Un-HIP

The August Opera News is devoted to Baroque Opera, something unthinkable even 20 years ago. A number of people in the industry are asked to name their top five vocal baroque recordings. Artists Manager Ken Benson dares to include as his five, recordings that are decidedly not part of the historically-informed mainstream. His favorite Giulio Cesare recording is a German performance from 1964 with (heavens forefend) a bass Caesar.

Despite my generally reactionary tastes in performance of 19th century opera, my preferences for baroque opera lean towards the period-instrument variety. Despite this bias, I opted to put on the recording that he prefers and I have to say that although it is a bit heavy handed, I was swept up by it. Now of course having singers the quality of Walter Berry (who handles Caesar quite nicely, thank you), his ex Christa Ludwig, Lucia Popp, and (oh yes) Fritz Wunderlich doesn't hurt a bit. As a result my ear can adjust to the foreign sound of the recording (and not just the use of the German language) and I can accept this as perfectly valid and emotionally appropriate. Now, I won't go so far as wanting to hear Corelli as Sesto, as Benson suggests (I can barely take him as Werther), but this is certainly an approach I won't dismiss quickly.