Search - Giacomo Meyerbeer, Ning Liang, Ilmo Ranta :: Giacomo Meyerbeer: Mélodies

Ning Liang sings rare, delightful Meyerbeer

05/07/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I'm astounded that Meyerbeer's lush, expressive melodies are virtually unknown to the modern audience. According to the liner notes, many of these are first recordings of Meyerbeer songs. Incredible! He was a cosmopolitan Prussian of the early 19th century, who set with equal fluidity texts in Italian, French, German. Each of these songs is a dramatic gem. While in a few passages, Ilmo Ranta's pianism is slightly more "secco" than strictly necessary, Liang's excellent, rich mezzo always soars heroically. If China exported nothing else in a decade but Ning Liang herself, classical music lovers would be satisfied that the People's Republic is playing its part to enrich world culture."