This radio recording made in Cologne by WDR in 1959 is a historic document of Handel opera performance style before the early music revolution accelerated a decade or so later, although Capella Coloniensis were certainly at the vanguard of historically informed “period” style at the time. DG’s claim that this was the first “complete” recording of Alcina requires clarification; the extensive cuts severely damage the drama, the role of Oberto (the innocent boy who eventually confronts and condemns the evil Alcina) is unwisely omitted, and the castrato role of Ruggiero has its vocal part transposed down an octave (which dulls Handel’s brilliant relationship between the vocal and instrumental parts, even when sung by a tenor of such quality as Fritz Wunderlich). The text is bowdlerised: most notably, Joan Sutherland as Alcina gets to sing “Tornami a vagheggiar” instead of its correct character Morgana; the counterclaim that Handel’s original Alcina sang the aria in his 1736 revival is hardly a convincing justification for vainglorious nonsense.

However, it would be churlish to deny that Sutherland & Co share some good things with modern listeners. This is all the more remarkable because the two leading singers had only joined the project a few days before the recording; the original soprano could not cope with the demands that Handel made of her voice, and the original tenor had learnt the wrong part. The orchestra make heavy weather of the Overture, but after that much of the instrumental contribution seems quite promising until too many of the singers pull things back (likewise, the entry of the chorus in “Questo è il cielo” is quite an unpleasant shock after a nicely judged introductory ritornello). None of the soloists are bad, but recitatives are laborious, and their singing (especially the men) is prone to sagging and dragging. However, Norma Procter’s impressive Bradamante stands the test of time, and Sutherland’s crystalline singing reminds us that she was an important Handelian champion. There is no doubt that performances such as this contributed significantly to the modern renaissance of Handel’s operas, but those wanting something more fully representative of Handel’s masterpiece may opt for Alan Curtis’s new recording (reviewed on page 109).