This is Rhodes’ second
solo album for the ABC label. His previous
release was of Mozart arias and orchestral
pieces. He has also featured on recordings
of Handel’s Messiah and Fauré’s
Requiem. Distributed by Universal
Classics I suppose hype had to come
into the title of this, his second solo
offering, with its high quotient of
romantic opera arias. Whether the title
will do for Teddy Rhodes what it has
helped do for Russell Watson remains
to be seen. What is true is that unlike
Watson, Rhodes has had academic training
in music and singing and now works with
an opera company singing solo roles.
Not all has been straightforward
in Rhodes’ singing career. Like many
Antipodean singers he made his way to
the U.K. after study at New Zealand’s
Christchurch University. After only
a year’s study at London’s prestigious
Guildhall School of Music he returned
home. At age 23 he won the Mobil Song
Quest, New Zealand’s major operatic
singing contest. Despite this success
Rhodes turned his back on professional
singing to become an accountant. At
age 32 he was persuaded to audition
for Opera Australia with whom he debuted
in 1998.
The title of the album
implies vocal quality, but is not as
frank as the booklet notes as to Rhodes’
lack of operatic and stage experience.
Listening through the very varied repertoire
on this disc, the lack of training years
and stage experience in the roles assayed
is plainly evident. Perhaps the first
question to raise is his vocal fach
as no statement is made as to this.
It is clear that he is not a high baritone
and Verdi is significantly absent. Whilst
Rhodes may have the high notes within
the Toreador’s Song (tr. 1) and Valentine’s
Avant de quitter from Faust (tr. 3)
he has to reach for them rather than
rising to them naturally. He sings the
Bizet with brio but his voice does not
move easily into the higher tessitura
of this and the other arias. At these
points tonal cover and colour thins.
Rhodes’ voice has an inherent throatiness.
As the pitch rises he squeezes the voice
and this becomes more pronounced and
intrusive. The last of the operatic
tracks is the Temple Duet from Bizet’s
Pearl Fishers (tr. 7). Here the tessitura
is not so high and Rhodes’ full tone,
together with some elegant phrasing,
can be better appreciated. With the
heady tenor of David Hobson taking the
higher line this is an enjoyable rendition
of the ever-popular number
The Oratorio tracks
(8-10) show Rhodes’ instrument to better
effect and also his capacity for vocal
expression. I expect his more extensive
experience in this field contributes
to this. Rhodes’ true fach is probably
in the lower baritone or bass baritone
range. When Opera Australia cast him
as Dandini in Rossini’s La Cenerentola
for his debut they recognised this.
This album fails to do so. Nor does
it recognise Rhodes’ lack of experience
of styles of operatic singing. I would
have thought a Rossini aria would have
been far more suitable than the Bellini
(tr. 2) where the singer has little
sense of the composer’s cantilena. To
compensate for these limitations the
final four tracks (11-14), of lighter
music will be new to most people and
are well sung. These are pieces that
do not require pressure to be put on
the voice and Rhodes is more relaxed.
This shows in the evenness of his singing
and phrasing in these pieces.
The recording is excellently
balanced in a clear open acoustic. All
the words are given with English translation.
With further vocal and operatic study
when younger, Rhodes might well have
joined that distinguished band of Antipodean
bass and baritone singers who have graced
the world’s operatic stages including
the Green Hill. As matters stand, popular
albums, recitals and appearances with
Opera Australia might be his limit.
That these might pay more than accountancy
will depend on how the Australian and
New Zealand public buy into their own.
For those not hyper-critical of singing
quality, the diverse repertoire on this
disc and the fine quality of the recording
will provide an enjoyable hour or so
of listening.
Robert J. Farr
Chorus Rhodes Cantillation 