I must confess I am not particularly keen on the counter-tenor voice. Live performances such as that given by David Hansen at the Manoel Theatre are rarities, and in this case doubly so because this young man must be one of the greatest living counter tenors.
He continued amazing the audience with his prowess both technical and musical
It is not difficult to understand why, after having heard him making short shrift of some of the most difficult pieces ever written for castrati singers that was eventually taken over by counter tenors.
Something, too, about the personality of this singer won over the audience very early in the concert that he gave with the very supportive string section of the Malta Philharmonic, with Michael Laus directing at the harpsichord.
After the delightful performance of Giuseppe Antonio Brescianello’s nine-movement Overture in G Minor, David appeared on stage, launching into Se In Fiorito from Handel’s Giulio Cesare.
This is a far from easy piece to start with, but having the ability to do so, the singer wanted to make clear he had full command of the voice. And thus he went on to tackle the piece with a seemingly deceptive and easy manner?
Hansen overcame all the pitfalls, delivered all the fiendishly difficult runs and embellishments, displaying amazing control, crisp phrasing and effective interpretation. Details which seem to be over-the-top quickly become normal expected fare.
The exchanges with lead violinist Nadya Debono simulating a bird song were an added display of virtuosity.
By the time Hansen had finished singing the next aria Come Nube Che Fugge dal Vento from Handel’s Agrippina, with an additional fine exchange of some phrases with oboist John McDonough, it left us with no option than to consider this singer’s voice a little short of phenomenal.
Taking a break while the orchestra performed the Sinfonia from Vivaldi’s opera Arsilda, Hansen returned to sing Bononcini’s Frondi Tenere… Ombra Mai Fù, from Serse.
Short and sweet and very relaxing, it made one yearn for Handel’s more famous version, which did materialise as a surprise offering and in all its familiar loveliness. It was not on the original programme and these two versions came in great contrast to the furious pace and pyrotechnics of Sta nell’Ircana Pietrosa.
The second part of the concert started off with Vivaldi’s Sinfonia from his opera L’Olimpiade, in the usual well-crafted contrasting sections amply projected by the orchestra and after which it shared the rest of the concert with Hansen.
He continued amazing the audience with his prowess both technical and musical in Riccardo Broschi’s Son Qual Nave, inserted in Hasse’s Artaserse. One of the most famous arias which Broschi wrote for his equally famous brother Farinelli, it taxes the capabilities of the singer and this of course was no problem for Hansen.
Taking another break while the orchestra performed the overture to Vivaldi’s Griselda, he returned to sing two arias from the same opera. First the very tender and reflective Vede Orgogliosa l’Onda, followed by Dopo un’Orrida Procella.
It did not seem possible, but the singer reached even greater heights in this concluding piece which covered the widest possible reaches within his power. The intensity and enthusiasm of the applause which followed had not been experienced at the Manoel for a very long time.