Marcelo Álvarez: Twenty Years on the Opera
Stage
Arias from operas by Giordano, Leoncavallo, Mascagni, Puccini, Gomes,
Halévy, Cilea, Zandonai, Massenet
Marcelo Álvarez (tenor)
St. Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra/Constantine Orbelian
rec. April 2014, Studio No. 5, St. Petersburg Radio, Russia
Sung texts and English translations in booklet
DELOS DE 3472 [54:38]
Renowned Argentine lyric tenor Marcelo Álvarez debuted in 1994 with Il
barbiere di Siviglia and soon garnered international success. This
Delos release marks his 'Twenty Years on the Opera Stage'. During a
production of Verdi's Un ballo in Maschera at the New York
Metropolitan Opera the conductor Constantine Orbelian, after seeing
Álvarez's performance as Gustavo (Riccardo), felt "it was one of the
greatest I have seen in my many years of going to the opera". This planted
the seed for this recording.
It's admirable how Álvarez has taken on a variety of roles bel
canto, French Grand Opera and since the mid-2000s more dramatic
assignments. This CD comprises fifteen arias from fourteen operas by nine
different, predominantly Italian, composers with two French arias. This
fascinating mix of the standard and rarely heard is greatly to my taste:
operas such as Zandonai's version of Giulietta e Romeo and
Leoncavallo's Chatterton, Zaza and his version of La
Bohème.
Never less than engaging, one immediately notices Álvarez's clear focus
and intelligence. His ability to colour his voice and darken his low
register is aptly demonstrated in the Leoncavallo arias O mio piccolo
tavolo from Zaza and Testa adorata from La
Bohème. As heard in the opening aria Un di all'azzuro spazio
from Giordano's Andrea Chénier the tenor has a remarkable weeping
quality to his voice and a sweetness at the top. Pavarotti had it but there
have been few others. One of the French arias Halévy's Rachel quand du
seigneur from La Juive confirms Álvarez's flexible vocal
production and how he can quickly move through his register with enviable
control. There's also an admirable heroic quality in his Amor ti
vieta from Giordano's Fedora. Also notable is the mood of
restrained passion broken by the sudden outburst in Zandonai's
Giulietta, son io from Giulietta e Romeo.
Under Orbelian's assured control there's solid and sensitive
support from the St. Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra which adds to the
weight of dramatic impact when needed. The recorded sound is clarity itself
with good presence; well balanced too. As expected of Delos the booklet
notes are first class including the sung texts with an English translation.
Adding to the merits of this issue there are short descriptions of each aria
placing them in the context of each opera.
By today's standards fifty-five minutes is short measure and I really
missed the opportunity to hear two or three more arias especially when they
have been chosen with such an adventurous spirit.
This is a winning aria collection and deserves great success.
Michael Cookson
Full track-listing
Umberto GIORDANO (1867-1948)
1. Andrea Chénier - Un di all'azzuro spazio [5:33]
Ruggero LEONCAVALLO (1857-1919)
2. Chatterton - Che più mi resta [2:30]
3. La Bohème - Testa adorata [3:00]
Umberto GIORDANO (1867-1948)
4. Fedora - Amor ti vieta [1:39]
Ruggero LEONCAVALLO (1857-1919)
5. Pagliacci - Vesti la giubba [3:32]
6. Zaza - O mio piccolo tavolo [5:05]
Pietro MASCAGNI (1863-1945)
7. Cavalleria rusticana - Mamma, quell vino è generoso
[3:44]
Giacomo PUCCINI (1858-1924)
8. Turandot - Non piangere, Liù [2:27]
9. Turandot - Nessun dorma (3:11)
10. La Fanciulla del West - Ch'ella mi creda [2:09]
Antônio Carlos GOMES (1836-1896)
11. Lo Schiavo - Quando nascesti tu [4:01]
Jacques Fromental HALÉVY (1799-1862)
12. La Juive - Rachel quand du seigneur [5:51]
Francesco CILEA (1866-1950)
13. Adriana Lecouvreur - L'anima ho stanca [1:59]
Riccardo ZANDONAI (1883-1944)
14: Giulietta e Romeo - Giulietta, son io [4:40]
Jules MASSENET (1842-1912)
15. Le Cid - O Souverain [5:17]
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