Handel: Fernando Re Di Castiglia / Curtis

Lawrence Zazzo (Fernando), Veronica Cangemi (Elvida), Marianna Pizzolato (Isabella), Max Emmanuel Cencic (Sancio), Filippo Adami (Dionisio), Antonio Abete (Altomaro), Neal Banerjee (Alfonso) Il Complesso Barocco, Alan Curtis

Deleted and out of print Fernando, re di Castiglia is not a title most opera-goers will be familiar with. Alan Curtis has prepared his own edition of Fernando, which is set in late 13th century Portugal. The characters are loosely based on historical figures. For whatever reason two thirds of the way through the composition of Fernando Handel decided to change the characters and location to mythical antiquity, and the opera eventually became the more well-known work Sosarme.
“Curtis draws lively playing from his period band, with a first-rate line-up of soloists. In the title-role Lawrence Zazzo is a masterly countertenor, coping superbly with the elaborate divisions, while Veronica Cangemi...has a gorgeously creamy soprano which is not only beautiful in her lyrical numbers but also flexible in the brilliant ones.” ` Penguin Guide 2010