Does the absurd scene where Figaro discovers who his parents are move from the farcical to the sublime? Does the Countess forgive her penitent husband at the end? On all these tests,and others, Ensemble Orquesta’s chamber version scores ten out of ten.
“the insinuating, sinister and yet rather attractive Arnalta and Lucano (really marvellously sung by high tenor Kieran White).”
As Nerone, the warm-voiced Julia Portela Piñón vividly portrays the lustful ruler with a heart of ice
Armide, here in an enchanting revival by the enterprising Ensemble OrQuesta and Brazilian director Márcio da Silva, is generally recognized as one of Frenchman Jean-Baptiste Lully's masterpieces composd towards the end of his career in 1686.
He also was one of the very few singers who could manage a proper trill, so important in all Baroque music, but particularly French. Rosemary Carlton-Willis in the title role was a very accomplished actress portraying the complex range of emotions well. She also managed a couple of good trills, despite a rather strong vibrato. Other singers that I liked from this cast were Ashley Adams, Phénice, Helen May, La Glorie/Mélisse, John Holland-Avery, Ubalde, and Matthew Morgan stepping aside from conducting to sing the role of Un Amant from on high.
