Album: Joyce DiDonato, Drama Queens (Virgin Classics)

Andy Gill
Friday 09 November 2012 20:00 EST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

For the follow-up to her Grammy-winning Diva Divo, Joyce DiDonato offers an anthology of suitably impassioned royal roles from Baroque operas, their emotional scope ranging from the giddy flush of love evoked by her tremulous coloratura and swooning fades as Berenice in Orlandini's "Da torbida procella", to the self-sacrifice of Porta's Ifigenia, rendered with such poised nobility in "Madre diletta, abbracciami".

Particularly impressive are Handel's ebullient sorceress Alcina, a self-determining spirit willing to wield power in "Ma quando tornerai", and the Empress Octavia of Monteverdi's "Disprezzata regina", in which the dramatic fury of the recitative militates against its resolution into melody.

Download: Da torbida procella; Disprezzata regina; Ma quando tornerai

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in