Ida Haendel - (The) Historic Return to Chelm

Advantages: Not well known but is an important bridge in the historic cycle
Disadvantages: Not well known and quite dated

...The operettas of Gilbert and Sullivan remain as popular now as they ever were when written over a century ago. In all, this most famous of musical collaborations produced fourteen operas. The most popular (“Iolanthe”, “Yeomen Of The Guard”, “The Mikado”, “The Gondoliers”, “Pirates of Penzance” and “HMS Pinafore”) are quite timeless and their themes remain pointed. It is not surprising that within such a catalogue, there will be some titles that have not stood the test of time so well. Here, in “Princess Ida”, is one – an opera that had a relatively short initial run, an opera relegated to the “rarely performed” list, an opera after which the partnership almost disappeared. THE PLOT The story revolves around two rival kingdoms – ruled by King Hildebrand and King Gama respectively. Twenty one years before Hildebrand’s son Hilarion... Read review

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Advantages: Rich, creamy vocal; enveloping warmth; text, character alive; facile Baroque ornamentation; impeccable diction; fine Symphony.
Disadvantages: Only over an hour of music here; wanted more!

...If you’ll kindly pardon the gushing tone of this review, the blame for which you can lay wholly on the phenomenal British mezzo-soprano, Sarah Connolly (whom I hereby unofficially dub the operatic Anjelica Huston). Her riveting portrayal of the title character in Glyndebourne’s 2005 staging by David McVicar of Georg Frideric Händel’s ‘Giulio Cesare’ first made this writer into a very interested listener [reviewed here: http://dvd.ciao.co.uk/GiulioCesareHandelThreeDiscsReview5644748]. With this disc, she’s become a full-fledged Connolly fan. This 2004 CD comprises airs (arias) and orchestral sinfonias from four works by Händel, and any Händel/Baroque music or opera/vocal music lover will not regret its acquisition. This disc also heralds Ms Connolly’s superb turn as the aforementioned Giulio Cesare the very next year... Read review

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Advantages: The most popular, the most perfect, the most performed
Disadvantages: None

...off.’ To complicate the issue the Mikado has threatened to reduce the town to the status of a village if no executions are carried out. Thinking Ko-Ko is out of the way Nanki-Poo returns to try to claim Yum-Yum but finds that Ko-Ko’s wedding has been arranged for that day. The town’s residents still do not know who he is. He threatens to commit suicide. Ko-Ko sees his chance and persuades Nanki-Poo not to kill himself but allow himself to be beheaded in one month’s time . Nanki-Poo agrees but only if Ko-Ko gives up Yum-Yum and lets him marry her. Ko-Ko would still be free to marry Yum-Yum once she is a widow. Ko-Ko agrees to this but then discovers that the widow of an executed criminal is also condemned to death – by being buried alive. At this point Ko-Ko suggests with connivance from Pooh-Bah (Lord High Everything Else!) they could... Read review

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