Graham Pushee

Handel's 1724 opera Tamerlano followed the success of his previous year's Giulio Cesare with another colourful historical costume drama. This time the setting is the court of "Timur the Tartar", who has just defeated the Turkish Sultan Bajazet at the battle of Angora. There are, naturally enough, romantic complications when both Tamerlano and his ally, the Greek Prince Andronico, fall in love with Bajazet's daughter Asteria. She, however, has plans to revenge her father's defeat. This production was directed by Jonathan Miller and staged in the intimate surroundings of the Goethe Theatre of Bad Lauchstadt as part of the 2001 Halle Handel Festival.

There is much good singing to be heard in this production of what may be Handel’s greatest opera, and some that is truly spectacular. Most of the latter comes, fittingly, from the two principals. As Cleopatra, Yvonne Kenny, the admirable Ilia in the 1983 DVD of Mozart’s Idomeneo, gives perhaps the finest performance of her distinguished career, encompassing every aspect of her music from seduction to despair by way of satirical wit without ever (and I mean this literally) losing countenance.