Hi GWendel
I like Rodelinda. I love the music, and there are pretty good arias
for all the soloists. I have the recording by Raglan Baroque Players
on (Virgin 7243 5 45277 2 2) with the Raglan Baroque Players,
Nicholas Kraemer conducting. The role of Grimoaldo is sung by Adrian
Thompson. Other soloists include: Sophie Daneman, Daniel Taylor,
Catherine Robbin, Robin Blaze and Christopher Purves. The singing is
uneven, but the tone of the whole preduction is likeable. The opera
was written in 1725, in an astounding one year window when Handel
wrote Giulio Cesare, Tamerlano and Rodelinda - three of his greatest
operas.
The story, very briefly:
In Milan, Rodelinda, the queen laments loss of her husband Bertarido.
Grimoaldo, usurper of the throne, now tries to win Rodelinda's love,
in spite of being engaged to Eduige, Bertarido's sister. Bertarido is
actually alive, though, and witnesses in disguise how Rodelinda
finally is pressured to accept Grimoaldo.
Rodelinda then gives her condition: to kill her son in front of her,
thereby exposing Grimoaldo as the tyrant he is. Bertarido hears about
this and understands his wife is more faithful than he thought.
Eduige then finds Bertarido and rejoices in finding her brother alive.
Rodelinda also meets him and they are very happy. Grimoaldo comes on
the scene and thinks that Rodelinda is unfaithful to him, but then
recognises Bertarido and orders him killed. Eduige gets Bertarido out
of prison, but in misunderstanding he strikes his liberator Unulfo
which leaves some blood on the floor, making Rodelinda and Eduige
think that Bertarido was killed.
Grimoaldo has some confused thoughts at this time and is nearly
killed by Garibaldo, only to be rescued by the newly freed Bertarido.
Then Grimoaldo repents, marries Eduige and moves to Pavia. Bertarido
and Rodelinda are reunited and the opera ends on a happy note.
Here is a longish excerpt from the book for you:
"Grimoaldo, the tyrant with a conscience, is a far more complex
character (than the other villain Garibaldo) and one of the great
tenor parts in Handel operas. Whilst his two arias, both in major
keys, give an impression of confidence, from the moment Bertarido is
discovered alive in Act two his nerve begins to fail him and his
music turns to the minor mode. The explosive bluster of 'Tuo Drudo e
mio rivale' serves additionally to intensify the profound poignancy
of the fairwell duet 'Io t'abbraccio' for Rodelinda and Bertarido.
However, Grimoaldo's psychological state is most clearly revealed in
his solo scene in Act Three. The accompanied recitative 'Fatto
inferno' wanders through a bewildering range of keys and is as
tonally disturbed as Grimoaldo is deranged. THe music calms down to
an arioso 'Ma pur voi lusingate', before the weakened tyrant sinks
into self pity with the siciliano 'Pastorello'. After this, it is a
small step to the repentance and generosity of the concluding scene. "
I think Grimoaldo gets to sing some great stuff. I hope you enjoy it!!
Best regards, Kerubiino
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