Review — “Contra-Tenor,” Michael Spyres

The opera superhero is back. The program Contra Tenor is intended to be a kind of “reverse extension” (in cinema, we speak of an ante-episode) of the disc Baritenor of 2021. In practice, Contra Tenor leads to Mozart (Mithridates), while Baritenor went from there (Don Giovanni). The program therefore takes us from baroque music (late 17the century) to classical music  (1770) by browsing the French and Italian repertoire with airs by Lully, Handel, Vivaldi, Rameau (“Cecessez de ravage la terre” by Nais), Hasse, Gluck and rarer composers: Galuppi, Latilla, Mazzoni and Sarro. If we have the initial impression that Spyres is more and more “baritone”, the first stupefying succession of the CD will reassure us on the always “extraterrestrial” side of the singer alternating the two registers. We’ll go to tracks 5 and 6 listen Catone in Utica by Leonardo Vinci, followed by Germanico in Germania by Nicola Porpora. Three tunes are world premieres. Enjoy it while it lasts!

Contra Tenor

★★★★ 1/2

Classic

Michael Spyres (tenor), Il Pomo d’Oro, Francesco Corti, Erato 5054197293467

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