American Record Guide
'Here is a rather enjoyable compendium of arias from several recordings in Chandos's English in Opera series. Most impressive here, aside from Baker (whose eloquent verbal panache is an object lesson) are the robust Tomlinson, blustering wonderfully in Acis and Samson, and Bruce Ford, debonair in 'Where'er you walk'...... I must single out Masterson's virtuosity in the roulades of Cleopatra's 'Stormy Winds', Montague's solidity in Orpheus's 'What is Life' and Kenny's heartfelt 'Fairest Isle'.....all the recital discs in the Chandos series are worth acquiring. This is for toe-dippers only.'
Purcell's King Arthur, Act V
1 Venus' Air 'Fairest isle'
The Indian Queen, Act I
2 Aerial Spirit's Solo 'I attempt from love's sickness'
Yvonne Kenny, soprano and Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by David Parry
from CHAN 3035 (Great Operatic Arias - Yvonne Kenny)
Handel's Julius Caesar
3 Cornelia's Aria 'Grief and woe all hope deny me'
Sarah Walker, mezzo-soprano & English National Opera Orchestra conducted by Sir Charles Mackerras
from CHAN 3019(3) Julius Caesar
Semele
4 Jupiter's Air 'Where'er you walk'
Bruce Ford, tenor and Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by David Parry
from CHAN 3006 (Great Operatic Arias - Bruce Ford)
Julius Caesar
5 Sextus' Aria 'Wounded, the serpent ne'er reposes'
Della Jones, mezzo-soprano and English National Opera Orchestra conducted by Sir Charles Mackerras
from CHAN 3019(3) Julius Caesar
Acis and Galatea
6 Polyphemus' Recitative & Air 'I rage, I rage, I rage, I melt, I burn' - 'O ruddier than the cherry'
John Tomlinson, bass and Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by David Parry
from CHAN 3044 (Great Operatic Arias - John Tomlinson)
Rinaldo
7 Almirena's Aria 'Hear thou my weeping'
Yvonne Kenny, soprano and Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by David Parry
from CHAN 3035 (Great Operatic Arias - Yvonne Kenny)
Julius Caesar
8 Ptolemy's Aria 'I shall tame your pride unbending'
James Bowman, counter tenor and English National Opera conducted by Sir Charles Mackerras
9 Cleopatra's Aria 'Flow, my tears'
Valerie Masterson, soprano and English National Opera conducted by Sir Charles Mackerras
10 Caesar's Aria 'How silently, how slyly'
Janet Baker, mezzo-soprano and English National Opera conducted by Sir Charles Mackerras
from CHAN 3019(3) Julius Caesar
Xerxes
11 Xerxes' Recitative & Aria 'May the Fates be kind' - 'Under thy shade'
Della Jones, mezzo-soprano and London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by David Parry
from CHAN 3049 (Great Operatic Arias - Della Jones)
Samson
12 Harapha's Air 'Honour and arms scorn such a foe'
John Tomlinson, bass and Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by David Parry
from CHAN 3044 (Great Operatic Arias - John Tomlinson)
Julius Caesar
13 Cornelia & Sextus' Duet 'Condemned to grieve and cry'
Sarah Walker and Della Jones, mezzo-sopranos and English National Opera Orchestra, conducted by Sir Charles Mackerras
14 Cleopatra's Aria 'Stormy winds my ship had shaken'
Valerie Masterson, soprano and English National Opera Orchestra conducted by Sir Charles Mackerras
from CHAN 3019(3) Julius Caesar
Gluck's Orpheus and Eurydice
15 Orpheus's Aria 'What is life to me without thee'
Diana Montague, mezzo-soprano and Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by David Parry
from CHAN 3010 (Great Operatic Arias - Diana Montague)
Producers - Ralph Couzens & John Fraser,
Sound engineers - Ralph Couzens & Mark Vigars
