An astonishing disc of Handel Arias sung by one of opera’s rising stars, Sarah Connolly. Arias of both Heroes and Heroines from Alcina, Solomon, Ariodante and Hercules.
Sarah Connolly began her career with The Sixteen, singing in the choir in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and has gone on to be described as ‘our best Handel mezzo in years’. Sarah is now in demand in the US, across Europe and beyond. In this programme she demonstrates her versatility as both hero and heroine. By turn reflective, pleading or defiant, she shows off her richly colourful voice with an instinctive understanding of how to bring the beauty and expressiveness of these wonderful arias to life. Performing with Sarah on this new album is The Sixteen’s acclaimed orchestra The Symphony of Harmony and Invention. In addition to the thrilling and heart-stoppingly beautiful arias on this recording, the orchestra has some ‘solo’ tracks of its own which include The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba (from Solomon).
“Connolly seals her reputation as our best Handel mezzo in many years. The voice is richly coloured, delicately used but incisively dramatic. She brings Handel to open-hearted expressive life…she knows the style through and through, and makes the maximum effort within it.” Financial Times