GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL (1685-1759): Almira.

Description: Handel’s first opera (1705) would not have been imaginable except for the special circumstances prevailing at the Hamburg Opera: various styles and various languages are mixed, and it includes German and Italian arias, vocal dance numbers and da capo pieces, as well as instrumental ballet inserts of larger format. The result is a colorful mixture, and the melodic signature so typical of Handel is already omnipresent and creates a fascinating unity – now heard with a top-quality ensemble! 4 CDs. German, Italian-English libretto. Emőke Barath, Amanda Forsythe (sopranos), Colin Balzer (tenor), Christian Immler (baritone), Boston Early Music Festival Orchestra; Paul O’Dette, Stephen Stubbs.