A generous friend sent me a new recording of Handel's Rodelinda by Harry Bicket and the English Consort. As usual with 18th century operas, I sit back and enjoy the music, the singing, and the instrumental playing. Just add in the recording quality, and balance. The “plot” passes happily by me. This Rodelinda has an all-English cast, due mainly to Covid restrictions on travel. The two principals are Lucy Crowe, and Iestyn Davies. Ms Crowe has a wonderful soprano voice, and one never winces, even in high and coloratura passages. Like so many sopranos, her diction is sometimes a little woolly; she should listen to Maria Callas or, on this recording, to Iestyn Davies who, although a counter tenor, has excellent Italian diction and, for a counter tenor, an attractive voice. He even overcomes my suspicions about counter tenors. The duet io t'abbraccio between Davies and Crowe comes off well, with the voices and band perfectly balanced by the engineers. The cast of six singers does not, for me, have even one less than acceptable.
In three acts, each of around one hour, Rodelinda is one of Handel's most attractive operas, featuring many superb arias. Georg Friedrich knew how to please the opera-going crowd of that time and the delight has lasted over two hundred years. I never become tired of Handel, and he has a knack of always lifting my mood. The current recording by the Linn company is very good, despite everyone having to be two metres apart throughout. If I had to nit-pick, I'd say the voices are just a little too far forward from the band. But that may also be a question of taste. Handel is a lucky man in the 21st century. And I am a lucky man to have a friend who supplied me with another Handel opera for my birthday.
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