Nuria Rial / Lawrence Zazzo G.F. HÄNDEL Duetti Amorosi

Spanish soprano Núria Rial and American counter tenor Lawrence Zazzo join forces in an outstanding selection of duets and scenes from Handel operas. For most of the operas, they have included recitatives, arias, and even overtures and instrumental interludes to provide the context for the duets. The result is wonderfully effective in giving the listener a deeper understanding of the drama and the characters, as well as marvelous additional music. Rial's and Zazzo's voices are ideally matched -- absolutely secure, natural, and unforced and tonally pure with flawless intonation and brilliant coloratura. Their voices are also powerful; there's no sweet sentimentality here, but genuine passion. With conductor Lawrence Cummings, they emphasize the varieties of emotions expressed in the duets, from the flashing anger of a lovers' quarrel in the scene from Serse to the melting tenderness of "Io t'abbracio," from Rodelinda, and, especially, "Addio! Mio caro bene" from Teseo. They are fully persuasive in conveying the varieties of passion the characters are experiencing, and the Kammerorchester Basel provides a nuanced accompaniment that matches the singers' expressiveness. Deutsche Harmonia Mundi's sound is vibrant, clean, and intimate. Strongly recommended for fans of Baroque opera, or any fans of opera who are susceptible to the beauty of the commingled sound of soprano and counter tenor. (Stephen Eddins)

'Duetti amorosi' is an imaginative and thoughtfully chosen programme of operatic duets (although the singers also get two arias each).

Nothing predictable is included here, except perhaps the two items from Rodelinda, but the lovely performance of 'Ritorna, o cara' and the pathos-laden 'Io t'abbraccio' more than justify their presence. Picking a diverse selection of repertoire that skilfully conveys the expressive and stylistic breath of Handel's writing is certainly one of the often-ignored secrets of planning a successful Handel recital programme, and the performers' enthusiasm for reviving numbers from Arminio (including its fine overture), Teseo, Muzio Scevola, Poro (the gorgeous 'Caro amico amplesso') and Admeto deserves high praise.

Rial and Zazzo sing well, both individually and together: in the duets they are obviously listening sympathetically to each other; they seem to know when to emphasise vocal contrasts or blend closely. Laurence Cummings provides expert musical direction from the harpsichord, ensuring that everything is paced to perfection, and that the musico-dramatic characteristics presented in each piece speak with transparency to the listener; none of these performances would feel out of place in context of their parent works. (The Gramophone Classical Music Guide / 2010)