Handel: Silla Europa Galante & Fabio Biondi

• George Frideric Handel (1685-1759):
• 1 Silla, HWV 10: Overture 03:42
• 2 Silla, HWV 10: March 01:22
• 3 Silla, HWV 10, Act I: Silla, s'oggi risplende 01:02
• 4 Silla, HWV 10, Act I: Alza il volo la mia fama 03:11
• 5 Silla, HWV 10, Act I: S'ecclissa la mia gioia! 00:40
• 6 Silla, HWV 10, Act I: Fuggon l'aure in me di vita 04:34
• 7 Silla, HWV 10, Act I: Cieli, numi! Che vidi? 00:35
• 8 Silla, HWV 10, Act I: Se ben tuona il ciel irato 02:59
• 9 Silla, HWV 10, Act I: Sin con lingua di foco 00:21
• 10 Silla, HWV 10, Act I: Un sol raggio di speranza 05:15
• 11 Silla, HWV 10, Act I: Sino su li occhi miei 01:25
• 12 Silla, HWV 10, Act I: Senti, bell'idol mio! 04:53
• 13 Silla, HWV 10, Act I: Sì, t'amo, oh caro 00:17
• 14 Silla, HWV 10, Act I: Se la speranza nudrisce il mio cor 02:50
• 15 Silla, HWV 10, Act I: Silla, dov'e la gloria 01:24
• 16 Silla, HWV 10, Act I: Con tromba guerriera 04:56
• 17 Silla, HWV 10, Act II: Flavia! 00:59
• 18 Silla, HWV 10, Act II: Qual scoglio in mezzo all'onde 02:14
• 19 Silla, HWV 10, Act II: T'arresta, altera! Ma pietoso Amore 00:21
• 20 Silla, HWV 10, Act II: Dolce nume de' mortali 02:26
• 21 Silla, HWV 10, Act II: Guerra, stragi e furor! 01:48
• 22 Silla, HWV 10, Act II: Guerra, stragi e furor! 00:15
• 23 Silla, HWV 10, Act II: Silla! Ove ti guida 01:15
• 24 Silla, HWV 10, Act II: È tempo, oh luci belle 03:49
• 25 Silla, HWV 10, Act II: Mio diletto, che pensi? 00:57
• 26 Silla, HWV 10, Act II: Sol per te, bell'idol mio 06:12
• 27 Silla, HWV 10, Act II: Bella, lascia i sospiri! 01:08
• 28 Silla, HWV 10, Act II: Mi brilla nel seno 02:51
• 29 Silla, HWV 10, Act II: Mio bel nume, t'arresta! 00:40
• 30 Silla, HWV 10, Act II: Hai due vaghe pupillette 02:33
• 31 Silla, HWV 10, Act II: Che miro, oh Dei? Qui Silla? 01:14
• 32 Silla, HWV 10, Act II: Tanto ardisci 00:32
• 33 Silla, HWV 10, Act II: Ti lascio, idolo mio 01:27
• 34 Silla, HWV 10, Act II: Anima mia! 01:22
• 35 Silla, HWV 10, Act II: Scabro! Lepido sia 00:21
• 36 Silla, HWV 10, Act II: La vendetta è un cibo al cor 02:04
• 37 Silla, HWV 10, Act II: Oh! Perfido consorte 00:30
• 38 Silla, HWV 10, Act II: Se'l mio mal da voi dipende 01:50
• 39 Silla, HWV 10, Act II: Sì, questi son trofei 00:24
• 40 Silla, HWV 10, Act II: Deh! Corri al tuo signore! 00:21
• 41 Silla, HWV 10, Act II: T'affretta, oh Scabro 00:19
• 42 Silla, HWV 10, Act II: Secondate, oh giusti dei 02:10
• 43 Silla, HWV 10, Act III: Quanto devo, oh Metella, al tuo cor generoso 00:47
• 44 Silla, HWV 10, Act III: Dunque partir deve 00:48
• 45 Silla, HWV 10, Act III: Io non ti chiedo più 03:17
• 46 Silla, HWV 10, Act III: Al tua fedeltade, o caro amino 00:27
• 47 Silla, HWV 10, Act III: Già respira in petto i core 02:36
• 48 Silla, HWV 10, Act III: L'imperio quanto e pio vasto e più pesante 00:43
• 49 Silla, HWV 10, Act III: Placasti, oh bella diva 01:04
• 50 Silla, HWV 10, Act III: Sei già morto, idolo mio 03:51
• 51 Silla, HWV 10, Act III: Rimembranze funeste 01:32
• 52 Silla, HWV 10, Act III: Luci belle 02:44
• 53 Silla, HWV 10, Act III: Stelle rubelle 03:47
• 54 Silla, HWV 10, Act III: Al fin, del mio rigore 01:09
• 55 Silla, HWV 10, Act III: Ma infelice sarie vivere 00:59
• 56 Silla, HWV 10, Act III: Spirto adorato, oh Dio! 01:00
• 57 Silla, HWV 10, Act III: Brano strumentale 00:48
• 58 Silla, HWV 10, Act III: Metella, oh Dio! Qual sento 01:02
• 59 Silla, HWV 10, Act III: Propizio arrida il cielo 00:10
• 60 Silla, HWV 10, Act III: Sinfonia - Assistete, soccorrete 01:18
• 61 Silla, HWV 10, Act III: Marche I 01:15
• 62 Silla, HWV 10, Act III: Pera la feritade! 00:08
• 63 Silla, HWV 10, Act III: Marche II 00:48
• 64 Silla, HWV 10, Act III: De' miei falli pentito 01:00
• 65 Silla, HWV 10, Act III: Chi al trova tra procelle 01:48
• Total Runtime 01:52:29

Info for Handel: Silla

No Handel opera is as enigmatic as 'Silla'. His fourth London opera, it was composed in 1713 to a libretto by Giacomo Rossi, also the librettist of the composer’s first great London triumph, 'Rinaldo' (1711). And that is just about the extent of any certainty on the subject. It might have been premiered in 1713 in London in a private concert at the Queen’s Theatre, but even this remains unconfirmed.

This is one of Handel’s few historical operas, being concerned with Plutarch’s account of the latter part of the life of Lucius Cornelius Silla, who after taking Rome became a tyrannical despot who murders his opponents, before suddenly retiring to his country estate to enjoy his leisure. The libretto may be perceived as weak, however Handel utilised a significant part of it in his next opera, 'Amadigi di Gaula'.

Fabio Biondi and Europa Galante join an overwhelming vocal cast headed by the fantastic Sonia Prina in the title role, with Martina Belli, Sunhae Im, Vivica Genaux, Roberta Invernizzi, Francesca Lombardi Mazzulli and Luca Tittoto, who all excel in their respective parts. Biondi’s ensemble perform with their trademark elegance and precision in a recording made in the Konzerthaus in Vienna over three days in January 2017.

Sonia Prina, contralto (Silla)
Martina Belli, mezzo-soprano (Claudio)
Sunhae Im, soprano (Metella)
Vivica Genaux, soprano (Lepido)
Roberta Invernizzi, soprano (Flavia)
Francesca Lombardi Mazzulli, soprano (Celia)
Luca Tittoto, bass (Il Dio)
Europa Galante
Fabio Biondi, violin & direction

Europa Galante
was founded in 1990 by violinist Fabio Biondi, who was wanting to form an Italian period instrument ensemble to perform both Baroque and Classical era repertoire.

The ensemble has a varying structure and often performs chamber music such as the string sonatas of Italian composers of the 17th century, 18th century operas by Handel, Vivaldi and others, operas, serenatas and oratorios by Alessandro Scarlatti as well as giving considerable attention to the instrumental music of Antonio Vivaldi. Europa Galante collaborates regularly with the Fondazione Santa Cecilia in Rome in rediscovering and restoring 18th century Italian operas.

Europa Galante has performed in many of the world’s major concert halls and theatres including La Scala in Milan, Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome, Suntory Hall in Tokyo, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Royal Albert Hall in London, the Musikverein in Vienna, Lincoln Center in New York and the Sydney Opera House. The ensemble has toured throughout Australia, Japan, Europe, Canada, Israel, the USA and South America.

In addition to the ensemble’s extensive series of recordings for labels such as Opus 111 and Virgin Classics, which have gained many awards from critics (including two Grammy nominations), Europa Galante has now started making recordings for Glossa; Il Diario di Chiara, with 18th century string music from La Pietà in Venice, is the first of an exciting series of projects agreed with the label.

Europa Galante is the resident orchestra of the Fondazione Teatro Due in Parma.

Fabio Biondi
Born in Palermo, Fabio Biondi began his international career at the age of twelve, performing his first solo concert with the RAI Symphony Orchestra. Spurred on from an early age by an inexhaustible cultural curiosity, Fabio Biondi was introduced to many of the pioneers of the new approach to Baroque music, an opportunity that was to expand his musical vision and change the direction of his career. When he was sixteen, he was invited by the Musikverein of Vienna to perform Bach’s violin concertos. Since then, he performed with many of the most prestigious Baroque ensembles before founding Europa Galante in 1990. In just a few years, this ensemble became the most internationally renowned and awarded Italian performers of Baroque music.

Fabio Biondi embodies the perpetual pursuit of style free from dogmatism and he remains intent in his quest for the original language. As well as performing mainstream repertoire, he has exhumed numerous works by lesser known composers, covering three centuries of music, from the 17th century, via the great instrumental works of the 18th century, the concerti and concerti grossi of Vivaldi, Corelli, Locatelli or Geminiani, to the oratorios, serenatas and operas of Alessandro Scarlatti, Handel, Vivaldi, Veracini or Bellini, as well as performing the sonatas of Bach, Schubert and Schumann.

Fabio Biondi also collaborates as soloist and conductor with a wide range of orchestras including the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome, the Mozarteumorchester Salzburg, The English Concert, the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Oper Halle, the Zürcher Kammer Orchester, Det Norkse Kammerorkester, the Orchestre National Montpellier and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, to name but a few. Since March 2005 Fabio Biondi has taken on the role of artistic director for Baroque music at the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra. In 2011 he was elevated to the position of Academician of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome, and in 2013 received the Keys to the Polish city of Kraków.

As a chamber musician Fabio Biondi performs in duo with piano, harpsichord or forte-piano in prestigious venues around the world including the Cité de la Musique in Paris, the Hogi Hall in Tokyo, the Auditorio Nacional in Madrid and the Wigmore Hall in London.

Fabio Biondi plays on a violin by Andrea Guarneri (Cremona, 1686), as well as a 1766 Carlo Ferdinando Gagliano, formerly owned by his teacher Maestro Salvatore Cicero and kindly lent to him by the Salvatore Cicero Foundation in Palermo.

Booklet for Handel: Silla