The Mozartists & Ian Page – Arne: Artaxerxes (2021) [FLAC 24bit/192kHz]

The discovery of Artaxerxes by Thomas Arne was a nice surprise for Joseph Haydn, who was unaware that such operas existed in England. Performed practically without interruption in London from 1762 to 1830, it was probably also seen by the young Mozart. At any rate, this is a likelihood suggested by the conductor Ian Page, a great connoisseur of British musical life in the eighteenth century, who has released this album with his ensemble The Mozartists.

Adapted into English from the libretto of Metastasio’s Artaserse, which was probably written by the composer himself, this ‘opera seria’ premiered at Covent Garden in 1762 to great acclaim before falling into obscurity until it was revived two hundred years later at the St Pancras Festival. The work is bursting with virtuoso arias, some of which have remained in circulation among singers.

This recording was made in 2009 following a series of performances to mark the three-hundredth anniversary of the birth of Thomas Arne, at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden where Artaxerxes was created. It was selected as record of the year by Audiophile Audition and BBC Radio 3’s CD review, and was named record of the month by the UK magazine Opera. Thomas Arne wrote around 30 operas, and is seen as a representative of the “gallant style” that extended throughout Europe. His fame was somewhat overshadowed by the ubiquitous output of the “bulldozer” Handel, whose genius reigned over English opera for more than fifty years. – François Hudry

Tracklist:

1. The Mozartists & Ian Page – Artaxerxes, Act I: Overture (05:11)
2. Ian Page, The Mozartists, Elizabeth Watts & Caitlin Hulcup – Artaxerxes, Act I: Recitative: “Still silence reigns around” (00:29)
3. Ian Page, The Mozartists, Elizabeth Watts & Caitlin Hulcup – Artaxerxes, Act I: No. 1, Duettino: “Fair Aurora, prithee stay” (02:16)
4. Ian Page, The Mozartists, Caitlin Hulcup & Elizabeth Watts – Artaxerxes, Act 1: Recitative: “Alas, thou know’st that for my love to thee” (01:13)
5. Ian Page, The Mozartists & Elizabeth Watts – Artaxerxes, Act I: No. 2, Air: “Adieu, thou lovely youth” (03:21)
6. Ian Page, The Mozartists, Caitlin Hulcup & Andrew Staples – Artaxerxes, Act I: Recitative: “O cruel parting! How can I survive?” (00:57)
7. Ian Page, The Mozartists & Caitlin Hulcup – Artaxerxes, Act I: No. 3, Air: “Amid a thousand racking woes” (04:38)
8. Ian Page, The Mozartists, Andrew Staples & Christopher Ainslie – Artaxerxes, Act I: Recitative: “Be firm, my heart” (01:26)
9. Ian Page, The Mozartists & Andrew Staples – Artaxerxes, Act I: No. 4, Air: “Behold, on Lethe’s dismal strand” (03:36)
10. Ian Page, The Mozartists, Rebecca Bottone & Christopher Ainslie – Artaxerxes, Act I: Recitative: “Stay, Artaxerxes, stay” (00:29)
11. Ian Page, The Mozartists & Christopher Ainslie – Artaxerxes, Act I: No. 5, Air: “Fair Semira, lovely maid” (03:26)
12. Ian Page, The Mozartists, Rebecca Bottone & Daniel Norman – Artaxerxes, Act I: Recitative: “I fear some dread disaster” (01:29)
13. Ian Page, The Mozartists & Daniel Norman – Artaxerxes, Act I: No. 6, Air: “When real joy we miss” (01:59)
14. Ian Page, The Mozartists & Rebecca Bottone – Artaxerxes, Act I: Recitative: “Ye Gods, protectors of the Persian Empire” (00:36)
15. Ian Page, The Mozartists & Rebecca Bottone – Artaxerxes, Act I: No. 7, Air: “How hard is the fate” (04:01)
16. Ian Page, The Mozartists, Christopher Ainslie & Elizabeth Watts – Artaxerxes, Act I: Recitative: “Whither do I fly?” (03:23)
17. Ian Page, The Mozartists & Andrew Staples – Artaxerxes, Act I: No. 8, Air: “Thy father! Away, I renounce the soft claim” (01:23)
18. Ian Page, The Mozartists & Caitlin Hulcup – Artaxerxes, Act I: Recitative: “Ye cruel Gods, what crime have I committed” (00:14)
19. Ian Page, The Mozartists & Rebecca Bottone – Artaxerxes, Act I: No. 9, Air: “Acquit thee of this foul offence” (01:27)
20. Ian Page, The Mozartists, Caitlin Hulcup, Christopher Ainslie, Daniel Norman & Elizabeth Watts – Artaxerxes, Act I: Recitative: “Appearance, I must own, is strong against me” (00:48)
21. Ian Page, The Mozartists & Caitlin Hulcup – Artaxerxes, Act I: No. 10, Air: “O too lovely, too unkind” (04:24)
22. Ian Page, The Mozartists & Elizabeth Watts – Artaxerxes, Act I: Accompanied recitative: “Dear and beloved shade” (00:48)
23. Ian Page, The Mozartists & Elizabeth Watts – Artaxerxes, Act I: No. 11, Air: “Fly, soft ideas, fly” (05:03)
24. Ian Page, The Mozartists, Christopher Ainslie & Andrew Staples – Artaxerxes, Act II: Recitative: “Guards, speed ye to the tower” (00:38)
25. Ian Page, The Mozartists & Christopher Ainslie – Artaxerxes, Act II: No. 12, Air: “In infancy, our hopes and fears” (02:12)
26. Ian Page, The Mozartists & Caitlin Hulcup – Artaxerxes, Act II: Recitative: “So far my great resolve succeeds” (01:28)
27. Ian Page, The Mozartists & Caitlin Hulcup – Artaxerxes, Act II: No. 13, Air: “Disdainful you fly me” (Arbaces) (02:46)
28. Ian Page, The Mozartists, Daniel Norman, Andrew Staples & Rebecca Bottone – Artaxerxes, Act II: Recitative: “Why, my dear friend, so pensive” (02:05)
29. Ian Page, The Mozartists & Daniel Norman – Artaxerxes, Act II: No. 14, Air: “To sigh and complain” (01:51)
30. Ian Page, The Mozartists, Rebecca Bottone & Elizabeth Watts – Artaxerxes, Act II: Recitative: “How many links to dire misfortune’s chain” (01:12)
31. Ian Page, The Mozartists & Elizabeth Watts – Artaxerxes, Act I: No. 15, Air: “If o’er the cruel tyrant love” (03:00)
32. Ian Page, The Mozartists & Rebecca Bottone – Artaxerxes, Act II: Recitative: “Which fatal evil shall I first oppose?” (00:30)
33. Ian Page, The Mozartists & Rebecca Bottone – Artaxerxes, Act II: No. 16, Air: “If the river’s swelling waves” (02:34)
34. Ian Page, The Mozartists, Christopher Ainslie, Elizabeth Watts, Caitlin Hulcup, Andrew Staples, Rebecca Bottone & Daniel Norman – Artaxerxes, Act II: Recitative: “Ye solid pillars of the Persian Empire” (05:00)
35. Ian Page, The Mozartists & Caitlin Hulcup – Artaxerxes, Act II: No. 17, Air: “By that belov’d embrace” (03:31)
36. Ian Page, The Mozartists, Elizabeth Watts & Andrew Staples – Artaxerxes, Act II: Recitative: “Ah me, at poor Arbaces’ parting” (00:46)
37. Ian Page, The Mozartists & Elizabeth Watts – Artaxerxes, Act II: No. 18, Air: “Monster, away” (02:36)
38. Ian Page, The Mozartists, Christopher Ainslie, Rebecca Bottone & Andrew Staples – Artaxerxes, Act II: Recitative: “See, lov’d Semira” (01:02)
39. Ian Page, The Mozartists & Andrew Staples – Artaxerxes, Act II: Accompanied recitative: “At last my soul has room” (00:37)
40. Ian Page, The Mozartists & Andrew Staples – Artaxerxes, Act II: No. 19, Air: “Thou, like the glorious sun” (05:03)
41. Ian Page, The Mozartists & Caitlin Hulcup – Artaxerxes, Act III: No. 20, Air: “Why is death for ever late” (02:57)
42. Ian Page, The Mozartists, Christopher Ainslie & Caitlin Hulcup – Artaxerxes, Act III: Recitative: “Arbaces! Gracious Heav’n” (01:13)
43. Ian Page, The Mozartists & Caitlin Hulcup – Artaxerxes, Act III: No. 21, Air: “Water parted from the sea” (02:19)
44. Ian Page, The Mozartists & Christopher Ainslie – Artaxerxes, Act III: Recitative: “That face, secure in conscious innocence” (00:25)
45. Ian Page, The Mozartists & Christopher Ainslie – Artaxerxes, Act III: No. 22, Air: “Though oft a cloud with envious shade” (03:38)
46. Ian Page, The Mozartists, Andrew Staples & Daniel Norman – Artaxerxes, Act III: Recitative: “My son, Arbaces… where art thou retir’d?” (01:52)
47. Ian Page, The Mozartists & Daniel Norman – Artaxerxes, Act III: No. 23, Air: “O let the danger of a son” (02:15)
48. Ian Page, The Mozartists & Andrew Staples – Artaxerxes, Act III: Accompanied recitative: “Ye adverse Gods!” (00:41)
49. Ian Page, The Mozartists & Andrew Staples – Artaxerxes, Act III: No. 24, Air: “O, much lov’d son, if death” (05:15)
50. Ian Page, The Mozartists, Elizabeth Watts & Rebecca Bottone – Artaxerxes, Act III: Recitative: “Perhaps the King releas’d Arbaces” (01:34)
51. Ian Page, The Mozartists & Elizabeth Watts – Artaxerxes, Act III: No. 25, Air: “Let not rage, thy bosom firing” (04:24)
52. Ian Page, The Mozartists & Rebecca Bottone – Artaxerxes, Act III: Recitative: “What have I done? Alas, I vainly thought” (00:24)
53. Ian Page, The Mozartists & Rebecca Bottone – Artaxerxes, Act III: No. 26, Air: “’Tis not true that in our grief” (04:08)
54. Ian Page, The Mozartists, Caitlin Hulcup & Elizabeth Watts – Artaxerxes, Act III: Recitative: “Nor here my searching eyes” (01:20)
55. Ian Page, The Mozartists, Caitlin Hulcup & Elizabeth Watts – Artaxerxes, Act III: No. 27, Duetto: “For thee I live, my dearest” (03:37)
56. Ian Page, The Mozartists, Christopher Ainslie, Andrew Staples, Rebecca Bottone & Elizabeth Watts – Artaxerxes, Act III: Recitative: “To you, my people, much belov’d” (02:20)
57. Ian Page, The Mozartists & Elizabeth Watts – Artaxerxes, Act III: No. 28, Air: “The soldier, tir’d of war’s alarms” (03:33)
58. Ian Page, The Mozartists, Caitlin Hulcup, Christopher Ainslie, Elizabeth Watts & Andrew Staples – Artaxerxes, Act III: Recitative: “Behold, my King, Arbaces at thy feet” (02:25)
59. Ian Page, The Mozartists, Rebecca Bottone, Elizabeth Watts, Caitlin Hulcup, Christopher Ainslie & Andrew Staples – Artaxerxes, Act III: No. 29, Finale: “Live to us, to Empire live” (03:28)