Dorothea Röschmann and David Daniels at Carnegie Hall

Yesterday, Sally and I went to Carnegie Hall for a concert by Dorothea Röschmann, Soprano and David Daniels, Countertenor with Julliard415.   The program was all Handel and baroque.   These tickets were part of our subscription and we actually attempted to trade them for something else.  Unsuccessful, we dragged ourselves there only to be thoroughly delighted with the performance and the program

I do love Handel very much, but I was unfamiliar with Dorothea Röschmann and don't care much for countertenors.  This repertoir changed my mind and I have to say that now I am more than looking forward to The Enchanted Island, the baroqe pastiche that the Met is doing next season with David Daniels, soprano Danielle de Niese and mezzo Joyce DiDonato.  

This program, with the aid of the wonderful baroque ensemble Julliard415, was sublime.   It was quiet, beautiful and reverential.   I believe the wonderful accoustics of Carnegie lent to the beauty of this Sunday afternoon.  I walked away feeling rejuvinated and rested.  

I was familiar with the music from Rodelinda (it was the first opera I saw Renée Fleming and co-starred Daniels and I can't wait for it next season at the Met) and some of the Rinaldo, but my surprise favorite of the afternoon was the "Per le porte del tormento passan l'anime" from Handel's lesser known opera Sosarme, re di Media  - it was so joyful!

The set:
HANDEL Overture to Rodelinda
HANDEL "Ho perduto il caro sposo" from Rodelinda - Röschmann
HANDEL "Crede l'uomo ch'egli riposi" from Il trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno - Daniels
HANDEL Passacaglia from Terpsicore and Il pastor fido
HANDEL "Se'il mio duol" from Rodelinda  - Röschmann

HANDEL "Perfido, di a quell'empio tiranna" from Radamisto
HANDEL "Io t'abbraccio" from Rodelinda - Daniels, Röschmann

HANDEL Concerto Grosso in B-flat Major, Op. 3, No. 2
HANDEL "Per le porte del tormento passan l'anime" from Sosarme, re di Media  - Daniels, Röschmann
HANDEL "V'adoro, pupille" from Giulio Cesare - Röschmann
HANDEL "Voi che udite il mio lamento" from Agrippina - Daniels
HANDEL "Morrai si, l'empia tua testa" from Rodelinda - Röschmann

HANDEL "Scherzano sul tuo volto" from Rinaldo - Daniels, Röschmann


Encores:
HANDEL "Lascia ch'io pianga" from Rinaldo  - Röschmann
HANDEL "Ch'io parta? Sì, crudele" from Partenope  - Daniels
MONTEVERDI "Pur ti miro" from L'incoronazione di Poppea  - Daniels, Röschmann