Music reviews

Mm-hmm, Rinaldo is an opera – but one I think may appeal to those who love the GK games as well as those who simply love beautiful music. Rinaldo was the first opera that Handel produced in England, and it is a fantastical opera full of sorcery, abductions, pure love, thwarted love, dark seductive powers and utterly ravishing music. The element of the supernatural and the role of Rinaldo himself as the fighter against the purposes that are trying to destroy him and those whom he serves may well strike a familiar note...

The role of Almirena (Rinaldo's betrothed) has much fine music, but most potent is the aria “Lascia ch’io pianga”, sung by the unhappy heroine after having been abducted by the wicked sorceress Armida. Rinaldo himself is the epitome of a noble Christian knight, full of chivalry and courage – in many ways, a type of Gabriel Knight (except that “noble” doesn't really apply to Gabriel).

The story takes place in the First Crusade, with King Goffredo laying siege with his knights to Jerusalem, which is held by Argante, the Saracen king. Argante’s ally and former lover, Armida, is Queen of Damascus and a formidable sorceress. In order to lessen Goffredo’s power, Armida plans to rob him of the knight Rinaldo. She begins her plot by swooping down from the sky in a fiery chariot drawn by fire-breathing monsters to abduct Rinaldo’s fiancée Almirena.

This simple plan of course doesn’t achieve what the sorceress wants. When Armida meets Rinaldo, who’s prepared to brave any danger to rescue his beloved, the sorceress falls into a frenzy of love for him and tries to seduce him into returning her sudden passions, both through her beauty and her magical arts. Rinaldo’s resistance whips up her fury at this unprecedented rejection.

With the help of King Goffredo and another solider, Armida’s vengeful plan to stab Almirena to death is foiled, and in the ensuing battle for Jerusalem, Rinaldo saves the day. But even the unfortunate sorceress is not left entirely disconsolate; after the victory, she and Argante, her former lover, find their lives spared, and decide to turn Christian and rekindle the love they once felt for each other.

There are two outstanding recordings of this opera – one starring Cecilia Bartoli and David Daniels, and the other with Vivica Genaux and Miah Persson. It’s hard to say which of the two recordings is better. Cecilia Bartoli possesses one of the most beautiful and agile voices in the world; Miah Persson sounds gorgeous; Vivica Genaux has a terrific and potent mezzo sound; David Daniels has one of the most meltingly sweet counter-tenor voices in the world. Two great casts; two superb performances.