Ciel e terra armi di sdegno (Handel) John Mark Ainsley

Ciel e terra armi di sdegno from Tamerlano, HWV 18 (1724)
George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)
John Mark Ainsley in the role of Bajazet
Il Pomo d'Oro with Riccardo Minasi, conductor
The arrival of Italian star tenor Francesco Borosini (c. 1695 - after 1747) in London caused Handel to radically re-write the role of Bajazet in the opera Tamerlano. 18th century operatic convention did not allow a tenor to play heroic roles, which were typically given to castrati, but Handel did the next best thing by vastly expanding the role of Bajazet.
As Act I opens, Tamerlano is holding Bajazet captive, along with Bajazet's daughter Asteria. Tamerlano tells Asteria he will spare her father’s life if she agrees to marry him. Bajazet reacts furiously and insists they must all resist Tamerlano.
Libretto by Nicola Francesco Haym (1678-1729)
Ciel e terra armi di sdegno,
Morrò invitto, e sarò forte.
Chi disprezza pace e regno
Non potrà temer la morte.
TRANSLATION:
May heaven and earth be armed with anger,
I will die undefeated, I will be strong.
He who despises both peace and the throne
Cannot fear death.
CD available from Naïve:
www.prestoclas...
Art in the video:
[0:16] Louise Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun (1755-1842)
[0:42] Georg Engelhard Schröder (1684-1750)
[0:58] Andrea Celesti (1637-1712)
[1:22] Anne Louis Girodet-Trioson (1767-1824)
[1:36] William Beechey (1753-1839)
[2:02] Paolo Veronese (1528 - 1588)
[2:15] Adolphe Yvon (1817-1893)
[2:25] Stanisław Chlebowski (1835-1884)
[2:42] Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640)
[3:18] topkapisarayi.g...

[@francette19380]

Ah Haendel dans sa splendeur et sa fougue ! On se croirait à un concert de James Brown tant la mise en place (orchestre et voix) est incroyablement précise et l'énergie dévastatrice. C'est génial.

[@JeffreyStivers]

I’m glad you enjoyed it.

[@ohmy5650]

Amazing! I find particularly striking how "full" & powerful his low note to end with is! What a voice and means i mean!

[@JeffreyStivers]

I’m very fond of his singing. He is my favorite tenor that I’ve heard sing this role. I’m glad you enjoyed it.

[@davidwoods8181]

My god what an amazing recording

[@JeffreyStivers]

Indeed. John Mark Ainsley is incredible in the role of Bajazet. I’m glad you enjoyed this.

[@danielrodriguez9630]

Una gran opera.Del maestro Handel.Como siempre .El llega a lo mas sublime...

[@JeffreyStivers]

Indeed! I absolute adore John Mark Ainsley in this role.

[@DerlyPintosTapia]

que belleza de obra, es un placer poder cantarla, dan ganas de iniciarse en el canto lírico !!

[@JeffreyStivers]

I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@DerlyPintosTapia]

Que belleza, y que privilegio poder cantar con una orquesta así.. con este ataque bien barroco, me apasiona tanto esta obra y los juegos vocales que me estoy iniciando a cantar algo así!.. muy difícil de todas maneras sacar el cuerpo lírico.,

[@danielrodriguez9630]

Gran tenor. Bravisimo.

[@JeffreyStivers]

Indeed. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@christianlefebvre6475]

Interprétation limpide avec une musique bien maîtriser par l'orchestre. Belle harmonie.

[@JeffreyStivers]

Indeed. I’m glad you enjoyed it.

[@williamfranx1494]

Dear Jeffrey , Thank you for this wonderfull song , I love the voice of John Mark Ainsley , we liked his concert with a program of British song , The evening in the opera of Amsterdam was unforgateble , Thank you so much, greetings from the Netherlands William

[@JeffreyStivers]

You're welcome, William. I also love the voice of John Mark Ainsley, and as far as I'm concerned, he totally owns the role of Bajazet. I've never had the pleasure of hearing him sing in person, but I can understand why you enjoyed it so immensely. Greetings from the US. ~ Jeffrey

[@Rosangela161]

Fascinant! Didactic and beauty job. Pure art. Thanks. Love it.

[@JeffreyStivers]

You're welcome, and thank you for your continued support and kind words, dearest Rosa.

[@jackmckenzie4401]

Thanks for sharing this, dear Jeffrey. God bless you, JMA, GFH and the Italian language as well.

[@JeffreyStivers]

You're welcome, Jack. I'm glad you enjoyed this.

[@indispettito]

Altro che Placido Domingo! Bravissimo!!!

[@giovanniangelucci1526]

Excellent execution, both the tenor John Mark Ainsley, both orchestra. How is your style, even the perfect combination of music and paintings is truly admirable. Thank you, Jeffrey.

[@JeffreyStivers]

You're welcome, Giovanni. I'm glad you enjoyed this. I absolutely adore John Mark Ainsley in this role and the playing by Il Pomo d'Oro is equally compelling.

[@fortepianowalter]

Wonderful!!

[@JeffreyStivers]

I’m glad you enjoyed it.

[@fortepianowalter]

@@JeffreyStivers one of the best performance in my opinion

[@JeffreyStivers]

@@fortepianowalter I agree completely! I absolutely adore him in this role.

[@kaloarepo288]

I have two DVD's of this opera -the latest a Spanish production featuring Placido Domingo as Bajazet -probably not the best person for the role for his is not a baroque voice but the production is mesmerising.This is one of Handel's best operas and its interesting to compare Handel's treatment of the story with Vivaldi's and also the astonishingly good earlier opera by Gasparini.

[@JeffreyStivers]

I own two DVD's of this opera as well, the one with Domingo and the other with Thomas Randle in the role. Vocally, you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who sings it better than John Mark Ainsley. I know Vivaldi's setting, but I'm not familiar with the one by Gasparini. I'll have to put that on my list of things to explore.

[@kaloarepo288]

Yes the Gasparini is available on cd -Handel obviously was influenced by it -you know the aria "forte e lieto a morte andrai" at the very beginning of the opera where Bajazet says he would gladly go to his death if it wasn't for the thought of his daughter Asteria -it's the same tune basically in Gasparini -Handel improves on it in the same way that he improved on Bononcini's "Ombra mai fu" to create the sublime Handel's LARGO that we all know.

[@tenorschofield]

Bravissimo!!!

[@JeffreyStivers]

I'm glad you enjoyed this. John Mark Ainsley is my favorite Bajazet.

[@tenorschofield]

Jeffrey Stivers Thanks my dear friend,this piece really made my day!!!Auguri

[@JeffreyStivers]

You're welcome, John. I'm always glad when people enjoy what's offered on my KZbin channel.

[@ao-i838]

歌素晴らしい！！ けど何よりもオケが分かってる！！！

[@stanthology]

Good sound.

[@JeffreyStivers]

I love John Mark Ainsley's voice.

[@williamfranx1494]

Dear Jeffrey , do you know the movie Farinelli il Castrato, if not please look for it on Google , and please chose the number, Lascia ch,io Pianga on youtube, I think you will love it, also the Other pieces in this wonderfull movie . i wish you well with kind regards William

[@JeffreyStivers]

I am familiar with that movie, William. In fact, I own a copy and have watched it several times. It is a beautiful film. "Lascia ch'io pianga" is a very lovely aria. It is from Handel's opera Rinaldo, an opera which I have two different performances on DVD.

[@johnlyons6374]

wonderful, thank yuo.

[@ao-i838]

ネット上のヘンデルテノールで1番この人が上手い！！！！

[@JeffreyStivers]

Yes, I am very fond of his singing.