Vivaldi: Ercole sur Termodonte [Import]

This new release is as good as it gets. It is the first recording of Vivaldi's opera `Ercole sul Termodonte', first staged in Rome in 1723 and reconstructed by maestro Fabio Biondi, the conductor on this CD. The details of the reconstruction are given by Biondi in the `Analytical note', pp. 22-27 in the booklet - the text every listener is advised to read. The reconstruction is based on a complete libretto and on a number of arias and a few duets and interludes from `Ercole' preserved in different variants. Biondi wrote all the recitatives for this recording and decided on the orchestration of the survived solos, duets and sinfonias. The survived arias are distributed unevenly: for instance, Ippolita has six arias, while all arias written for Orizia have been lost. In order to keep the balance Biondi has made patches for some of the lost solos and adjusted other Vivaldi's operatic arias to the text of Ercole's libretto. This step is probably justified since Vivaldi himself used to practice the same thing but one cannot be sure whether the gaps are filled with the same music as sounded in Rome in 1723. Biondi also omitted several arias - one Ippolita's aria, one Teseo's aria, one Alceste's aria and one Telamone's aria - where their preservation would slow down the action and lead to an uneven distribution of the material between characters. The solo arias included in Biondi's production are located this way:

Ercole (Villazon): CD 1: track 13; CD 2: tracks 13, 25, 39Reconstructed;
Orizia (Ciofi): CD 2: tracks 9Rec., 29Rec.; Lost arias: `A un cor generoso', `Torno al campo';
Ippolita (DiDonato): CD 1: tracks 22, 29, 33; CD 2: tracks 4, 31; (omitted - `Un certo non so che');
Teseo (Basso): CD 1: track 18; CD2: tracks 6, 21, 33; (omitted - `Qual dispersa tortorella');
Antiope (Genaux): CD 1: Tracks 4, 8, 31; CD 2: Tracks 37;
Martesia (Damrau): CD 1: Tracks 10, 24; CD 2, Tracks 17, 27;
Alceste (Jaroussky): CD1: Tracks 15, 26; CD 2: Tracks 15, (Omitted: -`Sol perche t'amo');
Telamone (Lehtipuu): CD 2: Track 11; Lost: `Se profasti il mia fede'; (Omitted -`Lascia di sospirar);

Since this is the first recording of `Ercole', I lack a comparison and can only judge the soloists on the basis of their vocal achievements here.

Rolando Villazon (Ercole) is very good in the title role. I am not sure that his intonation and timbre conform to all HIP canons but this is of probably of minor importance: since Hercules came to the Amazons' kingdom from a different world, Villazon as a classical tenor may be a welcome guest of the baroque opera. All Ercole's solos are bravura pieces in major tonalities. The best music however is in the last aria, `Coronatemi le chiome' (CD 2, track 39), reconstructed by Biondi from the fragments of `Tito Manlio': it is designed to demonstrate the tenor's range and the heroic strength of his character.

Patricia Ciofi (Orizia) gets only two solos which is a pity - her well-rounded high notes and a warm timbre are delightful. The best solo piece of her character is `Cadero, ma sopra il vinto' (CD 2, track 29), reconstructed by Biondi from the music of `Artabano'. This item is on the level of Ciofi's & Biondi's marvelous CD of Vivaldi's motets Vivaldi: Motets.

Joyce DiDonato (Ippolita) is singing the main female role. DiDonato's mellow mezzo and effortless vocalization suit perfectly to her character. The best Ippolita's aria is undoubtfully the last one - `Amato ben' (CD 2, track 31). Biondi in his liner note calls this aria one of Vivaldi's biggest operatic hits, and I agree with him.

Romina Basso (Teseo) is engaged in the major trouser role. Her voice is a low mezzo-soprano with secure but rather muffled low notes. She is very good throughout her role but I was not touched by her final aria `Ti sento, si ti sento', (CD 2, track 33) which is a response to Ippolita's `Amato ben'.

Vivica Genaux (Antiope) as the Amazons' queen has to sing lots of nervous and aggressive music in the vein of her `Pyrotechnics's CD with Biondi Pyrotechnics: Vivaldi Opera Arias. She copes well with this task but I wish that her high trill were executed as clearly as by Ciofi. Her final Prestissimo aria `Scendero, volero, gridero' (CD 2, 39) is an amazing achievement though. In the rare moments, where Antiope does not have to posit herself as a virago and to sing to a inhuman tempo, Genaux shows beautiful vocals, as in the aria `Bel piacher ch'e la vendetta' (CD 1, track 31).

Diana Damrau (Martesia) is cast in a technically less demanding ingénue role. Her final aria `Se ben sente' (CD 2, track 17) is probably the gem of her part.

Philippe Jaroussky (Alceste) gets a part originally written for young Carestini - a famous singer to whom Jaroussky has dedicated one of his solo CDs Philippe Jaroussky - Carestini (The Story of a Castrato). However, this male soprano part is static. Jaroussky is on his usual high level but his rendering of Alceste's last aria `Io sembro appunto' (CD 2, track 15) which Biondi claims is a big hit left me cold. I even found Alceste's previous aria `Sento con qual diletto' (CD 1, track 15) more interesting. Both mentioned arias have been repeatedly used by Vivaldi in his operas.

Topi Lehtipuu (Telamone) is cast as second tenor. Originally, his part included 3 arias but one of them got lost and another one was omitted by Biondi. The remaining item `Tender lacci' (CD 2, track 11) is pleasant but it is eclipsed by other solos.

Biondi's firm hand is felt both in sinfonias and interludias and in the instrumental supports of the arias. He also performs violin and viola d'amour solos. His orchestra, Europa Galante, responds well to its conductor.

I do not see any serious shortcomings in this production. Possibly except for one: every listener will establish himself/herself whether he/she wants to repeat Vivaldi's `Ercole' in its entirety or to pick up favourite arias from it.

Antonio Vivaldi's opera ERCOLE SU'L TERMODONTE (Hercules in Thermodon) has received one of the finest performances on record. The three act opera with libretto by Antonio Salvi was first performed in 1723 in Rome where due to a special papal edict preventing women from appearing onstage in Rome, it premiered with castrati singing all the female roles. Vivaldi was both conductor and solo violinist. In this recreation of the work, rarely heard or seen (except in the 2006 very controversial Spoleto Festival performance captured on DVD with Zachary Stains as Hercules au natural), Fabio Bondi has reconstructed the work into a critical edition and also conducts the Europa Galante and performs the solo violin parts.

According to one synopsis, 'the story is based on the ninth of twelve legendary Labors of Hercules. To atone for killing his children in wrath, Hercules must perform twelve labors, the ninth of which is to travel to Thermodon and capture the sword of the Amazon Queen Antiope. (In other versions of the story, the quest was for her magical girdle.) The Amazons were a tribe of female warriors who put all their male children to death. Hercules, accompanied by the heroes Theseus, Telamon and Alceste, attacks the Amazons and captures Martesia, daughter of the queen. The Amazons then capture Theseus and, as soon as Queen Antiope swears to sacrifice him, Martesia falls in love with him. In the end, the goddess Diana decrees the marriage of Hippolyte with Theseus, prince of Athens, and of Martesia with Telamon, king of Ithaca.'

What makes this recording so brilliant (in addition to Fabio Bondi's considerable work) is the stellar cast of singers, a cast that would be impossible to match elsewhere. Some of the finest Baroque singers of our time here capture the beauty of this piece. The members of this production are as follows, here shown with the original voices assigned by Vivaldi to the roles:

Hercules (Ercole) tenor - Rolando Villazón (in very fine voice after his vocal cord surgery)
Antiope, Queen of the Amazons mezzo-soprano castrato (en travesti) here Vivica Genaux
Martesia, Antiope's daughter, soprano castrato (en travesti) here Diana Damrau
Hippolyte, Antiope's sister soprano castrato (en travesti) here Joyce DiDonato
Orizia, Antiope's second sister, soprano castrato (en travesti) here Patrizia Ciofi
Theseus, prince of Athens, contralto castrato here Romina Basso
Alceste, king of Sparta, soprano castrato here Philippe Jaroussky
Telamone, king of Ithaca, contralto castrato here Topi Lehtipuu

It is to Biondi's credit that he was able to assemble such a stellar cast. There is not a weak voice among them, and selecting brilliant excerpts for comment would have to include arias by each of these talented artists. Villazón is surprisingly fine as Hercules, and Joyce DiDonato is a standout. Phillippe Jaroussky is the only countertenor in the ensemble and that works very well for the overall cast. Topi Lehtipuu is superb and that is mentioned only because he is less well-known in roles such as this as the stellar members Ciofi, Damrau, Genaux and Basso. In all this is a very dramatic, very surprisingly new sound for Vivaldi, proving that he not only basked in his glories but moved into new arenas of composition in this work. The entire production is without flaw. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, February 11

Recently listeners are treated with a good number of 'all-star' recordings.
I approach this 'Ercole', revived by Fabio Biondi, with some trepidation.
Luckily, my worries prove totally unfounded.
This is a 'all-star' recording that lives up to the very fames of all its performers.
At the hem of the performance is of course the starry Biondi himself.
He casts his singers in appropriate roles, and each performer lives up to his or her just fame.
My initial worry of Villazon singing Vivaldi vanishes upon listening to his second aria.
The other tenor sings a relatively minor role, and has a distinctively different vocal colour
than Villazon, thanks to Biondi's clever casting.
The ladies, however, are the real gems of this recording.
The Amazon queen is Genaux, who gives a characterful portrayal of a queen, a mother, and a
warrior all in one. Genaux has a powerful low register, a wonderful coloratura and a very expressive
voice. The varied demands for power, tenderness or feminity are all taken with aplomb. Rightfully,
this major female role's crown is truly worthy.
In the second female roles, Didonato and Damrau both give their characters' due.
Didonato's wonderful voice proves over and over again a real treat to listeners' ears. Probably the
most beautiful voice to emerge in the 21st century.
on the other hand, as the Amazon princess, the coyness and youthfulness depicted by Damrau are both
vivid and outstanding. Again, the credit goes to Biondi as much as to the singer herself over this
clever choice.
On the supporting level, Ciofi and Jaroussky display their usual strength in this kind of repertoire.
The only trouser role of Basso proves equally outstanding as her 'partner' Didonato.
In short, there is absolutely no weak link in this performance.
The orchestra plays heavenly well, and the dual CDs slide through the player as if they finish off
in less than an hour.
Highly enjoyable.