Laterna Magica

Opera Minima: Handel with Care Laterna Magica

Committed to uncovering the rich potential of baroque chamber music, the ensemble Laterna Magica continues, in this release, to further the intentions of one of the greatest composers of Italian opera, offering original arrangements of famous arias of Handel adapted for two recorders and basso continuo. Reworking matter from pre-existing works was a common practice among composers of the day: even more than Bach, Handel draws inspiration from his own repertoire, plagiarising, without scruple, themes or entire passages without introducing major changes, in order to give new life to earlier compositions, while fitting them out perfectly in a new guise, without any stylistic hiatus.