Unapologetic Awesomeness

The headline below from the Washington Post is not about Emmanuelle Haïm, the conductor (of opera blog Haïm Hair fame);  it's actually a review of the rock group, who performed at the 9:30 Club last night. 

However, I think "unapologetic awesomeness" is a perfectly appropriate way to describe the way Emmanuelle Haïm makes music!

Screen cap from her recent Monteverdi concert.

Must-See Monteverdi from France

Technically, Magdalena Kožená and Rolando Villazón are the "star power" in this program. Ms. Kožená really does shine (RV, not quite so much, but we still love him), especially in her solo turns as Octavia and the lamenting Nymph (She seems to be pregnant again, which lends a special poignancy to her Octavia. I'm surprised no director has explored the idea of Octavia being pregnant when Nero dumps her. Maybe someone has and I just haven't seen it.)

But the real stars here are Emanuelle Haïm and the vocalists and instrumentalists of her Concert d'Astrée. 

The program, a "Monteverdi Gala" performed at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées last February, contains opera excerpts and madrigals, and it's great fun. And of course, the music-making is marvelous as usual. Conductor, musicians, and the audience all seems to be having a great time. And you will, too!  

(Unless you don't like Monteverdi, in which case, you won't enjoy this concert at all.)

Meanwhile, here's the concert, as seen on the Arte Concert website: 

Haïm (Sorry, no Hair – it’s a radio broadcast) with Händel

Gratuitous
Haïm Hair
Photo

On Ö1Radio this week:

Händel: Aci, Galatea e Polifemo 

(recorded 10/12/2013 in Vienna) 

Emmanuelle Haïm leads Le Concert d'Astrée with soloists Lydia Teuscher, Delphine Galou, and Laurent Naouri.

Haïm Hair*

I am not talking about Haim, the Band, although they have hair, too. I am talking about Haïm, the conductor (conductress? conductrix?) and Baroque music guru. 

Emmanuelle Haïm is a talented and expressive musician, and a strong leader. A whole bunch of top-notch, not-necessarily-baroque-specialist singers have stepped on stage or into the recording studio with her, including Rolando Villazón, Joyce DiDonato, Topi Lehtipuu, Susan Graham, Natalie Dessay, Laurent Naouri, Ann Hallenberg, Véronique Gens, etc., etc.), plus the usual Baroque suspects.

Gratuitous Friday/Gratuitous Luca – Luca Pisaroni is Lucifer

This little clip is from Handel's lesser known Italian Oratorio Per La Resurrezione Di Nostro Signor Gesù Cristo. Emannuelle Haim leads her little band and bass-barihunk Luca Pisaroni is the devil himself. 

Lucifer:

Caddi, è ver, ma nel cadere Non perdei forza né ardire, Caddi, caddi, caddi, etc.… …no, no, no, non perdei, etc. Per scacciarmi dalle sfere Se più forte allor fu Dio, Or fatt’ uomo al furor mio Pur ceduto ha con morire. Caddi, è ver, etc.

I fell, ‘tis true, but in falling I lost neither strength nor courage, I fell, I fell, I fell, etc.… …no, no, no, I lost not strength, etc. Though when He threw me from the spheres God was then the stronger, now, as a man, He has succumbed to my hate by dying. I fell, ‘tis true, etc

Handel Wants More Time – Voglio tempo

We all want more time. And this seemed like a good theme for New Year's Eve. This is a promo video from the lovely and talented (but annoying to watch at work) Emanulle Haim's recording of Handel's Il trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno (The Triumph of Time and Enlightenment). 

Monteverdi Monday – Rolando Villazón sings Sì dolce è 'l tormento da scherzo

Rolando singing Monteverdi?!? OMG, what are they thinking!?!?

This clip and the related discs remind me of those old Monteverdi recordings, back in the day, before "historically informed performance" practices became more widespread. And when singers didn't specialize quite so narrowly.