Great Operatic Arias Volume 7 - DELLA
JONES
BELLINI Norma Deh! Con te,
con te li prendi … Mira, o Normaa.
BISHOP Clari Home, sweet
homeb.
DONIZETTI La favorita Ebben, così si narra!
…Leonora! Leonora! Deh tacic. Lucrezia Borgia
Il segreto per esser
feliced.
GERMAN Merrie England O
peaceful Englandd.
HANDEL Rodelinda Dove
sei?e. Serse Frondi tenere e belle … Ombra mai
fue.
MOZART La clemenza di Tito Ecco il punto, o Vitellia
… Non più di fioria.
PONCHIELLI Voce di
donnad.
ROSSINI Tancredi Di
tanti palpitia. L¹italiana in Algieri Ai capricci
della sortee; Per lui che adorof. Guglielmo Tell
Je rends à votre amourg.Il barbiere di Siviglia
Una voce poco fah (all items sung in
English).
Della Jones
(mezzo/bpiano); cHelen Miles, gMary Plazas
(sopranos); bgAnne Mason (mezzo); fPeter Wedd (tenor);
cGarry Magee, efAndrew Shore (baritones);
fSimon Bailey (bass); dGeoffrey Mitchell Choir;
acdefgLondon Philharmonic Orchestra/David Parry;
hEnglish National Opera Chorus and Orchestra/Gabrielle Bellini.
Recorded with support from the Peter Moores
Foundation.
CHANDOS Opera in English
CHAN3049 [DDD]
[80.00].
Crotchet
AmazonUK
AmazonUS
Della Jones' career has been notably wide-ranging in its scope, from bel
canto through to Wagner (Brangaene) and on to contemporary scores. Her
discography reflects this versatility, from the role of Sextus in Handel's
Giulio Cesare (CHAN3019) to Clementia in Hindemith's Sancta
Susanna (CHAN9620) and Monique in Korngold's Die Kathrin (CPO
999 602-2).
The latest offering from Chandos' 'Opera in English' series ranges from the
Baroque to Romantic. Once one makes the transition to the Rossinian English
of the first aria (Tancredi's entrance Cavatina from Rossini's
Tancredi), the musical results more than justify the effort. Pacing
is carefully considered throughout so that all of the words are given their
proper weight (Jones' diction is impeccable). This clarity of utterance is
particularly arresting in the recitatives, which take on a new (and surprisingly
interesting) life: try Vitellia's recitative (in English, 'Now is the moment,
o Vitella') from Mozart's still cruelly underrated La clemenza di Tito.
The ensuing aria demonstrates many of Jones' strengths: her smooth legato,
her evenness of tone over her wide range and (not least) her facility.
Jones shows a clear affinity with Handel, giving an eloquent and stylish
account of Bertarido's aria from Rodelinda and a full-toned 'Ombra
mai fu' (here 'Under thy shade') from Xerxes. But when it comes to
the core Italian repertoire, she really comes into her own. The excerpts
from L'italiana in Algieri positively sparkle (in which she is joined
by Peter Wedd, Andrew Shore and Simon Bailey) and encapsulate the main strength
of much of this disc: they capture the essence of theatre. The excerpt from
Bellini's Norma in particular (Mira, o Norma) is particularly
beautiful because of the excellent balance between Jones and the mezzo Anne
Mason.
The inclusion of a reissued excerpt from Rossini's Barber (Rosina's
cabaletta) is a fitting end to this disc. Only the end of the 'recital proper'
(Bishop's Home, sweet home) seems miscalculated. Jones accompanies
herself on the piano, not a particularly happy idea, but not unhappy enough
to dispel memories of the finer points of this issue.
Well worth the asking price.
Reviewer
Colin Clarke
