Le Concert d'Astrée, Emmanuelle Haïm - Une fête Baroque (2012)

This "fête Baroque" occurred in December 2011 at the Théâtre des Champs Elysées in Paris, marking the tenth anniversary of the ensemble Le Concert d'Astrée under founder and conductor Emmanuelle Haïm. The concert was a benefit for a French cancer research facility, and it attracted a galaxy of guest stars. Le Concert d'Astrée is one of the very best Baroque vocal ensembles, and this release never descends to a low common denominator. Haïm's trademark expressive phrasing is everywhere in evidence, but the biggest attraction is the selection of singers, with several figures from the mainstream showing up alongside established Baroque specialists. You might not think that tenor Rolando Villazón has quite the right voice for an aria from Handel's Tamerlano, HWV 18, but he's clearly wrestling with the problem, and he gets an appreciative roar from the Parisian crowd (who are given full voice on the recording). Right after that comes a delicious duet from mainstreamer Anne Sofie von Otter and countertenor Philippe Jaroussky in the Cornelia-Sesto duet from the second act of Handel's Giulio Cesare in Egitto, HWV 17, a pure feast of sensuous singing. Established Baroque vocalists like Natalie Dessay and Sara Mingardo are on hand, as well as a few up-and-comers who seized the chance to put their names and voices in front of a well-heeled crowd. Rather than try to cover the entire range of Baroque opera, Haïm wisely chooses to focus on three composers: Rameau, Lully, and Handel, whose vocal riches occupy the entire second CD. The sound picks up unadulterated audience noise, but nothing interferes with the spontaneity the musicians bring to the event.

Track List:

CD 1:
01. Natalie Dessay\\Stéphane Degout\\Le Concert D'Astrée\\Emmanuelle Haïm / Rameau · Les Indes galantes: Danse du Calumet de la Paix et duo Zima-Adario - Forêts paisibles [0:05:22.08]
02. Anne Sofie van Otter\\Le Concert D'Astrée\\Emmanuelle Haïm / Rameau · Hippolyte et Aricie: Air de Phèdre - Quelle plainte en ces lieux m'appelle? [0:04:31.98]
03. Rameau · Dardanus - La Descente de Vénus, ritournelle (gracieusement, un peu gai) [0:01:20.94]
04. Rameau · Dardanus - Calme des sens - Prologu, Scene 2 [0:01:42.76]
05. Rameau · Dardanus - Tambourins [0:01:24.32]
06. Jaël Azzaretti\\David Plantier\\Alexis Kossenko\\Le Concert D'Astrée\\Emmanuelle Haïm / Rameau · Hippolyte et Aricie: Air de la bergère - Rossignols amoureux [0:06:09.62]
07. Aurélia Legay\\Sydney Fierro\\Jeroen Billiet\\Yannick Maillet\\Le Concert D'Astrée\\Emmanuelle Haïm / Rameau · Hippolyte et Aricie: Air de la chasseresse - À la chasse, à la chasse [0:03:23.29]
08. Stéphane Degout\\Le Concert D'Astrée\\Emmanuelle Haïm / Rameau · Dardanus: Récitatif - Voici les tristes lieux · Air d'Anténor - Monstre affreux, monstre redoutable [0:04:18.16]
09. Patricia Petitbon\\Le Concert D'Astrée\\Emmanuelle Haïm / Rameau · Platée: Récitatif - Formons les plus brillants concerts · Air de la Folie - Aux langueurs d'Apollon [0:05:49.77]
10. Rameau · Hippolyte et Aricie - Bruit de tonnerre [0:01:15.50]
11. Karine Deshayes\\Le Concert D'Astrée\\Emmanuelle Haïm / Rameau · Castor et Pollux: Air de Télaire - Tristes apprêts [0:04:50.46]
12. Rameau · Dardanus - Chaconne [0:06:00.16]
13. Sonya Yoncheva\\Le Concert D'Astrée\\Emmanuelle Haïm / Rameau · Les Indes galantes: Air de Zima - Régnez, plaisirs et jeux [0:03:28.17]
14. Topi Lehtipuu\\Le Concert D'Astrée\\Emmanuelle Haïm / Rameau · Dardanus: Air de Dardanus - Lieux funestes [0:05:16.61]
15. Françoise Masset\\Stéphane Degout\\Le Concert D'Astrée\\Emmanuelle Haïm / Rameau · Dardanus: Duo Phrygien-Phrygienne - Paix favorable, paix adorable [0:03:45.22]
16. Lully · Thésée - Marche [0:01:26.65]
17. Jaël Azzaretti\\Françoise Masset\\Topik Lehtipuu\\Stéphane Degout\\Le Concert D'Astrée\\Emmanuelle Haïm / Lully · Thésée: Quatuor Cléone-Aeglé-Thésée-Arcas - Vivez contents dans ces animables lieux [0:02:49.93]
18. Christopher Purves\\Le Concert D'Astrée\\Emmanuelle Haïm / Purcell · King Arthur or the British Worthy: Air for the Cold Genius - What Power art thou [0:03:23.54]
19. Pascal Bertin\\Philippe Jarrousky\\Le Concert D'Astrée\\Emmanuelle Haïm / Purcell · Come, ye Sons of Art - Sound the Trumpet [0:04:50.42]
20. Laura Claycomb\\Lorenzo Regazzo\\Le Concert D'Astrée\\Emmanuelle Haïm / Händel · Rinaldo: Recitativo - In quel bosco di strali · Duetto Armida-Argante - Al trionfo del nostro furore [0:04:22.30]

CD 2:
01. Ann Hallenberg\\Le Concert D'Astrée\\Emmanuelle Haïm / Händel · Rinaldo: Aria di Almirena - Lascia ch'io pianga [0:05:27.53]
02. Renata Pokupić\\Le Concert D'Astrée\\Emmanuelle Haïm / Händel · Agrippina: Aria di Nerone - Come nube che fugge dal vento [0:04:10.12]
03. Natalie Dessay\\Karine Deshayes\\Le Concert D'Astrée\\Emmanuelle Haïm / Händel · Dixit Dominus: Duo e Coro - De torrente in via bibet [0:04:23.24]
04. Marijana Mijanović\\Le Concert D'Astrée\\Emmanuelle Haïm / Händel · Orlando: Recitativo - T'ubbidirò, crudele · Aria - Fammi combattere [0:04:14.84]
05. Magali Léger\\Stéphanie-Marie Degand\\Le Concert D'Astrée\\Emmanuelle Haïm / Händel · Il Delirio Amoroso: Aria di Clori - Un pensiero voli in ciel [0:06:35.94]
06. Sara Mingardo\\Le Concert D'Astrée\\Emmanuelle Haïm / Händel · La Resurrezione: Arioso di Maria-Cleofe - Piangete, sì, piangete [0:03:45.12]
07. Rolando Villazón\\Le Concert D'Astrée\\Emmanuelle Haïm / Händel · Tamerlano: Aria di Bajazet - Ciel e terra armi di sdegno [0:03:36.40]
08. Anne Sofie von Otter\\Philippe Jaroussky\\Le Concert D'Astrée\\Emmanuelle Haïm / Händel · Giulio Cesare in Egitto: Duetto Cornelia-Sesto - Son nata a lagrimar [0:08:18.84]
09. Jaël Azzaretti\\Ann Hallenberg\\Marijana Mijanovic\\Topi Lehtipuu\\Le Concert D'Astrée\\Emmanuelle Haïm / Händel · Il trionfo del tempo e del disinganno: Quartetto Bellezza-Piacere-Disinganno-Tempo - Voglio tempo per risolvere [0:04:08.50]
10. Sandrine Piau\\Olivier Benichou\\Le Concert D'Astrée\\Emmanuelle Haïm / Händel · Giulio Cesare in Egitto: Recitativo - E pur così in un giorno · Aria di Cleopatra - Piangerò la sorte mia [0:07:41.21]
11. Philippe Jaroussky\\David Plantier\\Philippe Miqueu\\Le Concert D'Astrée\\Emmanuelle Haïm / Händel · Rinaldo: Aria di Rinaldo - Venti turbini [0:03:46.80]
12. Delphine Haidan\\Le Concert D'Astrée\\Emmanuelle Haïm / Händel · Aci, Galatea e Polifemo: Aria di Galatea - Benchè tuoni e l'etra avvampi [0:03:13.45]
13. Natalie Dessay\\Le Concert D'Astrée\\Emmanuelle Haïm / Händel · Giulio Cesare in Egitto: Aria di Cleopatra - Se pietà [0:09:51.74]
14. Händel · Theodora - How strange their ends [0:04:20.40]
15. Händel · Messiah - Hallelujah [0:05:02.81]

Performers:
Le Concert d'Astrée [on period instruments]
Emmanuelle Haïm - conductor

Natalie Dessay, Sandrine Piau, Sonya Yoncheva, Jaël Azzaretti, Laura Claycomb, Aurélia Legay, Magali Léger, Françoise Masset, Patricia Petibon (sopranos)
Anne Sofie Von Otter, Ann Hallenberg, Renata Pokupić, Karine Deshayes, Delphine Haidan (mezzos)
Marijana Mijanović, Sara Mingardo (contraltos)
Pascal Bertin, Philippe Jaroussky (countertenors)
Rolando Villazón, Topi Lehtipuu (tenors)
Stéphane Degout, Christopher Purves (baritones)
Lorenzo Regazzo (bass)