length1:48

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Menuet

Track length0:49

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Gavotte

Track length0:42

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Ecco l'infido

Track length0:57

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Di, cor mio, quanto t'amai

Track length6:19

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Generosi guerrier

Track length0:42

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Chi m'insegna il caro padre

Track length2:52

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Mi ravvisi, Ruggier, dimmi?

Track length0:40

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Di te mi rido

Track length3:51

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Qua dunque ne veniste

Track length0:16

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Io sono tua difesa

Track length0:20

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

È gelosia

Track length3:34

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Io dunque

Track length0:41

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

La cerco invano

Track length1:01

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Semplicetto! A donna credi?

Track length4:50

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Ah! Infidele

Track length0:33

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Regina, il tuo soggiorno

Track length0:59

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Sì, son quella

Track length6:40

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Se nemico mi fossi

Track length0:33

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Bradamante favella?

Track length0:19

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

La bocca vaga

Track length4:07

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

A quai strani perigli

Track length0:09

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Fuggi, cor mio

Track length0:52

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Tornami a vagheggiar

Track length4:38

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Handel: Alcina, HWV 34, Act II

Work length1:17:48

$32.10

$39.65

$48.80

Les Musiciens du Louvre, Anna Bonitatibus, Alex Rosen, Elizabeth DeShong, Magdalena Kozená, Alois Mühlbacher, Valerio Contaldo, Erin Morley
Marc Minkowski

Col celarvi a chi v'ama un momento

Track length1:28

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Taci, taci, codardo

Track length1:09

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Qual portento

Track length2:10

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Atlante, dove sei?

Track length0:52

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Pensa a chi geme d'amor piagata

Track length5:36

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Qual odio ingiusto contro me?

Track length1:22

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Vorrei vendicarmi del perfido cor

Track length3:50

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Chi scuopre al mio pensiero

Track length0:18

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Mi lusinga il dolce affetto

Track length6:33

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

S'acquieti il rio sospetto

Track length0:35

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

E la tua pace

Track length0:33

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Ama, sospira

Track length7:24

$1.60

$1.95

$2.40

Non scorgo nel tuo viso

Track length0:55

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Mio bel tesoro

Track length5:37

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Regina, io cerco invano

Track length0:51

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Tra speme e timore

Track length2:51

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Regina, sei tradita

Track length0:32

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Ah, mio cor!

Track length11:36

$2.15

$2.60

$3.20

Or che dici, Morgana?

Track length0:27

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Alla offesa il disprezzo

Track length0:19

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

È un folle

Track length3:46

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Ed è ver che mi narri?

Track length0:26

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Eccomi a' piedi tuoi

Track length0:49

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Verdi prati

Track length4:06

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Ah! Ruggiero crudel

Track length2:14

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Ombre pallide

Track length6:08

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Entrée des Songes agréables

Track length1:31

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Entrée des Songes funestes

Track length1:38

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Entrée des Songes agréables effrayés

Track length2:12

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Handel: Alcina, HWV 34, Act III

Work length52:27

$27.85

$34.45

$42.40

Les Musiciens du Louvre, Alex Rosen, Alois Mühlbacher, Valerio Contaldo, Anna Bonitatibus, Magdalena Kozená, Erin Morley, Elizabeth DeShong
Marc Minkowski

Sinfonia

Track length0:44

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Voglio amar e disamar

Track length0:58

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Credete al mio dolore

Track length9:10

$1.60

$1.95

$2.40

M'inganna, me ne avveggo

Track length0:20

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Un momento di contento

Track length3:42

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Molestissimo incontro

Track length1:14

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Ma quando tornerai

Track length4:04

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Tutta d'armate square

Track length0:24

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Sta nell'ircana pietrosa

Track length5:35

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Vanne tu seco ancora

Track length0:18

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

All'alma fedel

Track length3:30

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Niuna forza l'arresta

Track length0:35

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Mi restano le lagrime

Track length6:41

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Sin per le vie del sole

Track length0:35

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Già vicino è'l momento

Track length1:22

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Barbara! Io ben lo so

Track length2:51

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Le lusinghe, gl'inganni non udir più

Track length0:37

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Non è amor

Track length4:22

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Prendi, e vivi

Track length0:18

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Ah, mio Ruggier, che tenti?

Track length0:14

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Misera, ah, no!

Track length0:06

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Ah, che tardi?

Track length0:21

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Dall'orror di notte cieca

Track length1:50

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Entrée

Track length1:27

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Tamburino

Track length0:34

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

Dopo tante amare

Track length0:35

$1.05

$1.30

$1.60

About
Reviews
Explore

About

Recording of the Week, Handel's Alcina from Marc Minkowski

9th February 2024

Magdalena Kožená is at the height of her powers as a vocal actress in the title-role, with peerless performances from Anna Bonitatibus, Erin Morley and Elizabeth DeShong as Ruggiero, Morgana and Bradamante respectively.

Marc Minkowski and Les Musiciens du Louvre return to Handel with a complete recording of his opera Alcina.The title role is interpreted by Magdalena Kožená, who reunites with Les Musiciens and maestro Minkowski after a series of acclaimed baroque recordings.She is joined by an excellent cast of soloists, consisting of Erin Morley (Morgana), Anna Bonitatibus (Ruggiero), Elizabeth De Shong (Bradamante), Alois Mühlbacher (Oberto), Valerio Contaldo (Oronte) and Alex Rosen (Melisso).This studio recording transports the listener to Alcina’s enchanted island, and shows Handel at the peak of his power: the score is dramatic, lush and colourful as well as introspective and profound where the story requires it.

Since its foundation in 1982, and under the baton of its founder and musical director Marc Minkowski, Les Musiciens du Louvre have developed into one of the world’sbest period-instrument ensembles, with a vast discography. The ensemble returns to Pentatone after having presented Mozart’s Mass in C Minor in 2020.Alcina is star mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožená’s fifth album as part of her exclusive collaboration with Pentatone, after having presented the baroque cantatas recital album Il Giardino dei sospiri and the songs in chamber-musical setting project Soirée in 2019, as well as Nostalgia together with Yefim Bronfman (2021) and Folk Songs with the Czech Philharmonic and Sir Simon Rattle (2023). The other soloists all make their Pentatone debut.

Reviews

March 2024

The orchestra plays with fastidious attention to Handel’s ever-changing palette, and its support for the singers – particularly with the obbligatos – is unfailingly sensitive. And the singers are top-notch...The moments of greatest beauty belong – as if by right – to Anna Bonitatibus as Ruggiero and Magdalena Kožená in the title role.

April 2024

Under Marc Minkowski’s inspired direction the orchestra is fully part of the drama...this is an excellent set that will give much pleasure.

9th February 2024

The four female voices deliver some of the most stylish and exhilarating Handel singing you’re likely to hear in one place today...at the heart of it all is Kožená, at the height of her powers as a vocal actress and fully at ease with the tessitura of a role usually assigned to sopranos. She charts Alcina’s psychological journey quite magnificently...All in all, this could well be a new reference recording for this rich and strange opera.

15th February 2024

This new [recording] scores highly, partly for the dramatic relish with which the conductor Marc Minkowski and his Musiciens du Louvre dispatch the music, but principally for a tour de force performance in the title role from the mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožená. She keeps the emotional import of the words she sings absolutely front and centre of her delivery, without compromising the shape or sense of the music, and she has fabulous low notes as a bonus.

7th February 2024

the performances are almost entirely splendid. The first voice to enchant is the high-flying soprano of Erin Morley as Morgana...But the most stunning singing comes from Magdalena Kozena as her volatile, man-hungry sister Alcina...Vocal accomplishments are complemented by the lively ensemble spirit generated by Minkowski and Les Musiciens du Louvre. They decorate Handel’s top-notch score with piquant colours and instrumental finesse, and keep the pace moving.

New,Offer,Handel: Alcina

3 CDs

Downloads

Contents

Recording of the Week, Handel's Alcina from Marc Minkowski

Download queue