Semele

 

Handel Semele opera to libretto by William Congreve. Directed 2007 by Robert Carson at Opernhaus Zürich. Stars Cecilia Bartoli (Semele), Charles Workman (Jupiter), Birgit Remmert (Juno), Liliana Nikiteanu (Ino), Anton Scharinger (Cadmus/Somnus), Thomas Michael Allen (Athamas), and Isabel Rey (Iris). William Christie conducts the Orchestra La Scintilla (Concert Master Ada Pesch) and the Chorus of the Zürich Opera (Chorus Masters Jürgen Hämmerli and Ernst Raffelsberger). Continuo: Claudius Herrmann, cello; Dieter Lange, double bass; Jory Vinikour, harpsichord. Sets and costumes by Patrick Kinmonth; lighting by Robert Carsen and Peter van Praet; choreography by Philippe Giraudeau as revived by Elain Tyler-Hall. Directed for TV by Felix Breisach. Sung in English. Released  2009, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio. Grade: B