Magdalena Kozená – Il giardino dei sospiri (2019) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

On her first album under the label PentaTone, Czech mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožená returns to her first baroque loves, collaborating with her fellow countryman Václav Luks and his excellent Prague ensemble. Both a harpsichordist and a horn player, Václav Luks studied at Basel Schola Cantorum before founding the choir Collegium Vocale 1704 in 2005, made up of ninety Czech singers and musicians.

Titled Giardino dei sospiri (garden of sighs), this new album is a collection of scenes from secular cantatas or oratorios that glorify tragic love. The tragic heroes highlighted here in various pages of George Frideric Handel, Leonardo Leo, Benedetto Marcello, Leonardo Vinci, Francesco Gasparini and Domenico Sarro find in Magdalena Kožená a staunch advocate, who perfectly lives up to the task! A multi-faceted musical drama unfolds in our ears, which was initially created as a staged project.

“From manipulative Agrippina, who would stop at nothing to put her son Nero on the throne, to magician Armida bewitching Rinaldo, and the priestess Hero who couldn’t survive her lover Leander’s accidental death, Magdalena Kožená brings the legendary heroines to life, with all the depth and virtuosity of her singing”, reads the introduction of the show Magdalena Kožená and Václav Luks will perform on their European tour in spring 2019. © François Hudry

Details of original recording : Recorded at the Church of Saint Anne, Prague, from 21 to 26 September 2018

Tracklist:
01. Collegium 1704 – Arianna abbandonata, S. 98: No. 1a, Sinfonia. Prestissimo (02:49)
02. Collegium 1704 – Arianna abbandonata, S. 98: No. 1b, Sinfonia. Adagio assai (02:07)
03. Collegium 1704 – Arianna abbandonata, S. 98: No. 1c, Sinfonia. Presto (00:49)
04. Magdalena Kozená – Arianna abbandonata, S. 98: No. 2, Dove, misera, dove (02:37)
05. Magdalena Kozená – Arianna abbandonata, S. 98: No. 3, Come mai puoi (11:01)
06. Magdalena Kozená – Arianna abbandonata, S. 98: No. 4, Se fia che pensi, o caro (01:09)
07. Magdalena Kozená – Arianna abbandonata, S. 98: No. 5, Che dolce foco in petto (05:56)
08. Collegium 1704 – Maria dolorata: No. 1a, Sinfonia. Allegro (02:09)
09. Collegium 1704 – by Collegium 1704 (00:25)
10. Collegium 1704 – Maria dolorata: No. 1c, Sinfonia. Minuet (02:06)
11. Magdalena Kozená – Atalia: Ombre, cure sospetti (05:09)
12. Collegium 1704 – Didone abbandonata, introduzione: Allegro (01:37)
13. Collegium 1704 – by Collegium 1704 (00:24)
14. Collegium 1704 – Didone abbandonata, introduzione: Minuetto (01:41)
15. Magdalena Kozená – Or ch’è dal sol difesa: Or ch’è dal sol difesa (07:44)
16. Magdalena Kozená – Or ch’è dal sol difesa: Siedi, siedi ben mio (02:33)
17. Magdalena Kozená – Or ch’è dal sol difesa: Che detto avranno mai (05:19)
18. Collegium 1704 – Agrippina, HWV 6: Overture (03:35)
19. Magdalena Kozená – Qual ti riveggio, oh Dio, HWV 150: Qual ti riveggio, oh Dio (00:40)
20. Magdalena Kozená – Qual ti riveggio, oh Dio, HWV 150: Empio mare, onde crudeli (07:09)
21. Magdalena Kozená – Qual ti riveggio, oh Dio, HWV 150: Amor, che ascoso ne’ suoi vaghi lumi (00:43)
22. Magdalena Kozená – Qual ti riveggio, oh Dio, HWV 150: Se la morte non vorrà (06:55)
23. Magdalena Kozená – Qual ti riveggio, oh Dio, HWV 150: Questi dalla mia fronte (00:56)
24. Magdalena Kozená – Qual ti riveggio, oh Dio, HWV 150: Si muora, si muora (08:39)
25. Magdalena Kozená – Qual ti riveggio, oh Dio, HWV 150: Ecco, gelide labbra (01:03)