I have reviewed several issues in the Naxos Musical Journey
series. They frequently involve superb photography associated
with well-played music. This issue bring us quite superb photography
and music performed by two outstanding artistes at the top of
their game.
There are two parts. The first presents Renée Fleming,
reigning diva of the Metropolitan Opera, New York, making visits
to several important sites in present day St. Petersburg. She
describes their importance in Russian history as well as allowing
aesthetic appreciation via the superb photography (CHs. 2, 4,
11). These excursions are interspersed with sung performances
of arias and songs in three different quite magnificent venues.
These are The White Columns Hall of the Yusupov Palace (CHs.1
and 3), its Baroque Theatre for the songs (CHs. 5-10) and The
Golden Ballroom of the Peterhof Palace (CHs. 12-14). In each
venue a discreet audience shows its appreciation at the end
of each contribution. The second part, described as a ‘Bonus’,
is of four more arias for the two singers in one of the venues.
As well as the visual glories of the venues and of St Petersburg
we also have Miss Fleming dressed in a series of off-the-shoulder
gowns by Vivienne Westwood. Dmitri Hvorostovsky is in classic
formal gent’s attire, his fine head of prematurely white
hair resplendent.
The film starts (CHs. 1 and 3) with two famous Verdi duets for
soprano and baritone. In that from act four of Il Trovatore,
as Leonora confronts Di Luna in an effort to secure Manrico’s
release, Renée Fleming’s bright lyric tone is expressive
whilst lacking some weight. Hvorostovsky, in comparison, is
in his natural territory and brings vocal substance and golden
tone as well as expressiveness to his contribution. Fleming
really comes into her own in the recognition duet from Simon
Boccanegra as Amelia reveals she is not a Grimaldi and Boccanegra
recognises her as being his long-lost daughter. A greater weight
of tone and colour from the Camerata Orchestra would have helped
set the colour of this scene.
In the various songs, played by Olga Kern and Ivari Ulja on
a glorious-looking white gilded grand piano, both singers are
in excellent voice. The songs have been carefully chosen to
suit the singers and their voices. Unless you are a native Russian
speaker I doubt you would find fault with Miss Fleming’s
contribution. She seems to me to bring appropriate moods to
the two Rachmaninov songs (CHs 8-9), the first of poignant yearning,
the second of contrasting sparkle as she sings of the approach
of spring. Hvorostovsky’s variation of tonal colour and
weight in his songs is very impressive indeed. I remember his
lieder singing at the 1989 Cardiff Competition, which he won,
with Bryn Terfel, everyone’s runner-up being awarded the
singing prize and my thinking it should have been the other
way around! Despite twenty plus years of Verdi baritone roles,
amid a plethora of Tchaikovsky and Mozart, that quality of singing
is very much in evidence in Hvorostovsky’s contribution
here.
Reverting to more operatic fare accompanied by the State Hermitage
Orchestra, conducted by Constantine Orbelian, Hvorostovsky is
most impressive in Don Juan’s Serenade (CH.10).
His voice is wide in range and variety of colour and without
any spread or looseness under pressure. Along with Fleming he
makes the long final scene of Eugene Onegin a particular
highlight of this sequence. Sparking off each other the poignant
story of one-sided love is revealed in all its frustration and
poignancy (CH.14).
The so-called ‘bonus’ arias find Hvorostovsky in
fine bravura voice in Hamlet’s drinking song, his
brown eyes and bow tie as impressive as his lower notes and
his security at the top of his voice. Fleming’s choice
of Casta Diva is perhaps unexpected. She is returning
to some of her earlier bel canto roles this past year
or so. None however, demand the long flowing cantilena of this
aria and it says much for her experience and artistry, as well
as vocal condition and commitment, that it is so enjoyable to
listen to. Lisa’s aria from the Queen of Spades
is a very appropriate concluding contrast for the listener and
the singer.
Of the various venues visited, I will not spoil your enjoyment
of the magnificence of the buildings, or the settings, except
to point out the virtues of the Peterhof Palace fountains of
1820. Influenced by those at Versailles, they do not appear
to be restricted in function as those at the French chateau
so often are.
Robert J Farr
Full contents list
1 Film.
Giuseppe VERDI (1813 - 1901)
Il Trovatore
Mira d'acerbe lagrime ... Vivra! Contende il giubilo [7:03]
Simon Boccanegra
Favella il Doge ad Amelia Grimaldi? ... Figlia! ... a tal nome
io palpito [13:48]
Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840 - 1893)
Amid the noise of the ball, Op.38, No.3 (Sryed shumnovo bala)
[2:39]
Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Ivari Ilja (piano)
Sergey Vasil'yevich RACHMANINOV (1873 - 1943)
In the Silence of the Night (V molchani taynoy), Op.4, No.3
[3:19]
Renée Fleming, Olga Kern (piano)
Nicolai Karlovich MEDTNER (1880 - 1951)
Winter Evening (Zimniy Vecher) Op.13, No.1 [4:09]
Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Ivari Ilja (piano)
Sergey Vasil'yevich RACHMANINOV (1873 - 1943)
O Do Not Sing To Me, Fair Maiden (Ne poy, krasavitsa, pri mne),
Op.4 No.4 [5:43].
Spring Waters (Vesenniye vodi), Op.14, No.11 [2:28]
Renée Fleming, Olga Kern (piano)
Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840 - 1893)
Don Juan's Serenade, Op.38, No.1 [3:19]
Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Ivari Ilja (piano)
Pique Dame (Pikovaya Dama)
Ya vas lyublyu (Yeletski’s aria) [6:08]
Dmitri Hvorostovsky
Oprichnik
Pachudilis' mne butta galasa (Natasha’s aria) [3:30]
Renée Fleming
Eugene Onegin, Op.24
O! Kak mnye tyazhelo! Onegin! Ya togda molozhe [15:05]
Renée Fleming, Dmitri Hvorostovsky
2. Bonus Arias
Ambroise Charles Louis THOMAS (1811 - 1896)
Hamlet: vos yeux
O vin, dissipe la tristesse (Hamlet’s Drinking Song) [4:04]
Act 2
Dmitri Hvorostovsky, State Hermitage Orchestra/Constantine Orbelian
Vincenzo BELLINI (1801 - 1835)
Norma
Casta Diva [7:31]
Renée Fleming
Anton RUBINSTEIN (1829 - 1894)
Nero
Paju tebe, bog Gimeney! (Epitalama) [3:58]
Dmitri Hvorostovsky
Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840 - 1893)
Pique Dame (Pikovaya Dama)
Zachem zhe eti slyozy (Lisa’s aria) [5:32] Act 1
3. St Petersburg Venues visited
St Petersburg tour and The Winter Palace [9.27]
Alexander Nevsky Monastery Cemetery and The Yusupov Palace [3:54]
Church of the Saviour of Spilled Blood and The Peterhof Palace
[6:44]
Renée Fleming (soprano) and Dmitri Hvorostovsky (baritone)
[91:00 + 23:00 (bonus)] 