Senesino

Max Emanuel Cencic

Max Emanuel Cencic sings arias composed by George Frideric Handel for castrato star Senesino.
On September 10th, 2022, he presented his new program on the occasion of a Gala concert celebrating his 40th stage anniversary at the Markgräfliches Opernhaus in Bayreuth, Germany.

Here is a recording by ARTE.

In his new program, Max Emanuel Cencic focuses on one of the most famous and notorious star singers of the eighteenth century. Francesco Bernardi, called Senesino, was one of the most avidly sought-after castrati of his time. Johann Joachim Quantz wrote about him: “Senesino had a penetrating, bright and sweet contralto voice. His countenance was well adapted to the stage and his acting was natural.” In 1719, George Frideric Handle heard him in Dresden and immediately engaged him for London, where he stirred up a furore of adulation, but not without backstage scandals. And even if Senesino and Handel couldn’t stand each other, nevertheless, the world-famous composer still wrote his most beautiful melodies for the throat of the capricious star.