San Giovanni Battista (St. John the Baptist / 1991 Minkowski / @1675 Stradella), sound recording (oratorio)

San Giovanni Battista <Italian> / St John the Baptist (1991) is a sound recording of San Giovanni Battista (St. John the Baptist / 1675 Stradella / Ansaldi), oratorio, conducted by Marc Minkowski.

Abstract

"The conductor, Marc Minkowski, has assembled a strong team of soloists with Gerard Lesne in the title-role, Catherine Bott as Salome, Christine Batty as Herodias and Philippe Huttenlocher as Herod. The part of a Counsellor is sung by Richard Edgar-Wilson. Additionally there are three brief sections allotted to a chorus fulfilling various functions in the first part of the oratorio. Minkowski paces the music well making the most of Stradella's admirably effective contrasts of texture and mood. Lesne's portrayal of John the Baptist is affecting and his warm tone and subdued vocal colour suits the music in Part Two especially well. His Io, per me, no cangerei is sung with an affecting blend of tenderness and restraint. In Part One his striking interruption of Herod's party is forcefully projected but perhaps a greater degree of confrontation is required here. Herodias and Salome both come over well though neither singer succeeds in concealing the difficulties presented by Stradella's wide tessitura. Catherine Bott gives a virtuoso performance of her aria Su, coronatemi underlining both the callousness and the streak of cruelty which characterize the role. Huttenlocher's Herod is splendid. Sometimes I have found his voice ill-focused but here he conveys with equal conviction the king's vacuous authority on the one hand, and his tortured soul on the other ... In conclusion, this animated and imaginative approach to a masterly score does the work justice. The freedom with which Stradella deploys recitative, arioso and aria together with the fruits of his gifts as a melodist are among its most engaging qualities. Minkowski realizes the inherent richness of invention and the sheer beauty of the music with insight, affection and, a lively awareness of its dramatic intent. The recording is excellent and full texts in translation are provided in the booklet. Strongly recommended."--Grammophone

Cast

• Gerard Lesne = John the Baptist
• Philippe Huttenlocher = Herod Antipas
• Christine Batty = Herodias
• Catherine Bott = Salome

• Les Musiciens du Louvre

Editions, performances

Released on CD (1992).