Crude Furie in English from Handel's Xerxes (Mezzo Soprano)

I had posted a few clips from the old ENO production with Christopher Robson as Arsamenes; as a result I recieved a request for the Crude Furie sung by the Mezzo Soprano Ann Murray. This channel will remain a countertenor channel, however I'm posting this as a favor. Enjoy, she's good.
FYI: I do listen to all voice types, however I wanted to have this channel be just for CT's to make sure we are getting enough air time on KZbin.

[@fimetic]

Marvellous rage, this is fury indeed and all at a breakneck tempo, wonderful. There's no other version of Crude Furie that can equal this. The prize is yours Ann.

[@chitarel]

My God, she is simply the Best Xerxes ever... Unbelievable energy and power anytime I watch again

[@lalagonegaga]

The quintessential 'balls to the wall' sort of performance.

[@Klinxor]

She is my favorite interpreter of this aria! Like a Machine gun! Brava!

[@caramelturc]

Extraordinaire !!!! Troublant !!! Epoustouflant !!!! Bravo !

[@Njamh]

How amazing she is......... GREAT Ann!!!!!!!! no words to describe that

[@noelbensted3389]

This was the first live opera performance I saw , aged 15 in 1985 . It resulted in a lifelong love of the Baroque .Anne Murray was wonderful !

[@matthewcarr2255]

Oh man, this is electric.

[@danielrodriguez9630]

Bravisima!

[@Fliegenfaenger11]

She is absolutely great!!! An ideal of interpretation this extremly difficult aria!

[@TFreckle]

Oh my darned god a DESPICABLE vibrato (if it can be called that....) Oh my darned god, such DIVINE colleratura!!!

[@tomaszczaplinski1961]

Pure Mastery!

[@dantegabrielittesor4483]

She is AMAZING!

[@carlosamador6965]

Extraordinaria

[@ZuzanaLemaire]

I love her!!!!!!!

[@fimetic]

What a great Xerxes!! Such fury, this Xerxes means business. Great performance.

[@stefflo712]

@cantanteporsiempre I agree, she indeed is a soprano. It can be heard from the first bar. However, she sure can sing :)

[@acanthe83]

Magnifique

[@FullnessTheArbitrator]

OMG, que voz maravilhosa, quanta tecnica, ela é muito boa.

[@3232siobhan]

Absolutely fantastic! Brava Ann Murray! (I'd like to see a counter tenor try this!) The mezzos rule OK!

[@ellandelachapelle]

She´s off to Bedlam! :-D (hypnotized the last sculpture haha.)

[@jennieeagle1257]

"Aspergetemi" sounds intriguingly like "come bespatter me."

[@wade1977]

The Queen of the Machine Gun coloratura!

[@usersumpf]

❤

[@danielrodriguez9630]

Grandiosa!!

[@danielrodriguez9630]

Debo decir que nadie lo canta como ella.

[@micky9321]

SUPERBE !

[@fimetic]

I agree. I like Sarah Connolly’s version even though it suffers from a poor recording quality. I think it was recorded live and the balance between singer and orchestra favours the orchestra. Sarah seems to be at the back of the stage, or even in a different room perhaps?

[@bogdiworksV2]

agreed on the tempo! not my favourite voice, but great rendition of the spirit of the aria.

[@cantanteporsiempre]

What the hell???? she is a soprano!! but sounds incredible

[@cantanteporsiempre]

@chitarel Yes, indeed

[@LookAwaaay]

@rayuuhumizuki totally -- eargasm :D

[@kieganlloyd4463]

Does anyone know the year and location of this performance? I am curious!

[@chrisgoff6544]

The English National Opera usually performed at The Coliseum in London .This was shown on TV and I had it on a VHS tape for some time . I would date it in the late 1980s . I liked the weird staging and the very young Lesley Garrett .

[@bogdiworksV2]

you might be right about the balance between singer and orchestra, unless Sarah was in the other room specifically so the toppling of the last bust would appear even more powerful ;) I'm partial to Hallenberg's version, but Sarah does a very good job as well. However, nothing compares to a breakneck tempo in these furious Handel arias. More power to all who can keep up with it!

[@sfkcbf]

I know that audiences are easily impressed & tend to give professional singers the benfit of the doubt & their adulation. And I am happy to see Handel performed so much. I do find, however, her heavy warble to be off-putting. I always hope to hear a more precise, controlled technique in Baroque operas. A looser technique is less noticeable in later operas, and audiences have become accustomed to hearing them that way, although superior singers like Gundula Janowitz never fell into that trap.

[@Berokymilk]

@mhax3 Me neither.

[@user-xe7rk2hm5b]

Сопрано с открытым голосом.

[@patshaw51]

Saw it OFTEN!

[@cantanteporsiempre]

@3232siobhan lol, we rule!!!

[@silverkitty2503]

hello legato???

[@skyhunk]

Many years ago I saw Ann Murray's performance in Mozart's Idomeneo at Covent Garden. She sang the role of Idamante, son of Idomoneo under Conductor Jeffrey Tate. My memory fades, but a few things stand out. (Idomeneo is probably my least favourite Mozart opera). Ann Murray's performance was more than adequate, but Covent Garden was a huge surprise/disappointment as a venue. It was in a sad state of disrepair; they were working hard on much needed renovations. And then the final act (not often included in the opera) was greeted with the loudest and longest boos I have ever heard. The reason? Suddenly we were wrenched from a period piece (all previous acts featured performers/singers in the dress of Mozart's day) to seeing everyone in modern dress! It was a shock, and to this day I still do not understand the thinking behind staging the opera in this way, nor the reason for including this final act which is almost never presented today. But obviously better minds than my own thought otherwise.

[@lindafranca]

i think 250 now :))

[@teddydiva]

I've sung this as a falsettist - the runs are easier for the falsetto voice

[@stenjerdenius1683]

I saw this production at the ENO a couple of years ago and it was simply fantastic, one of the best I have seen (and.I I saw Ingmar Bergman's The rake's progress at the Stockholm opera). The title role was sung by my compatriot Katarina Karnéus. She was incredible, far better than von Otter, Ann Murray and others. She was precise, her high notes shimmering and she made it beautiful, not only scornful.

[@TFreckle]

The be part: xx blackened?... xxx eclipses... xxx in my bossom. Yeah, it's rather incomprehensible

[@mscott3918]

The earth is blackened, my vision eclipses. Sweet Amarath in my bosom

[@mhax3]

I dont like this version in english

[@peres010492]

What a pity that she sang in english

[@mscott3918]

Luis Peres It was given at English National Opera and they tend to do everything in English. I agree that Italian would have been better.

[@bauchmann9971]

Abartig schnelles tempo!

[@silverkitty2503]

god this is awful

[@mscott3918]

It's the recording. I saw this production live many years ago now. It was sensational and brought the audience to its feet.

[@gonzi72]

Terribile! Check out Andrea Meláth

[@mscott3918]

Gergely Homonnay You have no idea what you are talking about