GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL (1685-1759): Scipione.

Description: This problematic opera from 1726 has a somewhat tortuous history with missing singers, revised libretto, a second version in 1730... and it only had 13 performances to begin with. The original version was only reconstructed for performance in 1989 and this recording, made in 1994 for the French record/electronics store FNAC's own, short-lived label, is the only in in existence and has been out-of-print for most of the last 15 years. Good notes on the problems and versions and a new note by Rousset looking back on the recording with his then-new ensemble. 3 CDs. Italian-English libretto. Derek Lee Ragin (alto), Sandrine Piau (soprano), Doris Lamprecht (mezzo), Olivier Lallouette (baritone), Les Talens Lyriques; Christophe Rousset. Original 1994 FNAC release.