Capella Savaria, Nicholas McGegan - Handel - Il Pastor Fido (1995)

Tracklist:

CD 1:
1. (00:03:50) Overture
2. (00:01:13) Act I, Scene 1: Accompagnato - Ah! infelice mia patria! (Amarilli)
3. (00:00:45) Scene 2: Recitativo - Son di Mirtillo (Mirtillo, Amarilli)
4. (00:06:19) Scene 2: Aria - Damor a fier contrasti (Amarilli)
5. (00:00:31) Scene 3: Recitativo - Come viver possio (Mirtillo)
6. (00:01:10) Scene 4: Recitativo - Ferma, Mirtillo (Eurilla, Mirtillo)
7. (00:06:21) Scene 4: Aria - Lontan del mio tesoro (Mirtillo)
8. (00:00:39) Scene 5: Recitativo - Ah! che sperar mi resta (Eurilla)
9. (00:03:14) Scene 5: Aria - Frode, sol a te rivolta (Eurilla)
10. (00:00:29) Scene 6: Recitativo - Tu sola, oh bella Diva (Silvio, Amarilli)
11. (00:09:22) Scene 6: Aria - Finchè un Zeffiro soave (Amarilli)
12. (00:00:48) Scene 7: Recitativo - Respira, anima mia (Dorinda, Silvio)
13. (00:05:10) Scene 7: Aria - Quanto mai felici siete (Dorinda)
14. (00:00:26) Scene 8: Recitativo - Cintia, mia casta Dea (Silvio)
15. (00:04:06) Scene 8: Aria - Non vo mai seguitar (Silvio)
16. (00:00:57) Ballets: March
17. (00:00:53) Ballets: Pour les Chasseurs
18. (00:00:31) Ballets: Da capo
19. (00:00:39) Ballets: Hunters dance
20. (00:03:09) Ballets: Chorus - Oh! quanto bella gloria (Cacciatori)
21. (00:01:26) Act II: Sinfonia
22. (00:00:46) Scene 1: Recitativo - E ancor non giunge Eurilla (Mirtillo)
23. (00:04:25) Scene 1: Aria - Caro amor (Mirtillo)
24. (00:00:15) Scene 2: Recitativo - Giа fortuna m'arride (Eurilla)
25. (00:02:14) Scene 2: Aria - Ho un non so che nel cor (Eurilla)
26. (00:00:57) Scene 3: Recitativo - E chi tenta raprimi (Mitrillo)
27. (00:05:40) Scene 3: Aria - Tomi pure un bel splendore (Mitrillo)
28. (00:00:42) Scene 4: Recitativo - Mi fian cari i tuoi voti (Amarilli)
29. (00:00:46) Scene 5: Recitativo - Mia diletta, che pensi (Eurilla, Amarilli)
30. (00:04:08) Scene 5: Aria - Finte labbra (Amarilli)
31. (00:00:17) Scene 6: Recitativo - Vanne lungi da me! (Silvio, Dorinda)
32. (00:03:14) Scene 6: Aria - Sol nel mezzo risona del core (Silvio)

CD 2:
1. (00:00:22) Act II, Scene 6: Recitativo - Non mi fuggir (Dorinda)
2. (00:04:06) Scene 7: Aria - Se in ombre nascosto (Dorinda)
3. (00:00:42) Scene 8: Recitativo - Ed и pur ver (Mirtillo, Eurilla)
4. (00:05:32) Scene 8: Aria - Si, rivedrò (Mirtillo)
5. (00:00:44) Scene 9: Recitativo - E tu stessa vedesti (Amarill, Eurilla)
6. (00:05:36) Scene 9: Aria - Scherza in mar la navicella (Amarilli)
7. (00:00:20) Scene 10: Recitativo - Ah! tepido amator (Eurilla, Mirtillo)
8. (00:03:19) Scene 10: Aria - Accorrete, e voi pastori (Mirtillo)
9. (00:01:37) Scene 10: Coro - Accoriam senta dimora (Pastori, Mirtillo, Una Pastorella)
10. (00:01:09) Ballets: Shepherds dance
11. (00:02:02) Ballets: Musette
12. (00:01:09) Ballets: Da capo
13. (00:00:47) Ballets: Menuet
14. (00:00:50) Ballets: Menuet
15. (00:00:37) Act III: Sinfonia
16. (00:00:16) Scene 1: Recitativo - Sventurato mio amore! (Dorinda)
17. (00:00:11) Scene 2: Recitativo - Miei fidi, oggi vaccenda (Silvio)
18. (00:01:07) Scene 2: Chorus - Oh! quanto bella gloria (Cacciatori)
19. (00:00:23) Scene 2: Recitativo - Ma veggio o veder parmi (Silvio)
20. (00:01:12) Scene 3: Recitativo - Oh! dolce uscir di vita (Dorinda, Silvio)
21. (00:05:00) Scene 3: Aria - Sento nel sen (Silvio)
22. (00:00:31) Scene 4: Recitativo - Giа Amarilli fù colta (Eurilla)
23. (00:00:55) Scene 5: Recitativo - Grazie agli Dei (Dorinda, Silvio, Eurilla)
24. (00:01:34) Scene 5: Aria - Secondaste al fine (Eurilla)
25. (00:01:04) Scene 6: Sinfonia
26. (00:00:58) Scene 6: Accompagnato - Oh! Mirtillo, Mirtillo (Amarilli)
27. (00:07:40) Scene 6: Aria - Ah! non son io che parlo (Amarilli)
28. (00:01:22) Scene 7: Recitativo - Scioglieti quelle mani (Mirtillo, Amarilli)
29. (00:01:25) Scene 7: Duetto - Per te, mio dolce bene (Mirtillo, Amarilli)
30. (00:01:31) Scene 7: Coro - Si unisce al tuo martir (Sacerdoti)
31. (00:01:35) Scene 8: Aria - Dellempia frode il velo (Tirenio)
32. (00:00:55) Scene 8: Recitativo - Cassate omai, cessate (Tirenio)
33. (00:01:41) Scene 8: Da Capo
34. (00:00:12) Scene 8: Recitativo - E ti stringo mio ben! (Mirtillo, Amarilli, Dorinda, Silvio)
35. (00:05:57) Scene 8: Duetto - Caro-Cara (Amarilli, Mirtillo)
36. (00:00:17) Scene 8: Recitativo - Chiedo, fedeli amanti (Eurilla, Dorinda, Silvio, Amarilli, Mirtillo)
37. (00:03:21) Scene 8: Aria - Sciolga dunque al ballo (Mirtillo)
38. (00:00:51) Ballets: General dance
39. (00:01:12) Ballets: Gavotte
40. (00:00:44) Ballets: [Ballet]
41. (00:00:56) Ballets: Chorus and general dance - Replicati al ballo (Tutti)

Performers:
Mirtillo: Paul Esswood, countertenor
Amarilli: Katalin Farkas, soprano
Dorinda: Márta Lukin, mezzo-soprano
Silvio: Gábor Kállay, tenor
Eurilla: Mária Flohr, mezzo-soprano
Tirenio: József Gregor, bass
Shepherdness: Zita Bцrcsцk, soprano

Capella Savaria & Savaria Vocal Ensemble
Nicholas McGegan, conductor

[quote]Il Pastor Fido is in many respects like a pastiche of Handel's best melodies. The first version of the opera was the second opera which Handel put on for London, and it's fascinating that he later entirely reworked the opera (with more spectacle, ballet and chorus work to suit the English taste) - not once, but twice more!
For those who are interested in knowing a little of the background of this opera, let me mention that a considerable amount of the material in the first version of this opera was taken from cantatas that Handel had composed in Italy, and from earlier oratorios. The peaceful and pastoral quality of the work was maintained throughout in the orchestration (no brass, considerable use of lighter instruments such as transverse flutes and oboes, continuo-based arias, the effective use of two natural horns for additional colour, etc.), and the melodic material is elegant and sublimely lovely. But of course this recording is of the third version, and is far more of a pasticcio than the first version. Handel borrowed a lot of the material here from his other operas, and he adjusted the musical material (as was the practice of the day) to suit his singers. He maintained much (in this version) of the orchestral colouring he'd used for the 1st version.
The result is charming. It's a pity that one of the arias written for Mirtillo in the 3rd version is replaced here by the 1st version aria, but it's understandable - Handel was writing for a soprano castrato, and such creatures are no longer to be found. Instead, we have the excellent Paul Esswood in the role of Mirtillo. He's delightful to listen to. It's very much worth noting that there were great countertenors before Andreas Scholl and David Daniels - and Paul Esswood is an example. Listen to his heartbreakingly lovely first aria "Lontan del mio tesoro" - it speaks directly to the heart with sensitive and almost oboe-like tone. This reed-like quality can be extraordinarily effective.
Also quite lovely is Katalin Farkas in the role of Mirtillo's beloved, Amarilli. Her first appearance in recitativo accompagnato is affecting and sympathetic, offering a good opportunity for contrast with the more manly (yet still high and relatively light) sound of Mirtillo as he overhears her confession that only he means anything to her. She has a voice of delicate loveliness, combined with an emotional tremulous quality that works beautifully to convey her character's vuln