Handel, Georg Frideric: Rodelinda (Historic Recording)

Rodelinda by Georg Frideric Handel
Cast: Joan Sutherland, Janet Baker, Margreta Elkins, Raymond Herincx, Alfred Hallett & Patrica Kern with the Philomusica London, conducted by Charles Farncombe
Libretto by Nicola Francesco Haym (this production in English)
Label: HRE (Historic Recording Enterprises)
Catalogue number: HRE355
Country of Issue: USA
Date: c.1982
Live broadcast performance
Mono
Format: LP Boxed Set (3 discs)
Label design: HRE silver with black print
Discs: Near Mint, surface marks on one side not affecting playing
Outer boxVG+/EX,scuffs at both ends of the bottom edge and on corner (see photo), otherwise fine
Inner sleeves: new antistatic inners supplied, original unlined paper sleeves included
Booklet: none

This item appears as new throughout except as mentioned above. Acquired by us in 2013 as part of a large collection but never played since.

There were few opportunities to hear Handel’s opera Rodelinda, regina de’ Longobardi during the two centuries that followed its première in 1725. Although the opera was a great success at first (Handel said of the 1731 London revival, ‘it took’), it soon fell into obscurity, along with most of Handel’s many operas. A few productions of Rodelinda in the first half of the twentieth century signalled the beginnings of the Handel revival.  The Handel Opera Society presented it at Sadlers Wells and this is a recording of that live performance.  Conductor Farncombe was inspired to hire Joan Sutherland,  then being feted for her brilliant Donizetti,  and the young Janet Baker. Although one of Handel's Italian operas this performance is in English.