Magdalena Kozena – Il giardino dei sospiri (2019) [FLAC 24bit/96kHz]

On her first album under the label PentaTone, Czech mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožená returns to her first baroque loves, collaborating with her fellow countryman Václav Luks and his excellent Prague ensemble. Both a harpsichordist and a horn player, Václav Luks studied at Basel Schola Cantorum before founding the choir Collegium Vocale 1704 in 2005, made up of ninety Czech singers and musicians.

Titled Giardino dei sospiri (garden of sighs), this new album is a collection of scenes from secular cantatas or oratorios that glorify tragic love. The tragic heroes highlighted here in various pages of George Frideric Handel, Leonardo Leo, Benedetto Marcello, Leonardo Vinci, Francesco Gasparini and Domenico Sarro find in Magdalena Kožená a staunch advocate, who perfectly lives up to the task! A multi-faceted musical drama unfolds in our ears, which was initially created as a staged project.

“From manipulative Agrippina, who would stop at nothing to put her son Nero on the throne, to magician Armida bewitching Rinaldo, and the priestess Hero who couldn’t survive her lover Leander’s accidental death, Magdalena Kožená brings the legendary heroines to life, with all the depth and virtuosity of her singing”, reads the introduction of the show Magdalena Kožená and Václav Luks will perform on their European tour in spring 2019. © François Hudry

Details of original recording : Recorded at the Church of Saint Anne, Prague, from 21 to 26 September 2018

Tracklist:
01. Arianna abbandonata, S. 98: No. 1a, Sinfonia. Prestissimo
02. Arianna abbandonata, S. 98: No. 1b, Sinfonia. Adagio assai
03. Arianna abbandonata, S. 98: No. 1c, Sinfonia. Presto
04. Arianna abbandonata, S. 98: No. 2, Dove, misera, dove
05. Arianna abbandonata, S. 98: No. 3, Come mai puoi
06. Arianna abbandonata, S. 98: No. 4, Se fia che pensi, o caro
07. Arianna abbandonata, S. 98: No. 5, Che dolce foco in petto
08. Maria dolorata: No. 1a, Sinfonia. Allegro
09. by Collegium 1704
10. Maria dolorata: No. 1c, Sinfonia. Minuet
11. Atalia: Ombre, cure sospetti
12. Didone abbandonata, introduzione: Allegro
13. by Collegium 1704
14. Didone abbandonata, introduzione: Minuetto
15. Or ch’è dal sol difesa: Or ch’è dal sol difesa
16. Or ch’è dal sol difesa: Siedi, siedi ben mio
17. Or ch’è dal sol difesa: Che detto avranno mai
18. Agrippina, HWV 6: Overture
19. Qual ti riveggio, oh Dio, HWV 150: Qual ti riveggio, oh Dio
20. Qual ti riveggio, oh Dio, HWV 150: Empio mare, onde crudeli
21. Qual ti riveggio, oh Dio, HWV 150: Amor, che ascoso ne’ suoi vaghi lumi
22. Qual ti riveggio, oh Dio, HWV 150: Se la morte non vorrà
23. Qual ti riveggio, oh Dio, HWV 150: Questi dalla mia fronte
24. Qual ti riveggio, oh Dio, HWV 150: Si muora, si muora
25. Qual ti riveggio, oh Dio, HWV 150: Ecco, gelide labbra