Barnes & Noble

In this age of Handel and Vivaldi mania, it's striking how the operas of Alessandro Scarlatti continue to languish in the shadows. That fact alone makes this 2003 recording of Griselda, Scarlatti's final opera (of more than 100), premiered in 1721, an important event. But we can also expect from conductor René Jacobs, whose revitalizing gifts never cease to astonish, a dramatically and musically invigorating experience, and he delivers impressively here. He has assembled an excellent cast. Soprano Dorothea Röschmann makes a sympathetic title character, a shepherdess who marries a king and as a result must undergo several furtive tests of character to win the hearts of her subjects; Röschmann's rich voice and expressive delivery make it easier to swallow her character's implausibly submissive response to the cruel injustices inflicted upon her. (The juiciest: The king schemes to abandon Griselda and marry a young noblewoman in her place. Not only does the woman turn out to be their long-lost daughter -- just one of the head-scratching plot twists here -- but Griselda accepts the reversal with hardly a complaint.) Countertenor Lawrence Zazzo makes a sweet-toned King Gualtiero, while Veronica Cangemi and Bernarda Fink shine as the young lovers Costanza and Roberto, and Silvia Tro Santafé and Kobie van Rensburg are solid in the supporting roles of Ottone and Corrado. The playing of the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin is crisp and stylish. Based on a tale from Boccaccio's Decameron, the story was also adopted by Bononcini, Albinoni, and Vivaldi in operas of their own, yet Scarlatti devoted special care to his version, investing it with imaginatively varied orchestration, carefully molded recitative, and lilting arias that charm as fully as anything from Handel's Italian works. Kudos to Jacobs for resurrecting this neglected gem and giving it such a vital performance, and full credit to Harmonia Mundi for presenting it in such attractive and sturdy packaging. Now, what comparable treasures lie among Scarlatti's other 113 operas? EJ Johnson

All Music Guide

This is the first authoritative recording of Alessandro Scarlatti's "Griselda," rendered with exquisite beauty by René Jacobs, the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, and an outstanding cast led by Dorothea Röschmann in the title role. Warming to the story of "Griselda" (originally by Boccaccio) -- the low-born woman who endures a string of indignities as the king, Gualtiero, tests her suitability to be the mother of his heir -- is not easy. But the added humanity of Apostolo Zeno's libretto, which invests Griselda with more backbone, and Gualtiero with more sympathy, than they had in Boccaccio's original, and the emotional immediacy of the performances, Röschmann's in particular, make this recording go down smoothly. It is also an abundantly melodic and beautifully orchestrated score, representing Scarlatti at the height of his powers.

Jacobs is one of the most reliable interpreters in the early music movement; not everything he does is equally convincing (his "Cosě fan tutte," for instance, is probably best reserved for connoisseurs), but all of it is marked by interpretive vision and stylistic discipline. That's certainly the case here, as Jacobs leads a briskly moving, incisive, and supple reading of Scarlatti's score -- a reading that amplifies its dramatic qualities to great effect. The Akademie is excellent as always, playing with a blend of clarity, warmth, and rhythmic ebullience that could serve as object lessons in Baroque style. The plangent and expressively daring Röschmann is a genuine knockout in the title role, binging an exquisitely modulated voice and great warmth to her every scene. As Gualtiero, Lawrence Zazzo reveals a standout countertenor of unusual vitality and brilliance. And Silvia Tro Santafé is perfectly cast as the scheming Ottone; her chesty, fast-vibrating mezzo voice embodies his overbearing and ambitious nature perfectly. Veronica Cangemi and Bernarda Fink are outstanding as the young lovers, and Kobie van Rensburg exudes faith and confidence as Gualtiero's confidante, Corrado. Allen Schrott

New York Times

Almost every moment offers rich pleasures: lyrically enchanting arias in which virtuosic flights never seem extraneous displays; elaborate and surely paced recitatives; elegant ensembles; savvy instrumental writing.... Conducting the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Mr. Jacobs elicits a performance at once stylistically informed and wonderfully spontaneous. Anthony Tommasini

Gramophone

Jacobs paces the drama sensitively, and characterizes the arias with intelligence.... This is an immensely important achievement. David Vickers

BBC Music Magazine

Jacobs...conducts with his usual fire and theatricality. And his cast...could hardly be bettered.... A real find, and one that whets the appetite for more of Scarlatti's forgotten operas. Richard Wigmore

Dallas Morning News

An exceptional performance.... René Jacobs...returns to top form here. (A-) Lawson Taitte

Fanfare

I’m more than happy to endorse this new Griselda as a major addition to the happily increasing number of Baroque opera recordings. Indeed, on both musical and performance grounds, it must be rated essential to any collection of early opera. Brian Robins