The English Concert - Handel: Rodelinda - The Sunday Times

During his 1724-25 Royal Academy of Music season Handel scored a hat-trick with three consecutive masterpieces, Giulio Cesare, Tamerlano and Rodelinda. This new Rodelinda has a gorgeously sung heroine in Lucy Crowe, who only needs to sharpen her diction — and perhaps curb her tendency to overdecorate her arias — to be a perfect Handelian, and Iestyn Davies is near-ideal as Bertarido, rightful King of Lombardy. Joshua Ellicott’s nasal Grimoaldo is something of a caricature villain who redeems himself with a sensitively sung scene of remorse, while the support is excellent: Jess Dandy as Bertarido’s sister Eduige with fruity low notes; Tim Mead, deluxe casting in Unulfo’s three superb arias; and Brandon Cedel, magnificent as Grimoaldo’s sidekick Garibaldo. Bicket propels the drama forward with inexorable momentum, his period band on top form. Highly recommended.