Francesco Borosini, another star tenor, cultivated his art at the Viennese imperial court of Charles I from 1712, insulated from commercial pressures.
Composition History
At Francesco Borosini's request, Francesco Gasparini created the century's first-ever heroic onstage death scene for a tenor in his opera Il Bajazet, breaking with Baroque conventions.
Interpretation
Ian Bostridge selected arias characteristic of each of the three star tenors featured on this album, noting their 'very different personalities and different repertoires'.
Composer's Artistic Vision
The composers on this album, including Handel, collaborated with star tenors of their day to make the tenor voice rival that of the castrato.
Compositional Technique
Castratos, who influenced the tenors on this album, developed new expressive tools like sustaining notes with and without vibrato, the messa da voce, and diverse embellishments.
Performer Biography
Ian Bostridge's performance on this album is a personal homage to the tenors who transformed Baroque music, and an exploration of his own protean talents.
Composer Biography
Annibale Pio Fabri, one of the star tenors featured, was trained by a castrato and not only matched but surpassed their skills, astonishing audiences.
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