Drama Queens

13 selected arias from early baroque to classic-A clearly defined theme: strong triumphant but also forsaken and suffering protagonists all of royal blood have their say in a series of arias from the early Baroque up to the early Classical period that cover an enormous range of musical soul searching and character-drawing. It was to be an attractive mixture of the well-known and unknown for a new CD project with II Complesso Barocco - Arias with which the celebrated American mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato could show all facets of her mastry. Alan Curtis pioneer of historical performance practice outstanding interpreter and musicologist set out to find unknown treasures for her that alongside the highlights of therepertoire also provide for surprises.Joyce DiDonato and Alan Curtis' Drama Queens became an exciting foray through two centuries of opera history from the dawn of the young genre in the early seventeenth up to the end of the eighteenth century in which famous aria by Monteverdi ('Disprezzata Regina' from L'incoronazione di Poppea in the complete version) Cesti ('Intorno all'idol mio' from Orontea) Handel ('Ma Quando Tornerai' from Alcina 'Piangero La Sortie Mia' from Giulio Cesare 'Brilla nell'alma' from Alessandro) and Hasse 'Morte col fiero aspetto' from Antonio e Cleopatera) are combined with Giacomelli's original 'Sposa son disprezzata' (from Merope parodied by Vivaldi in his pasticco 'Bajazet' and splendid finds by Orlandini (Da Torbida Procella' and 'Col Versar Barbaro Il Sangue' from Berenice) Keiser ('Lasciami Piangere' from Fredegunda 'Geloso Sospetto' from Octavia) and Porta ('Madre Diletta abbracciami' from Ifigenia in Aulide). Hadyn's 'Vedi se t'amo' from Armida in a transposition that is more comfortable for a mezzo-soprano concludes the program.The arias in the present edition were newly edited in some cases for the first time for the CD project. As the first volume of the 'Complesso Barocco Edition' it marks the beginning of a collaboration between Alan Curtis and Boosey & Hawkes within

At the Court Of The Poisoned Rose-Programme Note: The song At the Court of the Poisoned Rose was commissioned by the countertenor James Huw-Jeffries. It is based upon a long prose poem by the Scottish poetess Marion Angus (1866-1946). Published under the title of Alas! Poor Queen the poem narrates the tragic story of the life of Mary Queen of Scots who was manipulated by the political ambitions of those around her. Given the work?s length and sectional nature the song is more akin to a ?Dramatic Scena?. The music opens mysteriously setting a nostalgic atmosphere that seeks to mirror the queen?s confinement and sense of resignation. This is followed by acontrasting section that conveys her love of life?s trivialities and her capricious nature ? it is quicker in tempo. These two ideas are subsequently developed and reshaped. At the words ?she rode through Liddesdale with a song? I have adapted an aire by the Elizabethan composer Philip Rosseter and interpolated material from the previous sections. The emotional climax of the work comes on the poignant words ?Queens should be cold and wise?. In spite of this the lighthearted and earthly bound music returns reminding us that the Queen only ?loved little things and red-legged partridges and the golden fishes of the Duc de Guise?. - Ian Venables Duration: c. 6 minutes