Lena Belkina - Classic Vienna: Mozart - Gluck - Haydn (2017) [Official Digital Download]

Mezzo-soprano Lena Belkina’s first album garnered high praise: “She sings Desdemona’s ‘Willow Song’ from Rossini’s Otello with lyrical intensity… Nacqui all’affanno e al pianto” from La Cenerentola is sharp-witted and brilliant”, opined Das Opernglas, while WAZ (Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung) wrote: “The coloratura is splendidly placed whether she’s mobilizing Tudor fury (in Anna Bolena), questioning her heart in the Barber of Seville or letting the soul of ‘Tanti affetti’ (La donna del lago) overflow with elegant beauty.”

For her second album, “Classic Vienna”, she has recorded the most famous representatives of Viennese Classicism, Mozart (1756–1791), Haydn (1732–1809) and Gluck (1714–1787), with the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Andrea Sanguinetti. Her Mozart selections include the aria “Parto, ma tu ben mio” from La clemenza di Tito, “Il padre adorato” from Idomeneo and the concert aria “Ch'io mi scordi di te?”. She sings Gluck’s arias “Che puro ciel” from Orfeo ed Euridice and “Oh, del mio dolce ardor” from Paride ed Elena as well as Haydn’s aria “Se non piange un’ infelice” from L’isola disabitata and his Scena di Berenice. The programme is rounded off with the overtures from Mozart’s Così fan tutte, Gluck’s Armide and Haydn’s Acide e Galatea.

TRACKLIST

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

01. Cosi fan tutte, K. 588: Overture - Andrea Sanguineti
02. La clemenza di Tito, K. 621: Parto, Parto, ma tu ben mio - Lena Belkina
03. Idomeneo, K. 366: Il padre adorato - Lena Belkina
04. Ch'io mi scordi di te?, K. 505: Scenae and Rondo - Lena Belkina

Christoph Willibald Gluck (1714-1787)

05. Armide, Wq 45: Overture - Andrea Sanguineti
06. Orfeo ed Euridice, Wq 30: Che puro ciel - Lena Belkina
07. Paride ed Elena, Wq 39: Oh, del mio dolce ardor - Lena Belkina

Joseph Haydn (1732-1807)

08. Acide e Galatea: Overture, Hob.Ia:5 - Andrea Sanguineti
09. L'Isola Disabitata, Hob.Xxviii: 9: Se Non Piange Un' Infelice - Lena Belkina
10. Scena Di Berenice, Hob. Xxiva:10 - Lena Belkina

PERSONNEL
Lena Belkina (mezzo)
ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra,
Andrea Sanguineti (conductor)