The 1994 film Farinelli , depicting the famed 18th century castrato singer by that name (or stage name: in a 21st century move, he named himself after his sponsors), was a major force in kicking off the whole revival of Baroque opera, and Vivica Genaux and Cecilia Bartoli are among the coloratura mezzo-sopranos who have taken a shot at re-creating Farinelli's sound. This release by the powerhouse Swedish mezzo Ann Hallenberg must be one of the best of the bunch. It was recorded live in Bergen, Norway, in 2011 with the top ...
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The 1994 film Farinelli , depicting the famed 18th century castrato singer by that name (or stage name: in a 21st century move, he named himself after his sponsors), was a major force in kicking off the whole revival of Baroque opera, and Vivica Genaux and Cecilia Bartoli are among the coloratura mezzo-sopranos who have taken a shot at re-creating Farinelli's sound. This release by the powerhouse Swedish mezzo Ann Hallenberg must be one of the best of the bunch. It was recorded live in Bergen, Norway, in 2011 with the top-notch, historical-performance group Les Talens Lyriques under Christophe Rousset. Hallenberg, like Bartoli, does not simply sing these pieces as soprano arias, but adds a bit of heft in the lower register to simulate the castrato sound, and she gets something of the swagger Farinelli must have had. The best part is the program and Hallenberg's treatment of the music. With the exception of the pair of Handel arias (which were encores in the original live concert and might better...
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