Handel: Nine German Arias; Buxtehude, Purcell, Blo

Iestyn Davies, counter-tenor & Ensemble Guadagni: Matthew Truscott, violin; Jonathan Manson, viola da gamba; David Miller, theorbo; Robert Howarth, harpsichord, organ

Composed by: Handel - Nine German Arias / Buxtehude - Jubilate Domino / Purcell - Gentle Sheperds, you that know The Charms of tuneful breath (A Pastoral Elegy on the Death of Mr. John Playford), What a sad Fate is mine?/ Blow - As on his deathbed gasping Strephon lay (A Pastoral Elegy on the Earl of Rochester, who died the 26th July, 1680) / Introduction to encore: Purcell - An Evening Hymn

"One of the most glorious countertenor voices in the world today" The Independent
Winner of the Royal Philharmonic Society Award for Best Young Artist 2009, countertenor Iestyn Davies demonstrated that he is the outstanding artist of his generation. His expressiveness of tone, intensity of sound and musicianship were brought to bear in concert, and, of course, in opera, where his natural sense of drama stole many a show and, significantly, brought the spotlight back to the countertenor voice.
Iestyn Davies emerged as one of the country's leading countertenors following his prize in the London Handel Singing Competition in 2004, only shortly after completing his studies at St John's College, Cambridge as a choral scholar. He was immediately identified as an exciting operatic prospect, and his rôles soon included Ottone in Monteverdi's L'incoronazione di Poppea (Zurich Opera with Harnoncourt), Corrado in Vivaldi's Griselda (Ensemble Matheus with Spinosi), and Hamor in Handel's Jephtha (Welsh National Opera). Engagements quickly extended to rôles in Monteverdi's Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria, also at WNO and the parts of Apollo in Britten's Death in Venice and Arsace, Partenope for English National Opera.
He is equally active on the concert platform, appearing with many of the leading British ensembles, including the Academy of Ancient Music, Polyphony, and the Monteverdi Choir. He made his solo recording début in Vivaldi's Griselda with Ensemble Matheus for Naïve. This recital was part of the Wigmore's Hall's ongoing 'Art of the Countenor' series, which also featured Andreas Scholl and Bejun Mehta.

CONCERT REVIEW
"Iestyn Davies is about as near as real musicians can come to being an overnight sensation, since his rise to fame has been so swift, yet it has also been carefully managed as this debut solo recital showed. Purcell and Blow dominated the first half, both composers in elegiac, mournful mood. In its intensity and unrelenting seriousness, the choice of repertoire itself showed tremendous confidence.
This was also Iestyn Davies's first concert collaboration with the four virtuosos who make up Ensemble Guadagni . It is safe to assume that audiences will be able to enjoy many more concerts of the same musical excellence with these collaborative artists" Classical Source

Price: $19.98

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