Lemieux; Marie-Nicole

Handel’s Brilliant Agrippina Brilliantly Served

Robert Levine

Handel’s Agrippina is a veritable fiesta of sly manipulation and corruption. Almost every character lies to every other and the result is a wicked comedy

Curtis Can’t Quite Cut Cesare

Robert Levine

I never thought I’d say such a thing, but the world did not need another recording of Giulio Cesare. Including DVDs, there are more than

A True Contralto Treasury

Robert Levine

At a time when fine mezzos are growing on trees, French-Canadian Marie-Nicole Lemieux stands alone as a real contralto. The vocal range remains just about

Scarlatti & Vivaldi: Salve; Stabat/Lemieux

David Vernier

Quebec contralto Marie-Nicole Lemieux scored a top rating on her earlier Analekta disc of Handel Italian cantatas (type Q5991 in Search Reviews), and in that

MARIE-NICOLE LEMIEUX–L’HEURE EXQUISE

David Vernier

Times are great for fans of mezzos and contraltos, especially ones who perform song recitals as well as opera and oratorio roles. And among today’s

Handel: Italian cantatas/Lemieux

David Vernier

Here’s one of those releases that send reviewers–and presumably anyone who has the good fortune to hear this outstanding disc–scrambling for biographical information, for some

BOYVivaldi: Griselda

Robert Levine

This opera shares a plot with Scarlatti’s work of the same name, and I advise readers to see my review of that opera for a

Brahms: Lieder/Lemieux

David Vernier

Emotion simmers and swirls mostly below the surface in the Op. 86 and Op. 121 songs, challenging the singer to sustain tension and maintain impetus

Mozart: Requiem/Labadie

David Vernier

For those who pay attention to and care about these things, this is the Robert Levin edition of Mozart’s beloved and nearly-recorded-to-its-own-death Requiem. How many