Marc Minkowski conducts Handels Tamerlano
. Photo: Peter Schnetz

VERSAILLES: Marc Minkowsky conducted brilliant performances of the Händel opera Tamerlano at The Royal Opera de Versailles. In this concert version, which is included in the program this summer at Chateau des Versailles, called “The Triumf of Händel”, performing a list of pearls from Händels repertoiere, Tamerlano together with Orlando, Alcina, Julius Cæsar and Xerxes
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This has been giving the audience, which is filling up the Royal Opera at Versailles evening after evening, an extraordinary possibility to enjoy some of the most famous operas by Georg Friedrich Händel, in concert versions, and in addition a line of outstanding singers, some young talents, not yet so well known to the audience together with many well established singer and conductor names
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Among the conductors Alan Curtis conducting Orlando with Il Complesso Barocco, founded in Amsterdam, with the countertenor Iestyn Davies in the titelrole. Alcina conducted by Christoph Rousset, Les Talens Lyriques, with the soprano Karina Gauvin in the titelrole
.   Julius Cæsar with Accademia Bizantina conducted by Ottavio Dantone, with the contralto Sonia Prina in the titelrole. Xerxes conducted by Jean-Christoph Spinosi in the front of his Ensemble Mattheus, which home is in Brest in Bretagne, with the mezzosoprano Malena Ernman in the titelrole.

Tamerlano, by Georg Friedrich Händel at Opera Royal de Versailles. Photo: Henning Høholt

This outstanding serie ending up with Tamerlano conducted by Marc Minkowsky in front of Les Musicians du Louvre Grenoble, and with the dramatic coloratura countertenor Christoph Dumaux in the titelrole. Composer of it all Georg Friedrich Händel (1685-1759).

The outstanding dramatic coloratura countertenor Christoph Dumaux is suveren in the titelrole as Tamerlano
. In a positive way his dramatic coloratura reminds me of Cecilia Bartoli. It was extraordinary good. Together with him contrating as also in the roles, the young lyric countertenor Tim Mead as Prince Andronico.

While the baryton Tassis Christoyannis was brilliant as Bajazet, the father of Asteria, played by the young Russian soprano Julia Lezhneva.

George Frideric Händel

Marianne Crebassa,  young briliant mezzosoprano from Montpellier was first class as Irene. And the bass Luca Tittoto stabil as Leone, he impressed by singing nearly all his part without notes. Which gave him the possibility to play, while some of the others during the long performance sometimes was very occupied with their notes, which not allways workes so they also can cooperate netween each others with eye contact.  – But it is understandable, that in this setting with concertverions, it is needed. And it didnt spoil the musically impression.