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![]() ![]() In the title-role was Iestyn Davies, surely just about supreme today in the castrato repertory. Orlando’s vision of Hades, filled with changing musical textures as he gets farther and farther from sanity, makes for an exciting mad scene, with Davies conveying a nicely understated sense of a man lost in his own delusions, seemingly unphased by the fact this role was originally written for the great Senesino. Iestyn Davies’ Orlando showcases a truly exquisite talent: Davies’ countertenor is so gorgeously legato and fluid that it sounds almost unearthly, yet the smoothness is seasoned with heartstopping, ferociously accurate coloratura which received explosive applause from the Barbican audience. Just occasionally the role’s heavy demands on the lower end of the voice left Davies a little light in the balance, but it’s a small quibble considering the sheer scope of musicianship on show here. Earlier, a blistering “Cielo! Se tu il consenti” showed the extremes of his coloratura agility, while “Gia l’ebro” reminded us that few countertenors can spin a longer legato line, or sustain it with such warmth and beauty. Singing the title role, Iestyn Davies gave us a mad scene of unsettling delicacy, drawing differences all the more disturbing for their subtlety between his moments of seeming calm and his murderous fury. Combined with his characteristically liquid tone, it all added up to a clear, compelling and moving Orlando. he had all the right traits: technical athleticism, moments of startling power, but also of stillness, nowhere more so than in his reflective Act III arioso, “Già l’ebro mio ciglio”. Claire Seymour Opera TodayĬountertenor Iestyn Davies blazed as the antihero Orlando, before delivering more reflective passages in tones so mellow that they almost seemed too lovely for a character who’s basically the ex-boyfriend from hell. In Act 3’s ‘Già per la man d’Orlando … Già cl’ebro mio ciglio’, an invocation to sleep, Davies’ gentle yet elegant vocal pianissimo was complemented by a deliciously dulcet viola duet. ![]() Indeed, Davies’ lack of mannerism and simple directness movingly conveyed the destructive of the insanity inspired by his jealous ire the poignancy was all the greater for the lack of affectedness. ![]() ‘Ah Stigie larve’, in which the unhinged Orlando imagines a descent to the Underworld, was enhanced by fine theorbo playing the fresh simplicity of the repetitions of ‘Vaghe pupille’ (Lovely eyes) were movingly interposed between the scene’s darker emotional tumults. The breath control exhibited in his Act 2 aria, ‘Cielo! se tu il consenti deh! Fà’, was remarkable, and equalled by the fluid passagework of ‘Fammi combattere’ there was continuity of tone throughout the vocal extravagances, and the latter unfailingly served an expressive purpose.Įmerging from behind the orchestra, where Orlando had been nursing his grievances and torments, Davies delivered a ‘mad scene’ which demonstrated expert appreciation of the protagonist’s disordered temperament, moving with discomforting readiness between dread and nonchalance, and gliding easily through the ever-shifting time signatures and tempi. Technically impeccable throughout the performance, Davies launched into the score’s astonishing prestissimo flights with relaxed ease and without any loss of focus. Urged by the magician-philosopher Zoroastro to redirect his energies from love to combat, Davies presented his opening aria, ‘Non fu già men forte’, with brightness and warmth, the lyrical ardour supplemented by the glowing playing of the two natural horns, who injected a charming touch of mock heroism. Alert to the disjunctions and disruptions resulting from Orlando’s mercurial temperament, Davies prowled the platform with lowering intensity when seated, he was bowed with a seemingly unbearable burden of anxiety and despair. The ‘infinite variety of colour’ and ‘expressive depth’ that I noted on that occasion were once again in evidence, and used to compelling effect in a portrayal which emphasised the dark introspection and inner rage of the troubled soldier. Rebecca Franks The Timesīicket and Davies ‘warmed up’ for this performance in 2015, when they presented several arias from Orlando in the opening concert of the Wigmore Hall’s 2015-16 season, alongside arias from Rinaldo, Rodelinda and Partenope. Iestyn Davies took the title role with ease and effortless style and his slow Sleep Aria, accompanied by two dusky violas, theorbo and cello, was spellbindingly beautiful.
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