Verdi: Aida - Wiener Philharmoniker / Harnoncourt / Gallardo-Dom?s / La Scola / Borodina / Hampson / Salminen / Polg?r
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Edition: Music CDCD Release Date: 2001-09-18
Music Label: Teldec
Free Music Notes for Verdi: Aida - Wiener Philharmoniker / Harnoncourt / Gallardo-Dom?s / La Scola / Borodina / Hampson / Salminen / Polg?r
Free Music Review: Wonderfully fresh recording of an old favorite
Hit: 5 Stars
This recording reexamines Verdi's Aida by casting it with mostly smaller lyrical voices, and using a smaller orchestra. Thus, this is not the classic Aida sound and should not be your first recording of this opera. However, it would make a great second Aida recording, and would make a great addition to your collection.
This is the first major label Aida in many years, and it takes advantage of modern recording technology to bring superb recorded sound quality. I like Vincenzo La Scola as Radames. He has a bright lyrical tenor voice with great diction, which would probably not hold up too well in a big house, but fits into this recording perfectly. The Aida is sung by Christina Gallardo-Domas who is equally great with wonderful legato control, but like La Scola, she would have a hard time with the role in a live performance. The star here is Olga Borodina as Amneris. She is one of my absolute favorite singers today and she shows why on this set. Her large voice is different from the rest of the leads and she tends to be overpowering at times, but it still sounds great. Thomas Hampson is a real low point, as he is simply not a Verdi baritone, and does not sound patronly enough. The great Wagnerian basso Matti Salminen, who is a long time collaborator with Harnoncourt, is a real treat as Ramphis. He easily has the largest voice on this set, and he brings a lot to this recording even with such a small role. He is especially great when sentencing Radames in Act IV. The orchestra's playing under Harnoncourt is bright and clear. And, credit must be given to the rock-solid chorus.
This is a great overall recording. I dismiss the argument that the recording is underpowered, if you want it to sound bigger, just turn up the volume. If you are new to Aida, I recommend first getting the wonderful Met DG DVD, and than go with this.
Verdi: Aida - Wiener Philharmoniker / Harnoncourt / Gallardo-Dom?s / La Scola / Borodina / Hampson / Salminen / Polg?r Poster
Nikolaus Harnoncourt's Aida is the most elegant and polished version of the opera ever recorded, perhaps ever performed. In no other do you hear so much orchestral detail or playing that's buffed to such a gleaming glow. But here, elegance and polish replace a sense of drama and emotional sweep, subverted by Harnoncourt's slow-motion first half. Also needed: great voices with thrust and power. While the recording is lavishly cast, with important singers in minor roles, only one of the four big parts is done with the necessary vocal and dramatic zest: Olga Borodina's stunning Amneris. Hampson's Amonasro is neatly sung, full of an experienced lieder singer's textual nuances, and therefore completely lacking the style or vocal depth of a true Verdi baritone. That leaves the ill-fated lovers, Gallardo-Dom?s's Aida and Lo Scola's Radames, both without the vocal size or splendor to satisfy. With so many excellent Aidas on disc, including Muti-Caballe and Solti-Price, this one will appeal to Harnoncourt's fans, the curious, and Verdians who should hear Borodina's Amneris. --Dan DavisClassical Music CDs
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