Samuel Mariño: high on Handel in Melbourne

Men singing in high voices – countertenors singing in the alto range – have been around our classical music stages for many years now, and these days most concertgoers take them in their stride. Still uncommon however is the sopranista, or male soprano, singing in the same range as female sopranos. In Australia, we were privileged to hear one of the very finest exponents, Samuel Mariño from Venezuela, performing with the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra; indeed for the second time, the first having been in 2022. While still young, Mariño has now honed his craft, vocal and stage, to a very high level and had the Melbourne audience in the palm of his graceful hand.

The stage was arrestingly set with a backdrop featuring a sort of rising dado of candle-like lights (lighting by Ryan McDonald). The concert comprised a well-chosen selection of Handel arias interspersed with orchestral items. The first item was the overture from Handel’s Alcina, played briskly by the small string plus two oboe orchestra under their regular conductor Paul Dyer, although certain Handel purists would have had a nervous breakdown over the presence of a theorbo (Nicholas Pollock) and a guitar (Tommie Andersson) among the continuo. 

For the first aria, “Ritorna, o caro” from Rodelinda, Mariño made a dramatic entrance during the ritornello, a slight but arresting figure in a body hugging black suit of vaguely naval cut. Singing with great purity, his is not a big voice by any means but it is unforced, accurate and penetrating, using straight tone with judicious vibrato to colour long lines and trills where appropriate but embodying emotional expression as well as technical proficiency. 

“Ma quando tornerai” took us back to Alcina, its faster tempo allowing Mariño to display his vocal agility in the A section and the da capo, and more heartfelt emotion in the more plaintive B section. A cadenza at the end culminated in a stunning silvery high note. This was followed by a sinfonia from Joaz, an oratorio by Benedetto Marcello, highlighting the virtuosic violin skills of concertmaster Shaun Lee-Chen, with an attractively quirky third movement. Then another aria from Rodelinda, “Ombre piante”, allowed Mariño to spin out some long-breathed lines which seemed to suspend time. For a rousing first half finale we were treated to the bravura aria of bad-girl sorceress Melissa’s “Desterò” from Amadigi, basically a trio for soprano, trumpet (Alexandra Bierie) and oboe (Adam Masters). This was sung with the requisite agility and vocal fireworks, and in the last section, playful competition between the soloists, very warmly received by the audience.

The orchestra introduced the second half with a Sinfonia by Hasse, after which Mariño returned in a sheer black top and a full-skirted wrap-around allowing his legs to be displayed in glittering high heeled pumps. Another bravura aria followed, “Scoglio d’immota” from Scipione and then Cleopatra’s pleading “Se pietà” (Giulio Cesare) with plaintive bassoon obbligato (Ben Hoadley). The overture for Semele was succeeded by more fireworks with “Scherza in mar” from Lotario, bringing to an end the prescribed programme. No way was Mariño going to be allowed to get away with that, and the first encore was what appears to be everyone’s favourite, “Lascia ch’io pianga” (Rinaldo) and a second in the form of “Quella fiamma” (Arminio). Between these two, the singer addressed the audience and spoke of his hope that his music would invoke peace, hope and tolerance of difference.