Weeping Philosophers
Released March 2024 on Pan Classics
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Click here to hear Barbara Strozzi’s L’Eraclito amoroso
Click here to see the filming Canon à 3: Héraclite, Démocrite, Diogène
The American countertenor Lawrence Zazzo sings a program about crying, in which laughter, as the cover picture shows, is not missing. Zazzo is not only outstanding as a performer, because he is always very close to the text and taps into all possible emotional expressions. Irony and cynicism also come to light in an interpretation that is often caricatured. There is no lack of tenderness, and so Zazzo always succeeds in making the stories told in the program touching.
You can’t sing more theatrically than that! Now, one would not do justice to Zazzo’s art if one did not also talk about his technique. Because it is outstanding. He has perfect control of his voice and is thus able to apply all the nuances that his interpretation requires. Tercia Realidad provides stylish playing to accompany the singing.
pizzicato.lu
Handel Uncaged - Cantatas for Alto
Lawrence Zazzo
Jonathan Manson
Andrew Maginley
Guillermo Brachetta
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‘…Zazzo himself makes an engaging narrator, taking us seamlessly from the playful opening ‘Venne voglia’, through the colourful, lively storytelling of ‘Vedendo amor’ through to the more melancholy conclusion (the narrator’s ‘tail’ is lost, rendering him of no interest to lusty Cupid)…’
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‘…Zazzo clearly loves this music and he makes and engaging story-teller…’
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Baroque Gender Stories with Vivica Genaux and Lautten Compagney Berlin
Vivica Genaux
Lawrence Zazzo
Lautten Compagney Berlin
Wolfgang Katschner
…Genaux is always a generous performer, with an endearing stage personality and always striking visually…
... Zazzo was equally infectious, looking a little like Handel himself, in a red velvet jacket and cool red shoes. His voice features an unforced golden tone as well as effortless coloratura…
Rolf Riehm
Ihr, meine und eines ruchlosen Vaters Kinder
'Dass die Partie des Orpheus eine Countertenor-Partie ist, ist seit Gluck klar. Lawrence Zazzo macht das eindrucksvoll und ausdrucksintensiv, kein Intervallsprung ist ihm zu weiträumig, keine Plötzlichkeit überfordert ihn. In den tiefen Registern hat seine Stimme enormes Volumen, in den höheren eine farbige Dramatik.'
'It has been clear since Gluck that the part of Orpheus is a countertenor part. Lawrence Zazzo performs it here impressively and expressively: no interval leap is too large for him, no sudden challenge overwhelms him. In the lower registers his voice exhibits enormous volume, and in the higher ones a colourful dramaticality.'
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Handel Semele
Semele is a masterpiece. For what else can one call a drama in which the perfect symbiosis of text and music conjures up such suggestive power? ‘To hold the mind, the ears and the eyes equally spellbound’: this recommendation by La Bruyère (Les Caractères: ‘Les ouvrages de l'esprit’) refers to the ‘machine plays’ so adored by the public in the Baroque period. But even without machinery or indeed without sets or real staging, Handel’s oratorio involves us in the tragic fate of his heroine with supreme skill.
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Proud Songsters - English Solo Song
Proud Songsters is a journey through the distinctive musical genre of English Song. This collection of 20 songs – familiar and lesser known – are performed by some of the finest former members of the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge with one of this generation’s most exceptional pianists.
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Handel Samson
A live CD recording of Handel’s Samson at
Festival de Namur on 4 July 2018 by Ricercar
Click to view “Return, O God of Hosts”
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“Lawrence Zazzo, référence obligée, particulièrement dans le répertoire britannique, est un conteur inspiré dans le rôle de Micah, l’ami de Samson, qu’il accompagne pour de nombreuses interventions. Toujours intelligible, le chant du contreténor est magnifiquement conduit, trouvant toutes les inflexions attendues. « The Holy One » est un sommet.”
“Lawrence Zazzo, an obligatory reference, particularly in the British repertoire, is an inspired storyteller in the role of Micah, Samson’s friend.... Always intelligible, the singing is magnificently conveyed, finding all the expected inflections. 'The Holy One' is a highlight.”
forumopera.com
The Orchestral Music of Jonathan Dove
BBC Philharmonic
Lawrence Zazzo
Timothy Redmond
To mark the 60th birthday of British composer Jonathan Dove, Orchid Classics presents an album devoted to his extraordinary orchestral music, performed by the BBC Philharmonic. Under the direction of Timothy Redmond, the BBC Philharmonic performs works which span nearly two decades, from The Ringing Isle of 1997, to Gaia Theory, premiered at the BBC Proms in 2014.
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Handel Xerxes
"Xerxes" filmed at Oper Frankfurt 2017
Released September 2018 on Unitel/CMajor Entertainment
Handel's Messiah
Live recording of Handel's Messiah at Herkulessaal in Munich 2014
Julia Doyle, Lawrence Zazzo, Steve Davislim, Neal Davis, Peter Dijkstra
‘But it’s Lawrence Zazzo’s lovely, rich, fluid countertenor that you most remember. The voice sounds absolutely natural (no throaty, hooty quality), and likewise his interpretations of arias such as “O thou that tellest…” and “He was despised”, so often merely interminable and tedious, are delivered with such clear beauty, heartfelt simplicity, and again, naturalness, that we truly hear them anew, and without even a fleeting urge to look at the clock.’ Classicsstoday.com
A Magical, Magnificent “Messiah”
A Royal Trio Handel - Ariosti - Bononcini
Lawrence’s first solo orchestral CD, A Royal Trio, Harmonia Mundi USA.
“Zazzo in glorious voice throughout****” The Guardian
Click here to read interview with Katie Cooper on Presto Classical (October 2014)
Mozart Mitridate
Lawrence will also sing Farnace on the first complete recording of Mozart’s Mitridate with Ian Page and Classical Opera, to be released on Signum Classics in October 2014
Handel Alessandro
On Pan Classics, a live CD recording Handel’s Alessandro at the Haendel Festspiele, Karlsruhe
Mozart In-Between with David Greilsammer
Delighted to have been asked to be a part of talented young conductor and pianist David Greilsammer's new recording for Sony with the Geneva Chamber Orchestra, "Mozart in Between", featuring some rarely heard early Mozart.
Handel' Giulio Cesare
On Virgin Classics, a DVD of Laurent Pelly’s production of Giulio Cesare at the Opera de Paris, 2010
"Lawrence Zazzo's outstandingly imperious title-hero is the best sung and acted countertenor performance of the part I've encountered." (Gramophone, December 2012)
Mozart Apollo et Hyacinthus
Lawrence sings sing Apollo on a new recording of Mozart’s first opera, Apollo et Hyacinthus, just released on Linn Records, in conjunction with a Gala performance at Cadogan Hall, London.
“Lunarcy” Dowland - Purcell - Howells - Burgon - Boyle
According to René Jacobs, Lawrence Zazzo is the most versatile operatic countertenor of his generation. On his first Evil Penguin recording, however, he explores the intimacy of the lute song in a remarkable programme focusing on madness and midnight. Teaming up with lute virtuoso Shizuku Noiri, Zazzo samples some of the genre highlights by Dowland and Purcell but also concentrates on contemporary repertoire for countertenor. The result is a fascinating exploration of the dark and the light of the moon and the mind.
Handel Athalia
on Deutsche Harmonia Mundi, with the Kammerorchester Basel, Paul Goodwin cond.
"colore bellissimo..il controllo del fiato é perfetto" L'opera
Handel - Duetti amorosi
Nuria Rial, Lawrence Zazzo, Kammerorchester Basel, Cummings [Enhanced]
Composer: George Frideric Handel
Conductor: Laurence Cummings
Orchestra: Basel Chamber Orchestra
"This recording of amorous duets is as delicate and intoxicating as orange blossom. Nuria Rial's tender soprano blends beautifully with Lawrence Zazzo's bright, heroic counter tenor in duets from 'Poro, Serse, Admeto, Arminio, Teseo' and 'Muzio Scevola'" The London Independent
Handel's Riccardo Primo
Basel Chamber Orchestra (Artist), Lawrence Zazzo (Alto), George Frideric Handel (Composer), Paul Goodwin (Conductor), Nuria Rial (Soprano)
Composer: George Frideric Handel
Conductor: Paul Goodwin
"Zazzo singt eher mit einer leicht gedeckten
Grundtönung, stellenweise der Oboe abgelauscht, ohne deshalb an Feuer und
Temperament zu sparen" Opernwelt
BYRDLAND
The music of William Byrd, John Dowland, and Henry Purcell with the Paragon Saxophone Quartet
“A genuinely illuminating meeting of jazz and Renaissance traditions” Daily Telegraph
"An object lessons in how to 'make it new' " International Record Review
Handel's Fernando Ré di Castiglia
Il Complesso Barocco
Alan Curtis, dir.
Virgin Classics
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Handel's Messiah
Freiburger Barockorchester
Choir of Clare College, Cambridge
René Jacobs, dir.
Harmonia Mundi
"As a latter-day Guadagni, the brilliant countertenor Lawrence Zazzo almost steals the show" Daily Telegraph
Handesl's Saul
Rias-Kammerchor
Concerto Koln
Rene Jacobs dir.
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Handel's Partenope
Early Opera Company
Christian Curnyn, dir.
Chandos Records
Handel's Serse
William Christie, dir.
Virgin Classics
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Scarlatti's Griselda
Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin
René Jacobs, dir.
Harmonia Mundi
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Handel's Rinaldo
Freiburger Barockorchester
René Jacobs, dir.
Nicolao Figuereido , Piers Maxim, cembali
Harmonia Mundi
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Handel's Deborah
Junge Kantorei, Frankfurt
Joachim Martini, dir.
Naxos