Mi par sentir la bella (Giacomelli) Ann Hallenberg

“Mi par sentir la bella” from the opera Gianguir
by Geminiano Giacomelli (1692-1740)

Ann Hallenberg with Il pomo d’oro
Stefano Montanari, baroque violinist and conductor

Mi par sentir la bella
Dolce mia guida e stella,
Dirmi tutt’ amorosa:
Andiamo, o caro.

Premio di mia vittoria
Saran diadema e sposa,
E già per man di gloria
Serti di lauri e mirti al crin preparo.

I seem to hear my fair
and gentle guiding star
saying lovingly to me
let us go, my dear.

The reward for my victory
will be the crown and a bride,
I am already preparing for the
hand of glory to wreathe my brow
with laurels and myrtle.

The most famous singers of the time were united in Venice in the Carnevale season 1729. On a recording titled Carnevale 1729 Ann Hallenberg brings their “greatest hits” back to life; almost all of them rediscovered and first recorded on this CD. This aria by Geminiano Giacomelli (1692-1740) was written for the famous castrato Senesino (1686-1758).

“And somehow this was - at least in part - the fault of George Frideric Handel. In his operatic enterprise in London he had employed some of the most famous singers of his time: the alto castrato Francesco Bernardi, better known under his artist name Senesino, the mezzosoprano Faustina Bordoni and the soprano Francesca Cuzzoni. Their endless quarrels however had worn him out so much that he wanted to get rid of them, and their enormous fees had ruined the finances of his company.

Thus, after the season of 1728 the future was so uncertain that no operas could be planned for the next winter. That made three of the most sought after singers suddenly available at the same time, and all left England immediately: Cuzzoni went to Vienna, while Senesino and Faustina were engaged together for the coming carnival season at the Teatro San Cassiano in Venice.” [from the liner notes by Holger Schmitt-Hallenberg]

CD available from Pentatone:
https://www.amazon.com/Carnevale-1729...

Art by Christian Schloe:
  / christianschloedigitalart