Accompanied by the early music ensemble Le Concert Universel, French countertenor Gérard Lesne sings Cold Genius, a bass aria from King Arthur, or The British Worthy (Z. 628), a semi-opera in five acts with music by Henry Purcell and a libretto by John Dryden.
Musicians
- Gérard Lesne, countertenor
- Juliette Roumailhac, director and violin
- Tami Troman, violin
- Myriam Bulloz, alto
- Magdalena Probe, violoncello
- Matthias Spaeter, théorbe
- Jacopo Raffaele, harpsichord
Cold Genius
“Cold Genius” is one of the most famous and dramatic bass arias ever written. It comes from Henry Purcell’s semi-opera King Arthur, first performed in 1691. The aria’s actual title is usually given as “What Power Art Thou”, and it appears in Act III.
Purcell’s Cold Genius aria is a revolutionary Baroque masterpiece in which music itself imitates freezing, portraying the forced awakening of a frozen spirit and symbolizing the conflict between death and life.
King Arthur is not a full opera in the modern sense. It is described as a “dramatic opera,” also known as a semi-opera. In this form, the main human characters do not sing. Singing is reserved primarily for supernatural beings, pastoral figures, and occasionally comic or intoxicated characters, such as Comus and the well-known drinking song “Your hay it is mow’d.” Secondary characters perform musical numbers for the protagonists, often as entertainment within the story itself, but in some scenes, especially in Act II and Act IV, the music represents supernatural summons or interventions.
The Cold Genius is one of these supernatural figures.
Despite this hybrid format, King Arthur contains some of Purcell’s most expressive and memorable music, distinguished by lyrical beauty and harmonies that were remarkably bold and innovative for their time.
Cold Genius Lyrics [Libretto]
What Power art thou,
Who from below,
Hast made me rise,
Unwillingly and slow,
From beds of everlasting snow!
See’st thou not how stiff,
And wondrous old,
Far unfit to bear the bitter cold.
I can scarcely move,
Or draw my
Gérard Lesne
Gérard Lesne (born 15 July 1956) is a French countertenor and the founder and artistic director of the Baroque ensemble Il Seminario Musicale.
Gérard Lesne was born in Montmorency, in the Val d’Oise region of France. He initially pursued a career as a rock singer. However, in 1979, the tenor Zeger Vandersteene introduced him to René Clemencic, a leading figure in the revival of medieval music. At the age of 23, Lesne joined the Clemencic Consort and began touring internationally, marking the beginning of his career in early music.
Over the course of his career, Lesne has made more than 70 recordings and performed as a soloist at many of the world’s leading opera houses and early music festivals. His appearances include major venues such as the Opéra National de Paris, Théâtre des Champs Élysées, La Fenice, Opéra National de Lyon, Théâtre du Châtelet, and Teatro di San Carlo, as well as prestigious festivals including the Aix-en-Provence Festival, the Utrecht Early Music Festival, and the Boston Early Music Festival.
Since 1993, Lesne has also taught annual courses in vocal interpretation at Royaumont Abbey, helping to train new generations of early music singers.
In 2004, the French government honored him with the title of Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres, recognizing his contributions to French culture. He also received an honorary award from the Académie Charles Cros in recognition of his distinguished career. Lesne is especially noted for his rich, full bodied voice, which distinguishes him among countertenors.
Sources
- King Arthur (opera) on Wikipedia
- Gérard Lesne on Wikipedia
