The most exciting tenor during the first decade of the
new millennium has undoubtedly been Rolando Villazón. He has
a charming appearance, is a good actor, has a voice that besides
brilliance
and beauty can also express all kinds of nuance, he has good
taste and a versatility that is stunning. In other words
he has all the attributes to make him a star performer. More
than once his voice has been compared to that of the young
Placido Domingo. In certain repertoire, notably on this set
in the two zarzuela arias, the similarities are so close
that one has to check who is singing. At the celebrated outdoor
concert in Berlin last summer, available on a highly attractive
DVD, the two tenors appear together and it is also Domingo
who conducts the zarzuela disc which is the source of the
arias on this compilation. Having for some years been under
contract with Virgin he has recently moved over to DG. This
double CD is a kind of summary or closing of the books for
this period of his career.
As can be seen from the track list, we are treated to a large
number of the expected standard arias. Few of them have been
better
sung in recent times. We are also treated to several comparative
rarities, which makes this an attractive buy even for those
who are already well stocked with the standard stuff. When,
for example, did you last hear something from Gounod’s Polyeucte or
Massenet’s Le Mage and Roma? The sacred song
by Berlioz is also something for the rarity list. Make no
mistake: these are high quality pieces that are very likely
to become friends to which you will want to return just as
often as to the more hackneyed pieces.
On the other hand
it is the standard arias that most definitely place Rolando
Villazón at the top of the current list of singers. They
show clearly not only what a superb singer he is but also
that his interpretative insight is hors concours.
I used words like taste and versatility at the beginning
of the review and would like to add style. There are no excesses:
no demonstrative sudden pianissimos or diminuendos of the
kind at which Franco Corelli used to excel; there are no
eternally-held top notes at window shattering forte in the
Pavarotti manner. There are no sobs, no hysterical laughter,
no shouts of despair – none of the stuff that was part and
parcel of Mario Del Monaco’s ‘style’. Let me just take a
few examples that amply demonstrate what I mean:-
• La donna č mobile is light
and elegant with refined shadings – this is an aristocrat
at work.
• Salut, demeure is stylish and noble.
The high C rings out effortlessly and is integrated
with the rest of the aria – not an added bon-bon.
• Che gelida manina is conversational
and personal and again the high C comes out as just a natural
part of the melodic line.
• Mamma, quel vino č generoso from Cavalleria
rusticana - this heartrending scene when
Turiddu suddenly realizes that his life is shattered
and
all that remains is death. Too often the aria
is distorted
and amended by sundry histrionic devices to heighten
the intensity. Villazón has despair in his voice
and the scene is all the more gripping for that.
• Ah! Lęve-toi from Roméo
et Juliette is
rendered in a soft and inward way, only to expand
gradually to a ringing fortissimo.
• Kleinsach’s aria from Les
Contes d’Hoffmann becomes
a many-faceted portrait of an unhappy person who tries,
in vain, to hide the tragedy.
• The final aria from Lucia di Lammermoor where
Villazón’s
half-voice is so lovely and natural. In this respect
he reminds me of Beniamino Gigli – and there is no higher
praise. Gigli sentimentalizes with little hiccups
and half hidden tears in the voice. Villazon never
breaks
the musical
line; just phrases naturally and the effect is
magical.
• The romance from Les Pęcheurs de perles. Here with
the preceding recitative included this is impassioned and
alive
within the restrained dynamic scope.
• He is an ideal
Werther. Gedda and Kraus are superb in this role and will never
be surpassed but
Villazón
is certainly in their league. As in every other
aria on
these two discs
he builds this scene so skilfully towards the
climax.
I could go on with observations about every
single piece but I don’t
feel any need. Readers who have followed me this far will
know my point of view. Let me only add that his excursion
into early baroque is greatly successful. The two Monteverdi
pieces feel completely natural and he has the requisite lightness
and agility. The juxtaposition of period instruments and
a voice honed in music from later periods is not unbecoming.
No criticism at all, then? To be honest – but this is more a personal
view than objective truth – Lenski’s aria from Eugene
Onegin is slightly over-emphatic, slightly melodramatic.
Of course Lenski is extremely emotional here, just minutes
before his already anticipated death, but he sings it to
himself. Still it is as beautifully sung as almost any other
version I know. I also have some misgivings concerning the
two Christmas songs on CD 1. Nothing wrong with the singing,
quite the contrary, but I find the orchestral arrangements
over-done. These are straightforward songs and simplicity
should be a key-word – especially when it comes to Stille
Nacht which according to legend was first performed as
a duet with guitar accompaniment.
I haven’t seen the documentation – the review copies came in simple
envelopes with just the titles and who plays what. I hope
there is at least some information on the less well-known
arias in the collection. Even if there isn’t, these discs
should be snapped up by all lovers of great singing. Alternatively,
since they are still in the catalogue: get the original discs.
Göran Forsling
Details
CD1
Giuseppe VERDI (1813–1901)
Rigoletto:
1. La donna č mobile [2:03]
Charles GOUNOD (1818–1893)
Faust:
2. Quel trouble inconnu … Salut, demeure chaste
et pure [6:02]
Pablo SOROZÁBAL (1897–1988)
La tabernera del puerto:
3. No puede ser! [2:42]
Pietro MASCAGNI (1863–1945)
Cavalleria rusticana:
4. Mamma, quell vino [3:54]
Charles GOUNOD
Polyeucte:
5. Source délicieuse [4:36]
Roméo et Juliette:
6. L’amour, l’amour … Ah! Lčve-toi, soleil [4:19]
Giacomo PUCCINI (1858–1924)
La bohčme:
7. Che gelida manina [4:32]
Manon Lescaut:
8. Donna non vidi mai [2:30]
Tosca:
9. Recondita armonia [2:41]
Piotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840–1893)
Eugene Onegin:
10. Kuda … kuda [6:19]
Jacques OFFENBACH (1819–1880)
Les Contes d’Hoffmann
11. Il était une fois ŕ la cour d’Eisenach [5:04]
Amadeu VIVES (1871–1932)
Dońa Francisquita:
12. Por el humo se sabe dónde está el fuego [4:16]
Jules MASSENET (1842–1912)
Le Mage:
13. Ah! Paraîs, aster de mon ciel [3:33]
Hector BERLIOZ (1803–1869)
14. Chant sacré Op. 2 No. 6: Dieu tout puissant,
Dieu de l’aurore [5:10]
John Francis WADE (c.1711–1786) (arr.
Philippe Rombi)
15. Adeste fidelis [4:15]
Franz Xaver GRUBER (1787–1863) (arr.
Philippe Rombi)
16. Stille Nacht [4:18]
CD2
Claudio MONTEVERDI (1567–1643)
1. Si dolce č l’tormento [7:31]
2. Eri giŕ tutta mia [2:50]
Gaetano DONIZETTI (1897–1848)
L’Elisir d’amore:
3. Una furtive lagrima [4:28]
Giuseppe VERDI
La traviata:
4. Lunge da lei … De’ miei bollenti [5:15]
Don Carlo:
5. Io l’ho perduta io la vidi [3:27]
Francesco CILEA (1866–1950)
L’Arlesiana:
6. E la solita storia [4:44]
Gaetano DONIZETTI
Lucia di Lammermoor:
7. Tombe degli avi miei … Fra poco a me ricovero [7:09]
Giuseppe VERDI
Un ballo in maschera:
8. Ma se m’č forza perderti [5:17]
Georges BIZET (1838–1875)
Carmen:
9. La fleur que tu m’avais jetée [4:17]
Les Pęcheurs de perles:
10. A cette voix, quell trouble … Je crois entendre
encore [4:55]
Jules MASSENET
Roma:
11. Je vais la voir … Tout mon ętre [4:33]
Manon:
12. Je suis seul! Seul enfin … Ah! Fuyez douce image [4:44]
Werther:
13. Traduire! Ah! Bien souvent mon ręve s’envoie … Pourquoi
me réveiller [3:37]
Le Cid:
14. Ah! Tout est bien fini … O
souverain [4:54]
Teresa Blank (mezzo-soprano) (CD1 tr. 4), Florian Laconi
(tenor) (CD1 tr. 11); Münchner Rundfunkorchester/Marcello
Viotti (CD1 tr. 1, 7; CD2 tr. 3-7); Michel Plasson (CD1
tr. 4, 8-11; CD2 Tr. 8-10); Orchestre Philharmonique de
Radio France/Evelino Pidň (CD1 tr. 2, 5, 6, 13; CD2 tr.
11-14); Orquesta de la Comunidad de Madrid/Placido Domingo
(CD1 tr. 3, 12); Choeur ”Les Eléments” & Orchestre
du Capitole de Toulouse/Michel Plasson (CD1 Tr. 14); Orchestre
Symphonique Bel Arte/Philippe Rombi (CD1 tr. 15, 16); Le
Concert d’Astrée/Emmanuelle Haim (CD2 tr. 1, 2)