Handel : Tamerlano

 

Teatro Real, Madrid 2008

      

Overview (from dvd)

Teatro Real's majestic production of Handel's vivid tragedy, Tamerlano, stars a Lear-like Plácido Domingo as the Turkish Sultan Bajazet, caught between pride, love and loyalty. Displaying the uniquely heroic quality of his voice, Domingo heads a superb cast, including Sara Mingardo, Monica Bacelli and Ingela Bohlin, all magnificently responsive to Paul McCreesh's authentic and luminous interpretation of the score. The stunning theatrical staging by Graham Vick provides a splendid setting for the characters and for designer Richard Hudson's extravagant Baroque-Islamic costumes, emphasising the brilliance of one of Handel's finest dramatic achievements.
Bajazet: Plácido Domingo
Tamerlano: Monica Bacelli (mezzo)
Asteria: Ingela Bohlin (soprano)
Andronico: Sara Mingardo (contralto)
Irene: Jennifer Holloway (mezzo)
Chorus and Orchestra of Teatro Real
Conductor: Paul McCreesh
Stage Director: Graham Vick
Recorded live at Teatro Real, Madrid on 29th March, 1st & 4th April 2008.

       

Comment:
Making my way into this 4 hour Handel opera via tv broadcast that I have managed to record. Placido Domingo (WOW) is surrounded by gorgeous female singers, all with fabulous voices, particularly Monica Bacelli (mezzo) and Sara Mingardo (contralto) whose performances are just incredible; have never come across these two singers before but I will definitely look out for them in the future. Loving the incredibly sparse but artistic set, all that white with some outstanding bursts of colour - bright blue elephants - and the foot atop the sphere from where Bajazet emerges at the start of this opera and this remains centre stage throughout.

 Ingela Bohlin (Asteria) and Sara Mingardo (Andronico)

How lucky am I to be able to see this on my tv, am loving it so far, the set is wonderfully artistic in a very simplistic fashion and the costumes sensationally sumptuous (love Placido in his white long-coated suit-gorgeous!), so along with the glorious singing this production is a real treat .... not yet viewed the whole so hope to get back!

Well, I'm back having watched most of the opera now but feeling I probably need another viewing or two to really grasp the full story (subtitles not too good) but in having said that it is not necessary to grasp the full story to be able to say that from what I have seen I found this opera most enjoyable, the presence of the great man alone makes it special but as I have mentioned the ladies he is surrounded with are a bit special too, some beautiful singing from them, in particular Sara Mingardo, Monica Bacelli who both put in fabulous all-round performances, and also Jennifer Holloway as Irene, she has a lovely voice also. All in all a lovely production all-round for not only the singing and music but the great visual feast of costumes and staging. So pleased to have encountered this opera previously unknown to me.

Jennifer Holloway as Irene