Francesco Cilea Gaetano Donizetti Pietro Mascagni - Italian Opera Arias (15 tracks) +Album Reviews

Is He the One?

J Scott Morrison | Middlebury VT, USA | 03/24/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I first heard the name of Rolando Villazón this morning, on NPR, when he was interviewed and a few clips of his singing were played. It was, for me, a visceral reaction, like an electric shock. I had not had this kind of reaction to a new (to me) tenor since I first heard Luciano Pavarotti sing in 1968. I spoke briefly with one of my acquaintances who is knowledgeable about opera and singers and she told me how very impressed she was by this young Mexican singer. She and her husband had gone to New York last fall for his Met début in 'La Traviata.' And she has even made arrangements to fly from the east coast to Los Angeles next February to hear him sing in 'Roméo et Juliette.' I trust her judgment in these matters, but indeed I really didn't need her to tell me how good this young man is.As soon as a record store opened, I rushed to buy a copy of his only solo CD - this one - and I've been playing it more or less non-stop since then. I'm certainly no expert, but try as I might I cannot find anything about the voice, the technique, the musicianship to quarrel with. And the voice retains for me that visceral quality I mentioned. I read the review posted just before this one - by brescd01 - and agree with everything he says. The voice is most similar to that of Plácido Domingo, with something of baritonal quality, but there is also the brightness of Pavarotti. Add to that the musicianship and elegance of Bergonzi.For me the high point of the CD is Federico's Lament from Cilea's 'L'Arlesiana.' The thing that comes through, in addition to the exquisite control of this difficult aria, is the utter conviction with which he sings without resorting to any of the more vulgar conventions of Italian tenors.But in fact there isn't a weak selection there. 'Una furtiva lagrima' is simply gorgeous, sung with a meatier voice that Pavarotti's but still with Nemorino's innocence. The two Puccini arias ('E lucevan le stelle' and 'Che gelida manina') are sung with ardor, long line, a free ringing top. Oh my. And the list goes on: 'Parmi veder' and 'La donna mobile' can stand comparison with any I've ever heard. In the two Mascagni arias Villazón musters the requisite heft without forcing. The accompaniment by Marcel Viotti and the Munich Radio Orchestra is sensitive and nuanced.We've been waiting a long time for The Next Real Tenor and if he marshals his resources wisely I think young Señor Villazón just might be The One.Urgently recommended.TT=61:19Scott Morrison"

A Musician's Musician AND a Matinee Idol!

Grady Harp | Los Angeles, CA United States | 03/24/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Welcome, Rolando Villazon! Finally, with the issuing of this excellent CD, we have take-home treasures by the young Mexican tenor who is lighting up opera houses and opera videos around the world. As is so often the case with "instant stars" one wonders if in the intimacy of the home the stage product will bear comparison. Fret not, Villazon is the real thing! Although many are finding the need to compare him to other tenors, Villazon stands squarely on his own distinctive style - that style being intelligent, passionate, well-produced and well-utilized vocal technique. Not since Fritz Wunderlich or Jussi Bjorling (there, I did it, too) have we had a tenor who places emphasis on the composers' intentions, being able to produce fireworks when high notes are needed and yet breathe into legato lines with sotto voce and with no apparent seams. He truly understands pianissimo - and that is rare. His voice has a rich and supple color and he is able to move from composer to composer on this disc of Italian Arias like a tenor to the manner born. This initial CD gives us the expected Puccini, Verdi, and Donizetti but it also includes less familiar fare from Cilea and Mascagni. Villazon is a true lyric tenor and is able to step into the spinto sound with complete ease. This is a major new talent and with this recording it sounds as though he is intelligent enough to use his wondrous instrument correctly. He should be around for a long time and doubtless will gain an adoring public to match that of any of the Great Tenors."

Full-Bodied Tenor Voice Showcased in Mostly Familiar Program

Ed Uyeshima | San Francisco, CA USA | 11/30/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"There has been a bumper crop of strong discs from a multitude of very talented international tenors this past year - Juan Diego Florez, Roberto Alagna, Marcello Alvarez, Ramon Vargas and Joseph Calleja are most prominent. Right up there among this select brethren is this debut recording from Mexican tenor Rolando Villazón. With a deep, fulsome sound to his voice, he brings sharp emotive power to his performance without overdoing it as some others do in a pool of Pagliacci's tears. In fact, Villazón is a true lyric tenor with a genuine understanding of pianissimo. It's a near-flawless voice that seems ideal for the lovers and would-be lovers that are the mainstays of Italian opera.

Verdi, Puccini and Donizetti are standard fare for such a robust voice, and in that respect, the program is somewhat predictable. Truth be told, I could have done without "La donna è mobile" from Verdi's "Rigoletto", which has to be the most overplayed Italian song this side of "O sole mio". At the same time, he provides some nice surprises beginning with the first track, a stunning aria from Cilea's "L'Arlesiana", "E la solita storia", where his vocal control is exemplary. Coincidentally, Calleja performs the same song on his similarly programmed "Tenor Arias"; both versions are distinctive and memorable. Regardless, even on the old warhorses performed ad infinitum by the likes of Pavarotti and Domingo, Villazón brings a dramatic clarity, lyrical command and purity of tone to familiar numbers such as Carlo's Act I aria, "Io l'ho perduta...lo la vidi" from Verdi's "Don Carlo"; Marcello's Act IV recitativo, "Il duca d'Alba Inosservato...Angelo casto e bel" from Donizetti's "Il duca d'Alba"; and Rodolfo's Act I aria, "Che gelida manina" from Puccini's "La Boheme". What comes across consistently is a virile, full-bodied voice, almost baritone in weight and quality, that makes the slightest quiver in his phrasing very effective in shading his performances. For example, if you compare Villazón's version with Calleja's of Donizetti's concluding aria, "Tombe degli avi miel...Fra poco" from "Lucia di Lammermoor", Villazón delivers a more emotionally naked rendition that reveals Edgar to be a heroic lover, whereas Calleja sings with a more cautious and haunted vulnerability that makes his Edgar to be a more sensitive soul. Neither is right or wrong, just different. Villazón rounds out his program with the early 20th-century so-called "can belto" selections from Puccini and Mascagni to balance the bel canto standards. Throughout this impressive debut, he is ably accompanied by the masterful musical direction of Marcello Viatti leading the Münchner Rundfunkorchester. I still think the jury is out as far as his designation as the "Fourth Tenor" (he's only 32), but given what he has accomplished here, I certainly think that Villazón can be considered a true contender."

At Last--The Fourth Tenor

Ed Uyeshima | 02/22/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For all those who have been waiting for the true successor to Domingo/Pavarotti and Carreras, he has arrived in the handsomely virile presence of Mexican tenor, Rolando Villazon. In Italian music, this is the most significant tenor recital since the young Pavarotti's first Decca solo LP in the late 60s. I first heard Villazon in the NYCO's telecast of LA BOHEME. His Rodolfo was simply sensational--poetic, ardent, with a handsome lyric tenor of many colors and vocal spin. He wasn't afraid to sing with tonal variety--in fact, I've seldome encountered a voice of this type who is as willing to sing softly, and as often as is artistically viable. I've been collecting videos of his performances in L'ELISIR, LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR, and LA TRAVIATA. Villazon is a first-rate actor, not at all afraid to throw himself--heart and soul--into the characters he plays. His stage appearance is handsome--he's as slender as a dancer, and his expressive face with those large, dark eyes of his compellingly add to his acting abilities.This first CD, the first of what I hope will be many recordings, includes many excerpts that have been recorded by so many of his great predecessors--Bjoerling, Caruso, Gigli, Di Stefano, Bergonzi, Pavarotti, Domingo--to name only a few. He's got Bergonzi's aristocratic musicanship. He's got the dark timbre of a Caruso or Domingo. He can phrase with imagination, as di Stefano was able to, and he's got a naturally beautiful sound--that many describe as akin to a young Domingo. That's true, but the timbre has that lovely soft texture of Carreras in his early young prime. Unlike Domingo and relatively early into his Carreras's career, Villazon's top has a lovely bloom to them, and there's no lunging for top notes. He sings at least three top Cs on this CD, and only in "Che gelida manina," does the microphone capture that note with a bit glare on it. Well you gotta quibble at least once!My favorite items on this disc are "E la solita storia," from Cilea's L'ARLESIANA, where his vocal control is exemplary. "Angelo casto e bel," recorded by Caruso and Pavarotti, is from Donizetti's IL DUCA D'ALBA. Villazon admirably commands its long-lined lyricism. I'm looking forward to his Duke in RIGOLETTO. "Parmi veder le lagrime," the most interesting of this character's three arias, is also very difficult to sing well. Villazon sings it superbly. Some may think his voice a bit small for Don Carlo or Cavaradossi, but his voice's glamorous spinning tone is ideal in both scenes. Marcello Viotti, the conductor, offers well-rountined support. Let's watch this young tenor's progress in the next few years. He's a huge talent and could go far. I don't take anything away from such fine contemporary tenors as Roberto Alagna, Marcello Alvarez, or Ramon Vargas. But I do think Villazon's the most important of these four in the lyric tenor category. He can sing beautifully, act up a storm, and really connects with the music. I understand there's a French aria recital in his recording future, and I look forward to hearing him on record and in the opera house for many seasons to come."

Wow!

Charles Richards | Los Angeles, CA | 02/27/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"At first I was reluctant to post a review on this album, as so many others have so eloquently recommended this that there is very little to add.
Except this: if you love the tenor voice then you MUST buy this album. In an age where we are constantly being reminded of the "death" of classical music and that the golden age of singing is gone for good, it is so exciting to hear a new voice with so much potential and of such ravishing beauty.
In the past ten years or so, many labels have presented new tenors who they've touted as being successors to Pavarotti and Domingo, but all have disappointed, until now. As someone on this site has said, this is the real thing. I have not heard a voice like this since early Pavarotti, and that's saying something.
Villazon is a name to watch. In my opinion, he will be the front runner in the next generation of singers, and is definitely in the same league as the greats of the past."

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