Semele, oratorio, HWV 58: Act I, Scene 1: Priest: 'Behold! Auspicious flashes rise'
Semele, oratorio, HWV 58: Act I, Scene 1: Chorus: 'Lucky omens bless our rites'
Semele, oratorio, HWV 58: Act I, Scene 1: Cadmus: 'Daughter, obey'
Semele, oratorio, HWV 58: Act I, Scene 1: Semele: 'Ah, me!'
Semele, oratorio, HWV 58: Act I, Scene 1: Ino: 'Alas! She yields'
Semele, oratorio, HWV 58: Act I, Scene 1: Chorus of Priests: 'Avert these omens'
Semele, oratorio, HWV 58: Act I, Scene 1: Cadmus: Again auspicious flashes'
Semele, oratorio, HWV 58: Act I, Scene 3: Cadmus: 'Ah, wretched prince'
Semele, oratorio, HWV 58: Act I, Scene 4: Cadmus: 'See, see!'
Semele, oratorio, HWV 58: Act I, Scene 4: Semele: 'Endless Pleasure'
Semele, oratorio, HWV 58: Act II: Sinfonia
Semele, oratorio, HWV 58: Act II, Scene 1: Juno: 'Awake, Saturnia!'
Semele, oratorio, HWV 58: Act II, Scene 2: Semele: 'Oh sleep, why dost thou leave me?'
Semele, oratorio, HWV 58: Act II, Scene 3: Semele: 'Let me not another moment'
Semele, oratorio, HWV 58: Act II, Scene 3: Jupiter: 'You are mortal'
Semele, oratorio, HWV 58: Act II, Scene 3: Semele: 'Ah, me!'
Semele, oratorio, HWV 58: Act II, Scene 3: Chorus of Loves and Zephyrs: 'Now Love'
Semele, oratorio, HWV 58: Act II, Scene 3: Jupiter: 'By my command'
Semele, oratorio, HWV 58: Act II, Scene 4: Semele: 'Dear sister, how was your journey hither?'
Semele, oratorio, HWV 58: Act II, Scene 4: Semele & Ino: 'Prepare, the, ye immortal choir'
Semele, oratorio, HWV 58: Act II, Scene 4: Chorus: 'Bless the glad earth'
Track Listings (16) - Disc #2
Semele, oratorio, HWV 58: Act III, Scene 1: Sinfonia
Semele, oratorio, HWV 58: Act III, Scene 1: Juno: 'Somnus, awake!'
Semele, oratorio, HWV 58: Act III, Scene 1: Iris: 'Dull God, canst thou attend'
Semele, oratorio, HWV 58: Act III, Scene 1: Juno: 'My will obey'
Semele, oratorio, HWV 58: Act III, Scene 3: Semele: 'Myself I shall adore'
Semele, oratorio, HWV 58: Act III, Scene 3: Juno: 'Be wise, as you are beautiful'
Semele, oratorio, HWV 58: Act III, Scene 3: Juno: 'Rich odours fill the fragrant air'
Semele, oratorio, HWV 58: Act III, Scene 4: Jupiter: 'Oh Semele!'
Semele, oratorio, HWV 58: Act III, Scene 4: Jupiter: 'Speak, speak your desire'
Semele, oratorio, HWV 58: Act III, Scene 4: Semele: 'No, no, I'll take no less'
Semele, oratorio, HWV 58: Act III, Scene 5: Jupiter: 'Ah, whiter is she gone!'
Semele, oratorio, HWV 58: Act III, Scene 6: Juno: 'Above measure is the pleasure'
Semele, oratorio, HWV 58: Act III, Scene 7: Sinfonia; Semele: 'Ah, me! too late now I repent'
Semele, oratorio, HWV 58: Act III, Scene 8: Ino: 'Of my ill-boding dream'
Semele, oratorio, HWV 58: Act III, Scene the last: Sinfonia
Semele, oratorio, HWV 58: Act III, Scene the last: Apollo: 'Apollo comes'
Semeleis not Handel's most dramatic opera, but it offers splendidly flowing, dignified music. This performance is distinguished by its beautiful solo singing. In 1973, when it was first released, some of the soloists were... more » not yet as famous as they have since become, but could they sing! Somary is a firm if unexciting conductor, his chorus is spiritedly professional, and the E.C.O. plays with virtuosity. Vanguard's 20-bit digital remastering improves the sound quality of the original recording without adding the touch of shrillness that is sometimes part of the process. There have been more recent excellent releases of this music (such as the DG account conducted by John Nelson), but Somary's version can more than hold its own. --Paul Turok« less
Semeleis not Handel's most dramatic opera, but it offers splendidly flowing, dignified music. This performance is distinguished by its beautiful solo singing. In 1973, when it was first released, some of the soloists were not yet as famous as they have since become, but could they sing! Somary is a firm if unexciting conductor, his chorus is spiritedly professional, and the E.C.O. plays with virtuosity. Vanguard's 20-bit digital remastering improves the sound quality of the original recording without adding the touch of shrillness that is sometimes part of the process. There have been more recent excellent releases of this music (such as the DG account conducted by John Nelson), but Somary's version can more than hold its own. --Paul Turok
Track Listings (22) - Disc #1