Decca is proud to announce the debut solo recording from soprano Danielle de Niese who became a star overnight after her stunning performance as Cleopatra in Handel's Giulio Cesare at Glyndebourne in 2005. She will reprise... more » her signature role in the United States at the Chicago Lyric Opera beginning in early November 2007. On this album, Danielle continues to explore her love of Handel's vocal music, singing a selection of arias which perfectly showcase her wide dramatic range, charisma and fresh vocal qualities. Revered Handel specialist William Christie joins her to conduct the award-winning period orchestra Les Arts Florissants. The disc contains pieces from both famous and lesser-known works. These include Giulio Cesare, Rinaldo, Semele, Teseo and Amadigi, as well as an aria from the rarely performed oratorio Apollo e Dafne. At the age of 19, Danielle was the youngest-ever member of the Met's Young Artist Program and made her debut there as Barbarina in Le Nozze di Figaro (with Bartoli, Fleming and Terfel). Since then, her career rise has been meteoric and she has gained a reputation as an unparalleled singing actress, particularly in the Baroque repertoire where she has performed with many of its great exponents including Minkowski, Rousset and Christie.« less
Decca is proud to announce the debut solo recording from soprano Danielle de Niese who became a star overnight after her stunning performance as Cleopatra in Handel's Giulio Cesare at Glyndebourne in 2005. She will reprise her signature role in the United States at the Chicago Lyric Opera beginning in early November 2007. On this album, Danielle continues to explore her love of Handel's vocal music, singing a selection of arias which perfectly showcase her wide dramatic range, charisma and fresh vocal qualities. Revered Handel specialist William Christie joins her to conduct the award-winning period orchestra Les Arts Florissants. The disc contains pieces from both famous and lesser-known works. These include Giulio Cesare, Rinaldo, Semele, Teseo and Amadigi, as well as an aria from the rarely performed oratorio Apollo e Dafne. At the age of 19, Danielle was the youngest-ever member of the Met's Young Artist Program and made her debut there as Barbarina in Le Nozze di Figaro (with Bartoli, Fleming and Terfel). Since then, her career rise has been meteoric and she has gained a reputation as an unparalleled singing actress, particularly in the Baroque repertoire where she has performed with many of its great exponents including Minkowski, Rousset and Christie.
Terry Serres | Minneapolis, MN United States | 12/21/2007
(3 out of 5 stars)
"If I heard Ms. de Niese in a local amateur production, I would be all about her. But not as a singer being poised at the brink of an international career. I am the last one on Earth to be beholden to sheer vocal beauty -- for heaven's sake, I'm an Elizabeth Söderstrom fan (!), and I have earned many an enemy for my criticism of Renée Fleming's Handelian technique.
Ms. de Niese is a talented singer and captivating on stage, but she is much better suited to musical comedy, not to opera, and certainly not to baroque opera. The word that comes to mind when I hear her is "coarse," at least by operatic standards. I am not knowledgeable of vocal production, but when I hear these performances next to others, her voice sounds like it is produced too far back in the throat. A host of other inelegances seem to follow suit: uneven tone, poor dynamic modulation, and inexpressive phrasing being foremost. In her favor, her coloratura is decent and her voice is at least not anonymous. But the end product is rather pedestrian music making. The voice and the interpretations have not grown on me with repeated listening.
Don't get me wrong -- This is a singer with much to offer. I am not sure it should be in opera. Honestly, I think she would be a knockout in musical comedy -- think of her in "Man of La Mancha," "Kismet," or "Kiss Me, Kate." If she is to continue in opera, I hope she does what it takes to improve her technique. If her career is launched on sheer sexiness, well, there's definitely a niche for that, but not one I'm particularly interested in following.
The Christie forces, for all that, support Ms. de Niese with fluid beauty."
What a shame...
Mrs. J. Welch | 11/10/2007
(1 out of 5 stars)
"We were lucky enough to chance upon the Glyndebourne production of Handel's Julius Caesar in 2005. It was, without doubt, the best operatic show we have ever seen, a magical production, and one with a stunning new star in Danielle de Niese. She can sing and dance wonderfully, she can act and she looks like everyone's dream of Cleopatra! We managed to get tickets for the repeat run in 2006 and it was every bit as wonderful.
Not surprisingly, I bought this CD when I learnt of it. I have been disappointed. The difference between the performance at Glyndebourne and this can be heard if you buy that DVD. In an effort to show the power and versatility of her voice she has ended up with a CD where she has overdone things. How William Christie can have allowed this to happen I do not know. Danielle, ditch this and return to your former style!"
A Disappointing Attempt to Specialize in Handel
James W. Revak | San Diego, CA, USA | 01/19/2008
(2 out of 5 stars)
"This recording is disappointing. Although she may be incandescent in an opera house and appealing in the video ad for this recording, the performance is mediocre. While de Niese obviously sings with great passion and commitment, that is not enough to be ranked a great or even competent singer of Handel. You must also bring dramatic insight, nuance, intelligence, and finesse to your interpretations. Unfortunately, de Niese lacks these much of the time. Too often she is too loud and course, projects an overly wide vibrato, and executes coloratura sloppily and haphazardly. There are far superior Handel recital cds out there. Want to invest in a cd that will blow you away? Buy Sandrine Piau's _Opera Seria_ or Julianne Baird's _Glorious Handel: Soprano Arias_ (both are breathtaking all-Handel discs) instead."
She's Not A Star Yet
M. W. Schelke | Philadelphia, PA, USA | 05/13/2009
(3 out of 5 stars)
"It's great to see new talent in opera. The field is usually crowded with veterans, so hearing a young rising star like de Niese is a relief. But this recording sounds like so many others by new artists on the brink of success: impressive at first, but ultimately forgettable.
It's technically near-perfect, of course. De Niese has a full sound, a wide range, and handles the leaps and articulations of Baroque opera with ease. But her voice lacks the palette of emotion and color that is characteristic of truly spectacular singers. Her performances are effervescent, but she can't sustain interest through repeated hearings.
So what's the bottom line? If you want a disc of Handel soprano arias, look elsewhere (Kathleen Battle is a good choice). If you want to hear de Niese, you might want to wait for her second album (Mozart compositions) which is going to be released in the fall."
Cpmpared to Sills? That's like comparing Kristin Chenoweth
Robert E. Lee | 07/26/2009
(1 out of 5 stars)
"If anyone here thinks this woman can be compared to La Bubbles, I seriously think you need to have your head examined. de Niese has NO style, NO musicality, just a wobbly voice that I was surprised was even ACCEPTED into the Met Lindemann Young Artists program when I saw her there at the Kaye Playhouse in 2000. She was only 20 years old at the time, MUCH too young for a program of such high esteem, and MUCH too untalented.
There's a voice there, but she needs about 5 more years of serious vocal study and style study and general musical study because she sings without any kind of finesse or musicality.
Don't come back to me and say I'm being mean - if you're on the stage you need to EXPECT criticism."
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1
