32-year Latvian mezzo-soprano Elina Garanca recently stated in an interview that she tends to move increasingly into the bel canto repertoire for upcoming seasons. And based on this album, that seems a very, very good idea.
Quite simply, Elina Garanca is spectacular from A to Z in this repertoire including arias from Lucrezia Borgia, Maria Stuarda, I Capuleti e Montecchi as well as a couple of rarities.
Her one-in-a-million timbre an effortless coloratura shine throughout in a repertoire she is truly very comfortble with. True, at the utmost upper range of her voice it may seem a bit uncontrolled, and her diction is not really to write home about. But the bel canto in the truest sense of the word, she provides in spades.
Elina Garanca has always been characterized by a straightforward no-nonsense and non-sentimental delivery, and in this respect I find much more nuances and shades of expression and individual characterization on this her second solo disc for DG opposed to previous disc Aria Cantilena, also highly recommended.
Furthermore the collaboration with Roberto Abbado´s Bologna orchestra is unusually energetic and truly infuses life and drama into the whole thing. Ekaterina Siurina participated in a couple of tracks as well, hoping the DG would sign her up as well, as she is really exquisite.
I suspect, in years to come, this Bel Canto disc may well stand out as one Elina Garanca´s finest discs. Strongly recommended. Even for non belcanto afficionados, among whom I count myself.
From Adelson e Salvini "Dopo l´oscuro nembo":
Overall impression (scale of 1-5, 3=average):
4
Posted by leporello89 on YouTube
I haven't bought the CD (though, non Bel Canto afficionado though I may be I certainly will) but my worst impression of her was from her Romeo in Vienna. She wasn't really bad, indeed she was quite excellent but she did seem at least a little bit uncomfortable. That performance with Netrebko is coming out so we'll listen. (Apprapos [from your Vienna Octavian post]of Di Donato, who was quite a bit better in the part).
ReplyDeleteShe was to be sure an absolutely fantastic Rosina. (Here I prefer her to DiDonato, although the latter was stupendous and I liked her enormously. They were very different. The "Una Voce Poco Fas" are on YouTube.)
Regardless: 2 Points
1. Never miss Garanca in anything.
2. She SHOULD NOT, CANNOT, MUST NOT, Sing Eboli in a staged performance for at least 8 years.
Well I have the CD already at home and I really like it ! I'm really happy that she teamed up with Ildebrando ! =)
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