Classical Opera Company "Artaxerxes" SACD (2 discs)

Classical Opera Company "Artaxerxes" SACD (2 discs)

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The Classical Opera Company, directed by Ian Page, give a wonderful performance of Thomas Arne's Artaxerxes and features the exciting vocal talents of several world-class young artists.

'Inspired singing.' The Guardian

'All credit to the Classical Opera Company for resurrecting a work brimming with delightful music.' Evening Standard 

 'I can't recommend this release too highly. It should be in the collection of every opera lover.' Audiophile Audition

Released to celebrate the 300th anniversary of Thomas Arne, the composer of Rule, Britannia!, The Classical Opera Company presents the first complete recording of Artaxerxes. The original scores for the opera were burned in a fire in Drury Lane Theatre – only the orchestral parts and the libretto, and some of the music survived. Noted musicologist Duncan Druce recreated the Finale and the company's director Ian Page the recitatives for this, the new performing edition, which was premiered at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in 2009. The opera contains several well-known arias, including 'The soldier tir'd', made famous by the late Joan Sutherland.

The Classical Opera Company, which was founded by Ian Page in 1997, specializes in the music of Mozart and his contemporaries whilst performing with its own period-instrument orchestra. The Classical Opera Company has also established an outstanding track record for its work in discovering and developing world-class young artists. Listen to the soloists in Artaxerxes (Christopher Ainslie, Elizabeth Watts, Caitlin Hulcup, Andrew Staples, Rebecca Bottone and Daniel Norman) to hear why The Classical Opera Company is regarded as one of Britain's most exciting and highly regarded young arts organisations.

Tracklisting

Disc: 1

  1. Overture (Poco piu che andante Larghetto Gavotta)
  2. Recitative: Still silence reigns around
  3. No.1, Duettino: Fair Aurora, prithee stay
  4. Recitative: Alas, thou know'st that for my love to thee
  5. No.2, Air: Adieu, thou lovely youth
  6. Recitative: O cruel parting! How can I survive?
  7. No.3, Air: Amid a thousand racking woes
  8. Recitative: Be firm, my heart
  9. No.4, Air: Behold, on Lethe's dismal strand
  10. Recitative: Stay, Artaxerxes, stay
  11. No.5, Air: Fair Semira, lovely maid
  12. Recitative: I fear some dread disaster...
  13. No.6, Air: When real joy we miss
  14. Recitative: Ye Gods, protectors of the Persian Empire
  15. No.7, Air: How hard is the fate
  16. Recitative: Whither do I fly?
  17. No.8, Air: Thy father! Away, I renounce the soft claim
  18. Recitative: Ye cruel Gods, what crime have I committed
  19. No.9, Air: Acquit thee of this foul offence
  20. Recitative: Appearance, I must own, is strong against me
  21. No.10, Air: O too lovely, too unkind
  22. Accompanied recitative: Dear and beloved shade
  23. No.11, Air: Fly, soft ideas, fly
  24. Recitative: Guards, speed ye to the tower
  25. No.12, Air: In infancy, our hopes and fears
  26. Recitative: So far my great resolve succeeds
  27. No.13, Air: Disdainful you fly me
  28. Recitative: Why, my dear friend, so pensive, so inactive?
  29. No.14, Air: To sigh and complain
  30. Recitative: How many links to dire misfortune's chain
  31. No.15, Air: If o'er the cruel tyrant love

 Disc: 2

  1. Recitative: Which fatal evil shall I first oppose?
  2. No.16, Air: If the river's swelling waves
  3. Recitative: Ye solid pillars of the Persian Empire
  4. No.17, Air: By that belov'd embrace
  5. Recitative: Ah me, at poor Arbaces' parting
  6. No.18, Air: Monster, away
  7. Recitative: See, lov'd Semira
  8. Accompanied recitative: At last my soul has room
  9. No.19, Air: Thou, like the glorious sun
  10. No.20, Air: Why is death for ever late
  11. Recitative: Arbaces! Gracious Heav'n, what's this I see?
  12. No.21, Air: Water parted from the sea
  13. Recitative: That face, secure in conscious innocence
  14. No.22, Air: Though oft a cloud with envious shade
  15. Recitative: My son, Arbaces... where art thou retir'd?
  16. No.23, Air: O let the danger of a son
  17. Accompanied recitative: Ye adverse Gods!
  18. No.24, Air: O, much lov'd son, if death
  19. Recitative: Perhaps the King releas'd Arbaces
  20. No.25, Air: Let not rage, thy bosom firing
  21. Recitative: What have I done? Alas, I vainly thought
  22. No.26, Air: 'Tis not true that in our grief
  23. Recitative: Nor here my searching eyes can find Mandane
  24. No.27, Duetto: For thee I live, my dearest
  25. Recitative: To you, my people, much belov'd
  26. No.28, Air: The soldier, tir'd of war's alarms
  27. Recitative: Behold, my King, Arbaces at thy feet

  28. No.29, Finale: Live to us, to Empire live