George Frideric Händel (1685-1759)
Cleofida, Königin von Indien (1732, from Poro, re dell’Indie arr. in German by Georg Philipp Telemann)
Suzanne Jerosme – Cleofida (soprano)
Florian Götz – Porus (baritone)
Jorge Navarro Colorado – Alessandro (tenor)
Johanna Pommranz – Erixena (soprano)
Leandro Marziotte – Gandartes (alto)
Josep-Ramon Olivé – Timagenes (bass)
Il Gusto Barocco, Stuttgarter Barockorchester/Jörg Halubek
rec. 2020, Funkstudio des SWR Stuttgart, Germany
Booklet with commentary and libretto in English and German (Italian aria texts) included
cpo 555 560-2 [3 CDs: 180]
The title of Georg Friedrich Händel’s three-act opera, Cleofida, Königin von Indien,may awaken expectations of a newly-discovered work. As it turns out, Händel’s friend, Georg Philipp Telemann, changed the title when he adapted Poro, re dell’Indie for the Oper am Gänsemarkt in Hamburg (1732). Händel’s original version received its premiere at the King’s Theatre in London on 2 February 1731 and enjoyed an initial run of sixteen performances; it was revived on 23 December 1731 and on 8 December 1736. Poro’s success meant that it became one of twelve Händel operas to be adapted for the Gänsemarkttheater between 1722 and 1736. Telemann’s version, which was first performed on 14 February 1732, was played around thirty times by 1736.
Händel appropriated Pietro Metastasio’s libretto Alessandro nell’Indie for which Leonardo Vinci had composed the first music (Rome, 1729). With over 60 settings during the eighteenth century, including those by Johann Adolph Hasse, Nicola Antonio Porpora, Niccolò Jommelli, Domenico Cimarosa, and Luigi Cherubini, this was one of Metastasio’s most popular libretti. For performance in Hamburg, Christoph Gottlieb Wend translated the recitatives into German, and Telemann arranged them musically. Although speaking the recitatives in the vernacular while retaining the original Italian in the arias helped Telemann’s audiences understand the plot, the abrupt transitions between languages are awkward on a recording. After becoming acclimated to the linguistic mixture, the performance on the present recording is engrossing.
Since no castrati were available in Hamburg, Telemann adjusted the vocal registers accordingly. The role of Poro, sung in the London premiere by the mezzo-soprano castrato Francesco Bernardi (‘Senesino,’), was transposed for a baritone. In Händel’s original version of Poro, Timagene had no solo arias because the bass engaged for the role was not adequate. Telemann gave Timogene two arias and interpolated a brief chorus lauding Alessandro’s magnanimity immediately before Porus and Cleofida’s final duet in Act Three.
The present set, the only one I know of this version, commands attention from anyone interested in Händel’s operas, especially in performance practices during his lifetime. Adapting works to suit audience preferences, local conventions, and practical considerations (e.g., the availability of certain voice types) was common in the eighteenth century. Whereas performers and scholars today seek to reconstruct musical texts and, where possible, specific versions of compositions, Händel and his contemporaries changed their own works and those of others without trying, in most cases, to create a ‘final’ version that should be performed the same way each time.
Jörg Halubek and his period-instrument ensemble Il Gusto Barocco – Stuttgarter Barockorchester have recorded this opera/Singspiel with tremendous dedication and passion in an elegant, smooth, and colourful rendition. Suzanne Jerosme’s crystal clear, virtuosic soprano gives Cleofida a sense of being the true leader when interacting with her temperamental beloved Poro, sung by Florian Götz with a bright, agile baritone. Jorge Navarro Colorado portrays the tenor role of Alessandro lyrically and euphoniously with a mastery of the high notes. Johanna Pommranz’s voluminous soprano makes Erissena a contrast to Cleofida. Leandro Marziotte’s alto Gandarte widens the vocal spectrum. Josep-Ramon Olivé sings the vindictive Timagene with a melodious bass that conveys anger and resentment when appropriate.
cpo provides extensive commentary, an interview with Halubek, a plot synopsis, and the full libretto in German and English. The recorded sound is rich and detailed with the energy of a live performance. This excellent release enriches the Händel discography and provides insight into Telemann’s talents as an arranger. It surprises me that Poro, which was critically acclaimed by Charles Burney among others and popular with contemporary English and German audiences, is not well known today in either Händel’s original or Telemann’s arrangement.
Daniel Floyd
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