Jane Eaglen sings
Tosca
Giacomo PUCCINI
(1858-1924)
Jane Eaglen (soprano) Tosca;
Dennis O'Neill (tenor) Cavaradossi; Gregory Yurisich (baritone) Scarpia;
Andrew Shore (baritone) Sacristan; Jon Daszak (tenor) Spoletta; Christopher
Booth-Jones (baritone) Sciarrone; Ashley Holland (baritone) Gaoler; Geoffrey
Mitchell Choir; Peter Kay Children's Choir; Philharmonia Orchestra/David
Parry.
Chandos Opera in English
CHAN3066 [DDD]
[60'14]
mid-price
Crotchet
AmazonUK
AmazonUS
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recommendations
Tosca (sung in English) - Mario! Mario! gli occhi Mario!; Non la sospiri;
Ah, quegli occhi; Or tutto e chiaro; Sale, ascende l'uman cantico; Ed or
fra noi parliao; Orsu, Tosca, parlate; Floria! amore!; Quanto? Quanto? Ö
Gia, mi decon venal; Vissi d'arte; E qual via scegliete?; 'Ah! Franchigia
a Floria Tosca Ö ; O dolci mani; Come e lunga l'attesa!.
The cover picture leaves one in no doubt that the purpose of this disc is
to showcase the talents of the impressive soprano Jane Eaglen: so much so,
in fact, that everybody else (Cavaradossi included) become supporting players.
This is not necessarily a bad thing, however, given Eaglen's persuasive account
of the title role.
Originally issued in 1996 (on CHAN3000), this English language Tosca
provides an intensely dramatic experience. The translation itself is
remarkably successful, although Chandos choose only to give English translations
in their track listings (I have retained their order in the above title so
that one can match these to the Italian originals). Although the occasional
clumsy translation occurs, this is very much the exception rather than the
rule.
Eaglen's portrayal, fittingly, takes in the complete range of emotions, from
the opening Mario! Mario! (where she goes all out) to the touching
legato of Vissi d'arte (here 'Life has taught me'). The moment of
Scarpia's murder is perhaps the only major disappointment: her delivery of
the line 'That was the kiss of Tosca' needs more of a spine-chilling delivery
(à la Callas, in her 1953 recording on EMI CDS5 56304-2).
Dennis O'Neill makes for an intensely musical Cavaradossi, shading his
contributions to Non la sospiri well and delivering Ah, quegli
occhi effectively. Between them, Eaglen and O'Neill manage their
unaccompanied octave passage in Act Three better than most (it was brave
of Puccini to expect so much, given the canal-like width of most opera singers'
vibrato).
Of the 'supporting' parts, only Gregory Yurisich's Scarpia is under-projected.
At all times, one is aware of the care that David Parry has put into the
preparation of the orchestral balance and, especially, dramatic pacing: the
torture scene in Act Two works so well because of Parry's innate feeling
for dramatic movement. For this reason alone one could recommend this disc
as a rewarding purchase. Parry seems to be able to get the best out of his
players and singers (although I imagine Jane Eaglen needed little prompting).
There is real power from the Philharmonia Orchestra, faithfully reproduced
by Chandos' excellent recording.
Colin Clarke
