Viva Domingo! - Plácido Domingo
Presented in book form with extensive session photographs and portraits relating
to the recordings and Domingo's EMI’
There is also a brief biographical essay in English, French, German and Spanish.
No libretto details or translations included
rec. various recording dates and venues, conductors and orchestras.
EMI CLASSICS 6487572 [4 CDs: 75.56 + 78.11 + 75.35 + 77.29]
For any opera-lover the main news over the last few months has been the sad
death, at age eighty-two, of the great Australian-born soprano Dame Joan Sutherland
and the seventieth birthday of an equally great singer, the tenor Plácido
Domingo. Dame Joan made her big impact in 1958 in a performance of Donizetti’s
bel canto spectacular Lucia di Lammermoor specially mounted
for her at London’s Royal Opera House. She was thirty-two and had earned her
spurs singing at the house for several years previously including a minor
role in Bellini’s Norma with Callas in the title role. Like Domingo,
hers was a big spinto-sized voice, with the addition of spectacular coloratura
flexibility. She hung up her vocal chords at the mature age of sixty-four.
Domingo had a more spectacular rise to the top when in 1967, at age twenty-six,
he was invited to audition for New York’s Metropolitan Opera, debuting a year
later. From then on his career was on a meteoric rise so that by his seventieth
birthday he was not only still singing, but also conducting and being intendant
of opera companies.
Born in Spain in 1941, Domingo spent his early life in Mexico where
his parents, both singers, ran a company that presented zarzuelas, Spanish
light operas, and other musical shows. The book form of this four disc eulogistic
presentation includes session photos and portraits relating to his EMI recordings
and his career. There is also an informative note in English, French, German
and Spanish as well as a listing of his premiere performances from 1968 to
2010.
Plácido Domingo was never satisfied with being the lyrico spinto and Otello
of his generation, but spread his vocal interests widely over a diverse repertoire,
culminating in encompassing a different range in performances of Verdi’s eponymous
Simon Bocanegra (see review)
and Rigoletto in the baritone register. In the meantime, he clocked
up a formidable number and diversity of roles, around one hundred and thirty
or so, but also an unequalled number of studio recordings of his wide-ranging
repertoire. His first recital disc, in 1968, was made in Berlin for the Teldec
label (see review).
Soon afterwards he signed for RCA who had, for a brief period alongside him
Sherrill Milnes and Montserrat Caballé on their books as well as Leontyne
Price. In between dabbling in surround sound experiments RCA did take advantage
of their singer roster and several notable recordings, particularly of Verdi,
appeared on that label and involving Plácido. But Domingo’s vocal quality
and voice type was never going to be restricted to one label and he recorded
widely for EMI and DG in particular. In latter years as studio recordings
of opera declined, he even managed to persuade companies of the virtues of
his interpretations of rarer repertoire. This present eulogistic selection
of Domingo’s recorded legacy for EMI parallels that issued by DG and extends
from a studio recording made in July 1971 of Puccini’s opera Manon Lescaut
(CD 2 tr.3 and CD 3 tr.8) through to the recordings of La Gioconda (CD
2 tr.8) with the Bavarian Radio Choir and Orchestra under Marcello
Viotti in July and August 2002 (see review).
It also takes in Domingo’s interpretation of one of the most demanding heldentenor
roles, that of Wagner’s Siegfried with London’s Royal Opera House forces
under Pappano the previous year. Also included in the collection are a couple
of Zarzuela extracts among those from his complete opera and recital recordings
for EMI. There are some taken from live performances and including at least
one very unusual combination. Last but by no means least is a disc (CD 4)
of what are termed Latin Songs. These latter items may be new to many
opera-lovers, but can be savoured here for Domingo’s wonderful expressiveness
and ardent singing, qualities that are so much in evidence in the generally
heavier demands of opera.
The collection is presented on the four CDs with the selections focused on
four titles or descriptions. CD 1 is The Heroic Domingo, CD
2 The Romantic Domingo, and CD 3 The Great Duets with
CD 4 devoted, as noted, to Latin Songs. There are fewer more
heroic roles than that of Radames in Verdi’s Aida that opens CD1.
It was a role that he recorded a number of times, first for RCA then this
under Muti in 1974 (see review)
with later studio recordings appearing from DG under Abbado and Sony with
Levine. In his interpretation here the lyrical element of his voice is well
in evidence as is the power of his voice taking the final notes (tr.1). The
third excerpt has him in one of his rare excursions into bel canto,
one he normally eschewed, his voice being a size too large for much of Donizetti
and Bellini. Not so for the role of Pollione in Norma that featured
on a regrettable sonically flawed RCA recording early in his career and which
he never repeated. Here his burnished heroic tone is near ideal and one can
only regret the lack of a later complete recording (tr.3). Notable for breadth
of repertoire and style is his Fur del mar from Mozart’s early opera
seria Idomeneo (tr.4), an aria from the composer’s last, Clemenza
di Tito (tr.7) and vigorous in Vani sono I lamenti from Handel’s
Giulio Cesare (tr.5). Less unexpected is his strong characterful singing
of O paradis (tr.8) from Meyerbeer’s L’Africaine, a role memorably
caught on DVD of his San Francisco performances alongside Shirley Verrett.
By the time of this later recording, 1989, he had become the non-pareil Otello
of his generation and the distinct lower-toned hue of his voice compared to
his interpretation of Carlo VII in the recording of Giovanna d’Arco
seventeen years earlier (tr.11) is marked. But, the highlight for me of this
first CD is his Niun mi temi from act four of Otello. Taken
from a live performance at Covent Garden in 1988 he is at the height of his
powers of interpretation in that demanding role under the baton of the relatively
unknown John Barker. It is here that Domingo’s greatness among tenors shines
brightest. In the final moments of the opera, the by-now anti-hero, Otello
finally realises what he has done and how Iago has duped him (tr.12). Wagner
enthusiasts will perhaps take me to task for finding his virile heroic tone
as Rienzi (CD 1 tr.13 and Siegfried (tr.14) more to their liking.
The second disc, CD2 has less drama and more romance as the title implies.
Among some surprises is Domingo lightening his tone for Ottavio’s Il mio
tesoro intanto from Mozart’s Don Giovanni; certainly no wimp this
time as he uses his baritonal qualities to add expression, even threat (tr.6).
His singing of Ferrando’s ardent song of love Un'aura amorosa del nostro
Tesoro from Cosi Fan Tutte, as he and Guglielmo prepare to go to
war, reveals him in his lightest and most expressive lyrical voice. It was
recorded at the same 1981 sessions in Munich. He remains deeply impressive
even if lacking the head voice of many tenors such as Wunderlich in this role
(tr.7). His sympathy for this repertoire is heard to less good effect in the
Portrait Aria from Die Zauberflöte from ten years later, at
the height of his domination of the singing of Otello (tr.1). It lacks
the ideal vocal mellifluousness with the tenor rather squeezing his tone for
the higher notes. Reading the year-by-year listings of his career roles (pages
46-53) it does not seem that he ever sang these lighter Mozart roles on stage.
The same is true of both Lehár’s Paganini and Das Land des Lächelns
- more Webster Booth and Tauber repertoire - although he did sing Danilo in
The Merry Widow in Mexico in the second year (1960) of his stage career.
Despite a rather opulent and resonant recording, the two Lehár extracts are
not without appeal (trs.9-10). Other contents of CD 2 are more mainstream.
Donna non vidi mai from Puccini’s Manon Lescaut, (tr.3),
Recondita armonia from Tosca (tr.4) and Cielo e mar! from
Ponchielli’s La Gioconda (tr.8) show him at full power and in character
as we have come to know and love his singing. Not to be missed either is his
singing in, to my ears good French, of Quel trouble inconnu me pénètre
... Salut! Demeure chaste et pure from Faust (tr.2) and Adieu,
Mignon! Courage! and Elle ne croyait pas, dans sa candeur naïve
from Ambroise Thomas’s Mignon (trs 12-13). The recordings are separated
by fourteen years with Domingo having only a slightly thicker tone in the
second to accompany his ardent and expressive characterisation. More unusual
repertoire for many will be discovered in the two Zarzuela pieces by Jacinto
Guerrero and Federico Moreno Torroba. It was a genre Domingo grew up with
(trs. 14-15).
The most enjoyable of the four discs is CD 3, titled The great Duets.
This may be because the extracts are often more substantial or perhaps because
most are taken from complete opera recordings. One that that isn’t is the
famous duet Au fond du temple saint from Bizet’s Pearl Fishers.
In this performance Thomas Hampson joins him. If it doesn’t quite erase from
memory that famous recording with Jussi Björling and Robert Merrill, loved
by many listeners to BBC Radio Two’s yesteryear Your Hundred Best Tunes
presented by Alan Keith on a Sunday evening, it certainly comes nearer than
any other and is in an altogether superior recording sonically (tr.7). The
CD also produces a few surprises. Not least of these is one of the live recordings
from the 1996 Royal Opera House concert of the duet La ci darem la mano
from Mozart’s Don Giovanni. With Domingo singing the baritone Don and
the lyric mezzo Susan Graham as the lighter-voiced role of Zerlina, it is
a duo with a difference. The tessitura has no difficulty for either, with
Domingo relishing the seductive music of Don Giovanni’s propositioning of
Zerlina (tr.5). The more substantial Verdi items have the greatest appeal.
From that live Covent Garden occasion the great love duet that ends act one
of Otello, Gia nella notte densa, with Cheryl Studer a womanly Desdemona,
is notable (tr.10). More so are the two all-male friendship duets. Solenne
in quest’ora from La Forza del Destino conducted by Muti at La
Scala, alongside a sonorous Giorgio Zancanaro vying with that from Giulini‘s
Don Carlo with regular partner Sherrill Milnes matching his tenor for
vocal brio (tr.2). The duet from Wagner’s Tristan with Domingo alongside
Deborah Voigt is also a thrilling choice (tr.9).
I had looked forward to the final disc, CD 4, titled Latin Songs. It
is a complete contrast to what has gone before and comprises some of the most
famous popular songs from Spain, Mexico, Cuba and the rest of Latin America
in, to quote the advertising blurb, lively modern arrangements. Therein for
me is the first disappointment. The orchestration is over-elaborate for these
somewhat trite items, add excessive reverberation. I could not help feeling
this was a Morris Minor with a Rolls Royce engine trying to get out and give
the whole some ‘oomph’. Domingo’s skills are wasted although he may well have
enjoyed earning his corn while singing sotto voce for much of the time.
The final item, Agustín Lara’s Granada in front of an enthusiastic
hero-worshipping crowd has a certain excitement (tr.17).
This diverse collection of Domingo’s recordings from EMI in a digibook
format, with extensive session photos and repertoire details is good in parts.
Robert J Farr
CDs 1-3. OPERATIC ARIAS AND DUETS.
Vincenzo BELLINI (1801-1835)
Norma
Svanir le voci! [8.36]
Georges BIZET (1838-1870)
Au fond du temple saint. (duet from Les Pêcheurs de Perles)
[7.58]
with Thomas Hampson (baritone)
Georges Charles GOUNOD (1818-1893)
Faust
Quel trouble inconnu me pénètre... Salut! Demeure chaste et pure [9.32]
Il se fait tard! Adieu!
with Mirella Freni (soprano)
George Frideric HANDEL (1685-1759)
Giulio Cesare
Svegliatevi nel core. [4.54]
Franz LEHÁR (1870-1948)
Paganini
Gern hab' ich die Frau'n geküßt. [3.27]
Das Land des Lächelns
Dein ist mein ganzes Herz [3.42]
Pietro MASCAGNI (1863-1945)
L'amico Fritz
Suzel, buon di - Cherry Duet. [8.21]
with Veronica Villarroel. (soprano)
Jules MASSENET. (1842-1912)
Le Cid
Ah! Tout est bien fini... O souverain. [4.47]
Giacomo MEYERBEER (1791-1864)
L'Africaine
Pays merveilleux... Ô paradis. [3.07]
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
Idomeneo
Fuor del mar ho un mar in seno. [4.50]
La Clemenza di Tito
Ah, se fosse intorno al trono
Die Zauberflöte
Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schön.
Don Giovanni
Il mio tesoro intanto. [4.03]
La ci darem la mano. [3.12]
with Susan Graham (mezzo)
Così fan tutte
Un'aura amorosa del nostro tesoro. [4.07]
Amilcare PONCHIELLI (1834-1886)
La Gioconda
Cielo e mar! [4.25]
Giacomo PUCCINI (1858-1924)
Manon Lescaut
Donna non vidi mai. [2,25]
Oh, sarò la più bella...Tu, tu, amore? [8.03]
with Montserrat Caballé (soprano)
Tosca
Recondita armonia.
E lucevan le stelle [3.13]
Mario! Mario! Mario! ...Son qui! ... Mia gelosa! [13.38]
with Renata Scotto (soprano)
La Fanciulla del West
Ch'ella mi creda libero e lontano. [1.54]
Camille SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921)
Samson et Dalila
Arrêtez, ô mes Frères. [6.15]
Gaspare SPONTINI (1774-1851)
La Vestale
Ohime! Che veggo io mai?... Ah! No, s'io vivo ancora. [4.39]
Johann STRAUSS II (1825-1899)
Eine Nacht in Venedig
Komm in die Gondel [2.47]
Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893)
Eugene Onegin
Kuda, Kuda (Lensky's Aria) [6.13]
Ambroise THOMAS (1811-1896)
Mignon
Adieu, Mignon! Courage! [4.52]
Elle ne croyait pas, dans sa candeur naïve. [3.58]
Giuseppe VERDI (1813-1901)
Aida
Se quel guerrier io fossi! [4.23]
Macbeth
O figli ... Ah, la paterna mano. [3.35]
Giovanna d'Arco
Il Re!...Sotto una quercia. [5.41]
Otello
Niun mi tema. [5.35]
Giá nella notte densa. [13.38]
with Cheryl Studer (soprano)
Don Carlo
Fontainbleu!…Io la vidi e al suo sorriso. [4.23]
Dio, che nell'alma infondere. [4.58]
with Sherrill Milnes (baritone)
Un ballo in Maschera
Ma se m'è forza perderti. [5.19]
La Forza del Destino
O tu che in seno agli angeli. [3.25]
Solenne in quest'ora. [3.59]
with Giorgio Zancanaro (baritone)
Richard WAGNER (1813-1883)
Rienzi
Allmächt'ger Vater, blick herab! [9.57]
Siegfried
Nothung! Nothung! Neidliches Schwert! [6.21]
Tristan und Isolde
O sink hernieder, Nacht der Liebe. [5.11]
with Deborah Voigt (soprano)
ZARZUELA EXCERPTS
Jacinto GUERRERO (1895-1951)
Los gavilanes
Fflor roja [3.25]
Federico Moreno TORROBA (1891-1982)
Maravilla
Adios dijiste…Amor, vida de mi vida [3.06]
CD4: LATIN SONGS [77.29]
Aquellos ojos verde [3.49]
La flor de la canela - Due nadie sepa mi sufrir – Remarraditos [5.01]
Mosotros-Contigo-Sin ti [5.43]
with Anna Gabriel
De México a Buenos Aires [3.06]
Se me olvidó otra vez [3.32]
El Humahuaqueno - Caballo viejo - Moliendo café [4.10]
Delirio Alma Llanera [4.54]
Solamente una vez - Veracruz - Hoche de ronda [5.58]
Manhà de carnaval - Aquarela do Brasil [8.17]
Sabràs que te quiero [3.28]
Alfonsina y el mar - Gracias a la vida [4.51]
with Patricia Soso
Lamento borincano-Vereda tropical [4.33]
Como ayer [3.34]
Perfidia - Frenesi- La ùltima noche [4.30]
with Pandora
Adiós [3.35]
Por amor - Así como te buscaba - Yo vendo unos ojos negros [3.55]
Granada [3.52]
This diverse collection is good in parts.