Handel
's
Alcina
, a work in the vocally virtuosic opera seria genre from 1735, returned to opera stages after a revival by
Joan Sutherland
in 1960, but recordings of it are not abundant. This is partly because it is a very visual work, with dances and sorcery special effects that don't come through on a recording. Another reason is that it contains some of
's most strenuous vocal writing, requiring a trio of top-notch female singers. The latter problem is solved in this 2024 release by
Les Musiciens du Louvre
and its director
Marc Minkowski
, who keep the massive, three-and-a-quarter-hour spectacle moving with tough, resolute playing. The title role is sung by mezzo-soprano
Magdalena Ko¿ená
(
Lady Rattle
for peerage freaks), a
specialist of long standing who has absolutely outdone herself here in one of the big
roles that exploits her entire range, both physically and emotionally. The love-triangle (or rectangle) plot, however, requires other singers who can stand up to the star, and this the opera receives in
Erin Morley
as Alcina's sister, Morgana, and
Elizabeth DeShong
as Bradamente, a fiancée disguised as her own brother. Though the plot is over-intricate, the emotional threads remain clear in this performance, and the engineering from
PentaTone Classics
is top-notch. This release made classical best-seller charts in early 2024, something not often accomplished by hefty
opera recordings. ~ James Manheim