“It’s Fagioli who commands the storm with admirable breath control here as throughout this recording, with an almost seamless line from the dramatic top of the voice to fruity chest notes.”
Anime Immortali, performed by Franco Fagioli with the Kammerorchester Basel, received a fantastic four star review in the June Issue of BBC Music Magazine!
“How long before a countertenor in search of repertoire remembered that there are castrato roles in seven of Mozart’s operas and that the role of Sesto in his last stage work was written for the much-admired Domenico Bedini? The Italian countertenor Franco Fagioli, has borrowed back this music from mezzos-in-trousers to produce a fine recording, elegantly partnered by the Kammerorchester Basel conducted by Daniel Bard.
“The clarinet obligato in Sesto’s aria ‘Parto, parto’ from La clemenza is perfectly poised and full of feeling. After the steady beat of a lover’s fidelity strides through the slow second section of the aria the importunate clarinet returns to urge the lover on who then tips his hat to his orchestral companion with the most elegant of trills.
“The Basel players are on best behaviour again in the earliest version of ‘Exsultate, jubilate’. And so is Fagioli... the decoration on the opening aria has the listener chasing after his runs and trills like a puppy after a bouncing ball.”
Christopher Cook
Read the full review HERE.
