Voce D'Italia: Arias For Rubini
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Free Music Notes for Voce D'Italia: Arias For Rubini
Free Music Review: Wonderful singing - but a slightly gimmicky idea
Hit: 5 Stars
I yield to no-one in my admiration for this Peruvian tenor superstar; his singing gives unalloyed pleasure to us canary fanciers whether live or on disc. I last heard him in the famous Royal Opera "Fille du Regiment" with Dessay, and he was terrific.
But let's be objective: the title of this CD is a tad misleading; in truth several of the arias here were either not specifically written for Rubini, or he was only tangentially or belatedly associated with them, singing them perhaps only once long after the premieres. We have little idea whether Rubini sounded anything like Florez though there's no reason why he should not offer this tribute to so influential a singer and I'm certainly not moaning about the singing; it's breath-taking for us - if not for Florez, whose ease of production is a thing of wonder. Nor is it the result of recording patchwork; Florez is just as capable of tossing off those fiendish roulades and stratospheric top notes in one recorded take as he is of doing them live. I don't really understand those reviewers who complain about pinched tone; the voice occasionally sounds a little strained but how could it be otherwise when Florez is singing in his lower register at the upper limits of male human performance - and without the mixed falsetto sound which marred Kraus' top notes and made him sound whiney.
Perhaps listening to this admirable CD in one sitting is a little too much to take; better to listen to a few tracks at a time to avoid auditory fatigue. Some have complained of a lack of characterisation in Florez' interpretations, especially when he is hopping from one opera to another, but I'm afraid I neither notice that nor really care; in any case just listen to the tenderness and variety of the third item, Donizetti's "Marino Faliero" (which was most certainly written by Donizetti expressly for Rubini and Florez sings it complete with a whopping full-voiced E flat), and you'll hear plenty to refute the accusation of sameness. That hint of strain which others can hear creeping into the highest notes is perhaps the price of the voice having acquired some darker colour of late. One or two top noters are not quite perfect, but to me he still sounds miles better than any other similarly voiced tenor around today. His is not the largest voice I have ever heard but it has such total concentration and purity of tone that it really carries in large spaces and I do not accuse the engineers of much knob-twiddling to enhance artificially the resonance of his voice production; his tenor really is cleanly focused and penetrating and in no need of boosting.
In many ways the first and the last items are the best, from the melodic genius of Bellini to the thrilling mastery of Rossini in "William Tell", in which Florez rises to all he demands of this most heroic of Rossini's tenor roles. The orchestra, chorus, supporting singers and conductor are exemplary. As for the solo singing, the elegance, the thrust, the plangency of the quieter passages, the sense of style and the pyrotechnics combine to make this a truly great recital album.
Free Music Review: By now, a known quantity
Hit: 5 Stars
After flirting with other repertoire and recording a crossover disc or two, the reigning Rossini tenor Juan Diego Florez returns to what he does best on this album: the florid, high-lying music of early nineteenth-century bel canto opera. The concept here is to evoke comparison with Giovanni Rubini, the tenor for whom this music was written, and it's hard to believe that Florez' predecessor was more facile or could negotiate the numerous coloratura runs with greater accuracy and ease. Florez doesn't actually go as high as Rubini was reputed to have done (high F)--he touches one E-flat above high C, but otherwise reaches "only" high D. On the other hand, he sings his high notes in full voice, something Rubini would not have done.
For fans who know what Florez is all about and have enjoyed his live performances (and I certainly am one) this album will certainly confirm their high opinion. The tenor's voice seems to have grown in size, and occasionally there is a hint of unsteadiness in sustained notes--perhaps fatigue due to his frantic international career? As I have noted before, with vocal gifts of such magnitude it seems almost churlish to wish occasionally for more differentiation of character or vocal color, since all of the music is so much of a piece. Did contemporary audiences demand the vocal acting abilities of a Callas from Rubini? My guess is not. Let's wish Florez a long career and continued vocal health--he's certainly become an indispensable fixture on the international operatic scene.
FOOTNOTE: As is the case so often with the bel canto composers, a listener can amuse him/herself by identifying music in the more obscure operas that was later re-used to greater fame. There's a big chunk of "Norma" in one of the tracks, for example.
Free Music Review: FLOREZ - THE RAREST OF BIRDS!
Hit: 5 Stars
With this recording, the sublime Juan Diego Florez firmly establishes his true vocal and artistic identity. He is arguably the great singer of his type who has ever inhabited this earth ---- or at the very least, the greatest of his type since the advent of recording. He is a true "tenor di grazia" with a florid technique that blows any other pretenter out of the ball park. Of equal importance, his is a voice of such sweetness and lyricism that one is doumbfounded to come up with an equal. My admiration for Alfredo Kraus is limitless, but not even he could approach this type of music on the same level as Florez. Of course, Kraus had a somewhat weighter voice, which enabled him to undertake roles like Faust, Hoffmann, The Duke in "Rigoletto", and Alfredo in "Traviata". At present, even these relatively "light" roles are beyond Florez. His is a voice that must never be stretched to included ANYTHING heavier than he's singing now - the intricate bel canto repertoire. This recording is testimony to that fact. May he flourish and thrive in the arena of Bellini, Rossini, and Donizetti for years to come. Virtually every item here is magnificently sung, and only makes one wish for more. If you purchase no other classical recording this year, this should be the one you get!Free Music Review: At last! (¡Finalmente!)
Hit: 5 Stars
After "Sentimiento latino", a CD without importance for opera lovers, "Arias para Rubini" is an extraordinary work by Flórez and Abbado. Each one of the selections have a special meaning for bel canto fans.
Después de "Sentimiento latino", un CD sin significado especial para los amantes de la ópera, llega "Arias para Rubini", un extraordinario trabajo de Flórez y Abbado. Cada una de las selecciones tiene un significado especial para quienes disfrutan del bel canto y aunque algunas pueden resultar inadecuadas para la voz del tenor, una vez escuchadas nadie podrá negar la maestría que el peruano imprime en cada instante de su interpretación.
Free Music Review: absolutely phenomenal
Hit: 5 Stars
This is Florez at his best. Absolutely phenomenal. Track 5, the "troncate", is incredible in its virtuosity. The only possible criticism of Florez is, as some have said, that his voice is a bit "white" and one dimensional, but this is why it is also so brilliant and agile. Perfect for Rossini. Not quite so good for Bellini. In any case, given that he is the best in his specialty, one cannot be overly critical.