In The Studio: The English Concert
Lucy Crowe and Iestyn Davies star in Handel’s 1725 hit opera Rodelinda
Having wowed audiences in London and New York with its performance of Handel's Serse, The English Concert has returned to the recording studio to add this opera to its Linn recording series. Serse is a romantic comedy which Handel wrote at the end of his operatic career which combines high farce with really deep, moving emotions. Conducted by Harry Bicket, The English Concert has received widespread acclaim for its concert performances which certainly whets the appetite for this 2023 recording.
Here's what the critics had to say:
5* "The best Serse you’ll ever hear." The Arts Desk
5* "The English Concert was on cracking form: robust where necessary, but also sensitive and stylish." The Times
4* "This 1738 opera shows the composer at his most mischievous – and this performance ... was splendidly done." The Telegraph
Critics' Pick: "Harry Bicket and his ensemble of early-music players offered up a surfeit of exquisite music-making." The New York Times