Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Handel: Semele, HWV 58 (Live) (2020) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Handel’s dramatic opera-oratorio Semele, which was recorded from a live performance at London’s Alexandra Palace Theatre in May 2019. This concert was part of a critically-acclaimed tour which saw the Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists and John Eliot Gardiner perform in Europe’s most prestigious venues. These performances gave audiences the chance to hear a fuller version of the work, notably with some passages by Handel very rarely heard in modern performances.

A glamorous team of young soloists joined the Monteverdi ensembles in this recording to bring the story of Semele to life. English soprano Louise Alder takes the title role, with the young tenor Hugo Hymas portraying the amorous Jupiter. French mezzo-soprano Lucile Richardot presents the dual roles of Juno, Jupiter’s jealous, machinating wife, and Ino, Semele’s sister. The international cast is completed by soloists familiar to our audiences; countertenor Carlo Vistoli and bass Gianluca Buratto.

“Chorus and orchestra were consistently excellent – strings, as ever, brilliant in vigour and precision.” (Fiona Maddocks, The Guardian)

“The greatest joy of the evening was generated by the wonderfully crisp and rhythmically alert singing of the Monteverdi Choir.” (Rupert Chistiansen, The Telegraph)

“Not a dull moment in Semele at Alexandra Palace.” (Richard Fairman, Financial Times)

“Appropriately, the star turn was Louise Alder’s sizzling Semele, tremendously sung” (Mark Pullinger, Bachtrack)

Tracklist:
01. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58: Overture (Live) (04:55)
02. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act I: Gavotte (Live) (01:43)
03. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act I Scene 1: Behold! Auspicious Flashes Rise (Live) (01:31)
04. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act I Scene 1: Lucky Omens Bless Our Rites (Live) (03:14)
05. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act I Scene 1: Daughter, Obey (Live) (01:01)
06. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act I Scene 1: Ah Me! (Live) (01:00)
07. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act I Scene 1: O Jove! In Pity Teach Me Which to Choose (Live) (01:57)
08. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act I Scene 1: Alas! She Yields (Live) (00:44)
09. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act I Scene 1: Why Dost Thou Thus Untimely Grieve (Live) (02:59)
10. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act I Scene 1: Avert These Omens, All Ye Pow’rs (Live) (02:01)
11. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act I Scene 1: Again Auspicious Flashes Rise (Live) (00:59)
12. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act I Scene 1: Cease, Cease Your Vows, ‘Tis Impious to Proceed (Live) (00:33)
13. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act I Scene 2: Turn, Hopeless Lover, Turn Thy Eyes (Live) (00:44)
14. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act I Scene 2: Your Tuneful Voice My Tale Would Tell (Live) (04:41)
15. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act I Scene 2: Too Well I See (Live) (00:47)
16. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act I Scene 2: You’ve Undone Me (Live) (02:36)
17. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act I Scene 3: Ah! Wretched Prince (Live) (00:34)
18. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act I Scene 4: Hail Cadmus, Hail! (Live) (01:23)
19. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act I Scene 4: Endless Pleasure, Endless Love (Live) (05:34)
20. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act II: Sinfonia (Live) (01:31)
21. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act II Scene 1: Iris, Impatient of Thy Stay (Live) (00:46)
22. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act II Scene 1: There, from Mortal Cares Retiring (Live) (02:54)
23. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act II Scene 1: Awake, Saturnia, from Thy Lethargy! (Live) (01:48)
24. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act II Scene 1: Hence, Iris, Hence Away (Live) (03:34)
25. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act II Scene 2: Come, Zephyrs, Come, While Cupid Sings (Live) (05:40)
26. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act II Scene 2: O Sleep, Why Dost Thou Leave Me (Live) (03:22)
27. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act II Scene 3: Let Me Not Another Moment (Live) (00:17)
28. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act II Scene 3: Lay Your Doubts and Fears Aside (Live) (03:09)
29. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act II Scene 3: You Are Mortal and Require (Live) (00:25)
30. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act II Scene 3: With Fond Desiring (Live) (02:55)
31. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act II Scene 3: How Engaging, How Endearing (Live) (02:49)
32. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act II Scene 3: Ah, Me! (Live) (01:09)
33. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act II Scene 3: I Must with Speed Amuse Her (Live) (03:47)
34. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act II Scene 3: Now Love That Everlasting Boy Invites (Live) (02:18)
35. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act II Scene 3: By My Command (Live) (01:14)
36. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act II Scene 3: Where’er You Walk, Cool Gales Shall Fan the Glade (Live) (05:24)
37. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act II Scene 4: Dear Sister, How Was Your Passage Hither? (Live) (00:53)
38. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act II Scene 4: But Hark! The Heav’nly Sphere Turns Round (Live) (01:53)
39. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act II Scene 4: Prepare Then, Ye Immortal Choir (Live) (02:09)
40. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act II Scene 4: Bless the Glad Earth with Heav’nly Lays (Live) (02:46)
41. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act III: Sinfonia (Live) (01:37)
42. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act III Scene 1: Somnus, Awake (Live) (00:30)
43. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act III Scene 1: Leave Me, Loathsome Light (Live) (03:38)
44. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act III Scene 1: Dull God, Canst Thou Attend the Water’s Fall (Live) (00:33)
45. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act III Scene 1: More Sweet Is That Name (Live) (02:28)
46. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act III Scene 1: My Will Obey (Live) (01:21)
47. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act III Scene 1: Obey My Will, Thy Rod Resign (Live) (02:03)
48. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act III Scene 2: My Racking Thoughts by No Kind Slumbers Freed (Live) (03:11)
49. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act III Scene 3: Thus Shap’d Like Ino (Live) (01:32)
50. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act III Scene 3: Myself I Shall Adore (Live) (06:39)
51. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act III Scene 3: Be Wise As You Are Beautiful (Live) (01:43)
52. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act III Scene 3: Thus Let My Thanks Be Paid (Live) (02:46)
53. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act III Scene 3: Rich Odours Fill the Fragrant Air (Live) (00:24)
54. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act III Scene 4: Come to My Arms, My Lovely Fair (Live) (03:32)
55. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act III Scene 4: O Semele! (Live) (01:41)
56. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act III Scene 4: Speak, Speak Your Desire (Live) (01:08)
57. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act III Scene 4: Ah, Take Heed What You Press (Live) (01:04)
58. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act III Scene 4: No, No, I’ll Take No Less (Live) (04:45)
59. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act III Scene 5: Ah, Whither Is She Gone, Unhappy Fair? (Live) (03:21)
60. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act III Scene 6: Above Measure (Live) (02:10)
61. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act III Scene 7: Ah me! Too Late I Now Repent (Live) (03:26)
62. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act III Scene 8: O Terror and Astonishment! (Live) (04:16)
63. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act III Scene 8: How I Was Hence Remov’d (Live) (00:46)
64. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act III Scene 8: Despair No More Shall Wound Me (Live) (04:59)
65. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act III Scene 8: See from Above the Bellying Clouds Descend (Live) (00:18)
66. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act III Scene 9: Sinfonia (Live) (01:43)
67. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act III Scene 9: Apollo Comes, to Relieve Your Care (Live) (00:53)
68. Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists & John Eliot Gardiner – Semele, HWV 58, Act III Scene 9: Happy, Happy We Shall Be (Live) (03:06)