Handel/Renioult/Duarte: Titus l’Empereur; Steffen Jespersen, Rachel Redmond, Chiara Hendrick, Hugo Hymas, Lucija Vaarsic, Edward Grint, Francis Gush, Opera Settecento, Leo Duarte; London Handel Competition at St George’s Church, Hanover Sq.
Reviewed 5 March 2026
Handel’s tantalising unfinished, unrealised operatic fragment used as the place to begin for a Racine-inspired opera showcasing a few of Handel’s lesser-known arias in participating and involving performances
In the course of the 1731/32 season, Handel started a brand new opera, titled on the manuscript Titus l’Empereur. Solely the overture, three scenes together with two arias had been accomplished. Handel appears to have deserted the work and the fabric was reused in his subsequent opera Ezio (which was delivered late).
Having given us an entire sequence of Handel’s pasticcios, Leo Duarte and Opera Settecento turned to Titus l’empereur for his or her newest venture on the London Handel Competition. On Thursday 5 March 2026 at St George’s Church, Hanover Sq., they carried out a ‘new’ Handel pasticcio, Titus l’empereur with new recitatives by Pierre-Antoine Renioult and arias from Handel’s operas (primarily pre-1732) chosen by Leo Duarte. Countertenor Steffen Jespersen was Titus (emperor of Rome), soprano Rachel Redmond (queen of Palestine, betrothed to Titus) was Berenice, mezzo-soprano Ciara Hendrick was Antioco (king of Comagène and in love with Berenice), tenor Hugo Hymas was Paolino (a confidant of Titus), Lucija Varsic who received the viewers prize ultimately 12 months’s Handel Singing Competitors was Dalinda (a confidante of Berenice), baritone Edward Grint was Oldauro (a Roman tribune), and countertenor Francis Gush was Arsete (a confidant of Antioco).
Handel’s libretto for the putative Titus l’Empereur has not survived, however it appears to have been meant as an adaptation of Racine’s 1670 play Bérénice. Given Handel’s use of French within the title (regardless of the opera being in Italian), commentators recommend that Racine’s play was being tailored instantly and that the halting of labor was attributable to the librettist not being as much as the duty. Bérénice is in truth a comparatively unusual work to be thought of for adaptation for an Italian opera. The complete play is taken up with the complexities of Titus and Berenice’s relationship when he turns into emperor however discovers the Roman individuals don’t want a overseas queen, add in his good friend Antioco’s unstated love for Berenice and you’ve got a posh triangle. However that’s it. There is no such thing as a subplot. It’s value allowing for that when Handel set the Alceste story in his opera Admeto the librettist launched a whole subplot that’s not in Euripides and never in Gluck’s Alceste.
Opera Settecento’s answer was to enlist the assistance of Professor Patrick Boyde in making a libretto out of Racine’s play, which was then translated into Italian by Matteo Dalle Fratte and the recitative set by Pierre-Antoine Renioult in Handelian model. Leo Duarte selected the arias, specializing in the lesser identified music from Handel’s operas pre-1732 together with some that had by no means been carried out. The end result did precisely what pasticcios had been usually meant to do, to showcase music. We had arias from Amadigi, Floridante, Giulio Cesare, Lucio Silla, Ottone, Rinaldo, Scipione, Tamerlano and naturally the unique ones from Titus l’Empereur which discovered their method, in altered kind, into Ezio. For the extra nerdy amongst us, it was a disgrace that the programme was not in a position to give us extra context for this music. In order that, as an example, at a climactic level in Act Two Berenice sings ‘Piangero la sore mia’ from Giulio Cesare, however it positively was not the well-known model of the aria.
With one exception, arias had been sung with their unique texts which is one thing that won’t have occurred in Handel’s day however which is extra comprehensible in our current musicologically acutely aware age.
Whether or not Racine’s Bérénice was the thought automobile is a degree in query. Handel could have certainly been proper. The ultimate opera as carried out in St George’s Hanover Sq. might need been known as ‘Titus the ditherer’. Or, on condition that the plot occurs nearly concurrently with that of Mozart’s opera, The Dithering of Titus!
Titus opens the opera in love with Berenice however being made conscious that he must ship her house and never marry her as a result of the populace objects. For greater than two acts, he places off really telling her, together with moments when he tries then breaks down and rushes out the room. He isn’t a traditional opera seria hero who rises above his ethical dilemmas. The truth is, it’s Berenice who shows actual the Aristocracy.
Fortunately, the Danish countertenor Steffen Jespersen introduced nice the Aristocracy and character to the function, engendering actual sympathy regardless of the character’s behaviour. His music moved from his stately opening aria (one of many unique ones) to a captivating one from Ottone the place the comparatively dignified vocal line was punctuated by perky, uneven phrases within the orchestra disturbing the tenor of the piece. His accompagnato in Act Two (presumably written by Renioult) was when the character’s emotional journey hotted up and his aria on the finish of that act, taken from Rinaldo, was pressing certainly however nonetheless sung with beautiful tone by Jespersen. In Act Three, lastly there’s a scene between Berenice and Titus that will get to the nub of the matter. Renioult’s tremendous recit was strongly delivered by Jespersen and Rachel Redmond and Titus’s remaining aria, from Ottone, was delivered powerfully by Jespersen.
Probably the most absolutely rounded, and most opera seria-like character was Antioco, performed by Chiara Hendrick. It’s this character who goes by the emotional wringer and Hendrick’s efficiency actually lifted the drama. Her opening aria (one of many unique ones) featured and pressing efficiency from Hendrick accompanied by putting sighing motifs within the orchestra. This was adopted by a delicate but intense quantity from Floridante, the pair drawing an image of Antioco’s conflicted nature (good friend of Titus but loving Berenice, although she doesn’t realise). Act One ends with Antioco and Berenice at odds, cue an pressing, vigorous duet from Tamerlano. Act Two noticed Antioco discovering hope, with vigorous ardour in a terrific account of an aria from Floridante, main in Act Three to the joyful aria additionally from Floridante which Hendrick made participating but intense. However it is a false daybreak, although the top of the opera is dedicated to Berenice and Titus and Antioco’s remaining sung phrases are of their trio (taken from Tamerlano).
Rachel Redmond’s Berenice actually did go on a journey, however at all times with nice poise. For many of Act One she was joyfully anticipating her nuptials with an aria of participating attraction from Floridante, after which joyful passagework in an aria from Amadigi. Act Two noticed her singing the lesser-known ‘Piangero’ from Giulio Cesare, not heart-wrenching however definitely touching, and it was in a putting aria from Lucio Silla that sturdy passions actually occurred. In Act Three she not solely had the passionate recitative with Jespersen’s Titus however a dramatic accompagnato which culminated in a finely intense account of ‘Troppo crudeli siete’ from Giulio Cesare; a tremendous aria which Handel changed earlier than the primary efficiency.
The arias for the remaining characters had been very tremendous certainly and all delivered their music admirably, however typically there was a way that the drama was being held up. These are arias by servants and confidants, often commenting on the motion relatively than propelling it ahead. I did wonder if it might need improved issues to exchange a few of these by a subplot involving Berenice’s confidant, Dalinda having a dalliance with one in all Titus’s supporters – Paolino or Oldauro. Actually this may have given the singers involved one thing in the best way of meaty drama to get their enamel into.
Lucija Varsic made Berenice’s confidante, Dalinda into somebody profoundly sympathetic. Her first aria mixed vigorous passagework with a relatively decisive feeling as she was brisk in response to Berenice’s hopes. Her elegant aria in Act Two with its two recorders was relatively shifting though it did maintain up the motion. Francis Gush’s Arsete had some tremendous moments certainly, although once more this was a confidante commenting. His first aria, a simile aria firstly of Act Two, that includes a vocal line that moved onwards over stressed strings, and he opened Act Three with an aria from Giulio Cesare the place Gush demonstrated his wealthy tone and dedication. Hugo Hymas as Paolino appeared to precise himself by way of vigorous passagework, at all times terrifically sung, in each his arias, the second of which (in Act Two) from Giulio Cesare featured Hymas duetting with perky recorders. Edward Grint introduced his acquainted heat, resonant tones to Oldauro making the character actually value listening to with a powerful vocal presence. His first aria, in Act Two, from Tamerlano was finely vigorous
The small orchestra (9 strings, two oboes/recorders, bassoon and two horns, plus harpsichord) took a bit time to settle within the overture and one of many horn gamers appeared to wrestle relatively with a recalcitrant instrument. However Duarte’s vigorous course (he’s a really energetic, engaged conductor) drew tremendous taking part in from all involved.
Whether or not or not particular person arias contributed to the general drama, the extent of efficiency and dedication from all involved was terrific. The music was by no means lower than participating and, allowing for Duarte’s intention to showcase lesser-known arias, all of the singers handle to make this unfamiliar music into moments that had been by turns touching and terrifically bravura. Actually the three principals, Steffen Jespersen, Rachel Redmond and Chiara Hendrick actually drew you into the characters’ drama in order that this was excess of a live performance sequence of arias.
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