Puccini, Verdi: Opera Arias
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CD Details
Composer: Giacomo PucciniComposer: Giuseppe Verdi
Conductor: Anton Guadagno
Conductor: Lamberto Gardelli
Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra of London
Orchestra: Munich Radio Orchestra
Performer: Ghena Dimitrova
Edition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 2006-03-21
Music Label: EMI Classics
Soundtracks:
- Turandot, opera: Act 2. In questa reggia
- Turandot, opera: Act 3. Tu che di gel sei cinta
- Suor Angelica, opera: Senza mamma
- Gianni Schicchi, opera: O mio babbino caro
- Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 2. Un bel d�¬ vedremo
- Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 2. Che tua madre
- Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 3. Tu? tu? tu? piccolo Iddio!
- Le villi, opera: Act 1. Se come voi piccina
- La boh�¨me, opera: Act 1. S�¬. Mi chiamano Mim�¬
- La bohème, opera: Act 2. Quando me'n vò soletta
- La bohème, opera: Act 3. Donde lieta uscì
- Tosca, opera: Act 2. Vissi d'arte, vissi d'amore
- Manon Lescaut, opera: Act 2. In quelle trine morbide
- Manon Lescaut, opera: Act 4. Sola, perduta, abbandonata
- Aida, opera: Act 1. Ritorna vincitor!
- I Lombardi alla prima Crociata, opera: Act 1. Salve Maria
- Attila, opera: Act 1. Scena e Romanza: Liberamente or piangi...Oh! Nel fuggente nuvolo
- Macbeth, opera: Act 1. Scena e Cavatina: Nel d�¬ della vittoria...Vieni! t'affretta!...Or tutti sorgete
Music reviews of Puccini, Verdi: Opera Arias
Music Review: A true dramatic soprano in some odd territory
Rating: 2 Stars
Perhaps the last of the true dramatic sopranos of the old school, Ghena Dimitrova must be credited with one of the most powerful soprano voices of the modern era. It's simply a force of nature, an icier Birgit Nilsson on steroids.
Of course, the drawback of such a voice is that it can be hard to adapt to lighter fare. This recitial disk of Verdi and Puccini arias is hit-or-miss. When she sings what is suited to her titanic voice the results are good. When she tries to sing the lighter lyrical roles she runs into trouble: from pitch problems (she has a tendency to sing sharp) to lack of nuance.
First the pluses. Turandot was a signature role, and she sings it marvelously here. Clear, clarion tone, and unfussy timbre. Also successful are arias from AIDA and I LOMBARDI. Verdi is certainly better suited to her voice. The letter scene from MACBETH is where she is truly at home and where her voice seems the most comfortable.
The rest is iffy. Her voice is not suited to Mimi and Liu, and those arias do not come across well. She has more success with Suor Angelica and Manon Lescaut where the character's situations are harsher and call for more vocal power. But the iciness of her timbre, while perfect for Turandot, makes for less-pleasing results.
Overall, a welcome document of a powerful voice. But this disk does not play to her strengths as a dramatic soprano. Instead she squeezes herself into lyric-spinto territory with uneven results.
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