A compelling revival of Hasse's tragic masterpiece

Anett Fritsch, Roberta Mameli and Jeremy Ovenden deliver vivid performances, notes Nicholas Kenyon

- Nicholas Kenyon

Hasse

Piramo e Tisbe

Anett Fritsch, Roberta Mameli, Jeremy Ovenden et al; Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin/Bernhard Forck Harmonia Mundi HMM905393.94 102 mins (2CD)

Johann Hasse (1699-1783) is a fascinating figure: one of the most successful opera composers of the 18th century, he links the worlds of Bach and Mozart (whose early Ascanio in Alba upstaged Hasse's last opera in 1771), while also marrying the star soprano Faustina Bordoni.

The story of Pyramus and Thisbe is most familiar to us from the hilarious parody created by Shakespeare for the 'rude mechanicals' in A Midsummer Night's Dream, but this late 'intermezzo tragico' by Hasse is a setting of the real tragedy, to a libretto by Marco Coltellini which draws out all the Romeo-and-Juliet passion and misunderstandings in the sad story.

Hasse responded to the libretto with a most unusual and forward-looking score for three soloists, weaving together a work which repeatedly links arias and ensembles, creating dramatic accompanied recitatives as well as plangent duets.

The piece has been recorded before by La Stagione Frankfurt, but this new version is better, with livelier tempi and superb singing from two bright-voiced sopranos, Anett Fritsch and Roberta Mameli, in the title roles - even if it is sometimes difficult to tell them apart without close attention to the libretto.

The third singer is Thisbe's father (Il padre), Jeremy Ovenden, who is left so despairing by her death that he kills himself in the closing moments. As a sample of Hasse's eloquence, the aria 'Perderò l'amato bene' is most affecting, and the lovers' last duet in the most unusual key of B major is very touching. The Berliners' playing of the colourful score is vivid and incisive. ★★★★★

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