Harry Bicket and The English Concert perform
Handel’s Orlando
Part of Birmingham International Concert Season 2015/16 Concert Package,
SoundBite, Birmingham International Concert Season 2015/16 and Opera highlights
The English Concert
Harry Bicket conductor
Iestyn Davies Orlando
Erin Morley Angelica
Carolyn Sampson Dorinda
Sasha Cooke Medoro
Kyle Ketelsen Zoroastro
| Handel | Orlando | 165’ |
|---|
Torn between love and glory, the knight Orlando gives way to madness – and rampages through a world of lovers, sorcerers and all-powerful spirits.Handel’s 1733 opera Orlando is a true extravaganza, performed tonight by Harry Bicket and The English Concert – plus Carolyn Sampson, and Iestyn Davies in the title role.
The proposed finish time for this concert is 9.50pm
(due to the long duration there are two intervals of 20 minutes and 15 minutes)
Please note: the date of this event has now changed
This concert will now take place on Friday 26 February 2016. Existing bookers will be contacted in due course with new details and tickets, should they not be able to attend the new date they will be entitled to a refund. > Posted 17/6/15
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Review by Rebecca Franks, The Times (££):
Click here for full review (££)
… “Iestyn Davies took the title role with ease and effortless style and his slow Sleep Aria, accompanied by two dusky violas, theorbo and cello, was spellbindingly beautiful. Erin Morley’s velvety soprano and lively expressions made her a warm, complex Queen Angelica, adored by Orlando but in love with Medoro, a role that needs the richness and depth given by mezzo Sasha Cooke. As the powerful magician Zoroastro, Kyle Ketelsen’s burnished bass-baritone was the ideal foundation for this group of well-contrasted voices.
At the emotional heart of this performance was the unlucky-in-love shepherdess Dorinda, sung with fresh, sweet lightness by Carolyn Sampson. Her Act II Nightingale Song, with solo violin as songbird, was a standout moment, only to be topped by her dazzling Amor è qual vento in Act III, in which she sings of the anguish of love.”
*****
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