
The Romantic Hero / Vittorio Grigolo
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- Sony Masterworks
- May 19, 2014
VITTORIO GRIGÒLO: The Romantic Hero • Vittorio Grigòlo (t); Sonya Yoncheva (s); Evelino Pidò, cond; Natl RAI O • SONY 8883-75658-2 (57:29 Text and Translation)
MASSENET Werther: Pourquoi me réveiller. Manon: Instant charmant.…En fermant les yeux; Ah! Fuyez, douce image. Le Cid: Ô Souverain. GOUNOD Roméo et Juliette: Ah! Lève-toi, soleil; Nuit d’hyménée; Salut! Tombeau. Faust: Salut, demeure. MEYERBEER L’Africaine: Ô Paradis. HALÉVY La Juive: Rachel, quand du Seigneur. BIZET Carmen: La fleur que tu m’avais jetée. OFFENBACH Tales of Hoffmann: Et moi?
It is hard to overstate the brilliance and beauty of this recital, one of the finest operatic recital discs I have heard in the past year or two (at least). It would not have been a reasonable assumption that an Italian tenor would so completely master the French vocal style, and turn in one idiomatic performance after another. More than idiomatic, these are impassioned, deeply felt performances sung with the voice perfectly placed for the music, informed by intelligence and imagination, and sounding spontaneous, almost as if there was no thought given to his approach.
The voice itself seems just right for this music: placed somewhat forward, but not so much as to be overly bright or thin-toned. Grigòlo sings with plenty of ring where appropriate, but with astonishing dynamic shading. The recital opens with a poetic reading of Werther’s Pourquoi me réveiller, and immediately we understand the breadth of dynamic shadings and colors that Grigòlo is capable of applying. This is not a tenor with one idea of forte, another of mezzo-piano, and one more of pianissimo. He uses every possible dynamic level between the extremes, and has the musicianship and vocal control to make the changes smoothly even. He indulges in some old-fashioned lingering at key moments (the final phrase of Werther’s aria, for example), but it is never tasteless and always appropriate.
The mezzo-voce at the end of Ah! Lève-toi is beautiful, and the diminuendo on the B? at the climax of the Flower Song from Carmen is a miracle of vocal control and imagination. One could list detail after detail, but it would become redundant. The fact is that scene after scene is presented with a unique combination of vocal beauty, musical imagination, and attention to detail never at the expense of the whole. At phrase after phrase you find yourself catching your breath at the stunning vocalism or the musical-dramatic insight displayed.
Sonya Yoncheva is the soprano who joins Grigòlo in the duet from Roméo and with the appropriate lines in “Instant charmant” from Manon. Evelino Pidò conducts with great sensitivity and impetus, and seems entirely on Grigòlo’s wavelength. In these days we should be grateful to Sony for the complete texts, and for superb notes by Roger Pines. The recorded sound is fine; one doesn’t even think about it after two notes!
If one were to express a regret, it would be that they did not include the entire Tomb Scene from Roméo et Juliette. There is room on the disc for it, and Yoncheva was so good in the earlier duet that one would like to hear that entire finale. Nonetheless, this is recommended to anyone with a love of great singing.
FANFARE: Henry Fogel
MASSENET Werther: Pourquoi me réveiller. Manon: Instant charmant.…En fermant les yeux; Ah! Fuyez, douce image. Le Cid: Ô Souverain. GOUNOD Roméo et Juliette: Ah! Lève-toi, soleil; Nuit d’hyménée; Salut! Tombeau. Faust: Salut, demeure. MEYERBEER L’Africaine: Ô Paradis. HALÉVY La Juive: Rachel, quand du Seigneur. BIZET Carmen: La fleur que tu m’avais jetée. OFFENBACH Tales of Hoffmann: Et moi?
It is hard to overstate the brilliance and beauty of this recital, one of the finest operatic recital discs I have heard in the past year or two (at least). It would not have been a reasonable assumption that an Italian tenor would so completely master the French vocal style, and turn in one idiomatic performance after another. More than idiomatic, these are impassioned, deeply felt performances sung with the voice perfectly placed for the music, informed by intelligence and imagination, and sounding spontaneous, almost as if there was no thought given to his approach.
The voice itself seems just right for this music: placed somewhat forward, but not so much as to be overly bright or thin-toned. Grigòlo sings with plenty of ring where appropriate, but with astonishing dynamic shading. The recital opens with a poetic reading of Werther’s Pourquoi me réveiller, and immediately we understand the breadth of dynamic shadings and colors that Grigòlo is capable of applying. This is not a tenor with one idea of forte, another of mezzo-piano, and one more of pianissimo. He uses every possible dynamic level between the extremes, and has the musicianship and vocal control to make the changes smoothly even. He indulges in some old-fashioned lingering at key moments (the final phrase of Werther’s aria, for example), but it is never tasteless and always appropriate.
The mezzo-voce at the end of Ah! Lève-toi is beautiful, and the diminuendo on the B? at the climax of the Flower Song from Carmen is a miracle of vocal control and imagination. One could list detail after detail, but it would become redundant. The fact is that scene after scene is presented with a unique combination of vocal beauty, musical imagination, and attention to detail never at the expense of the whole. At phrase after phrase you find yourself catching your breath at the stunning vocalism or the musical-dramatic insight displayed.
Sonya Yoncheva is the soprano who joins Grigòlo in the duet from Roméo and with the appropriate lines in “Instant charmant” from Manon. Evelino Pidò conducts with great sensitivity and impetus, and seems entirely on Grigòlo’s wavelength. In these days we should be grateful to Sony for the complete texts, and for superb notes by Roger Pines. The recorded sound is fine; one doesn’t even think about it after two notes!
If one were to express a regret, it would be that they did not include the entire Tomb Scene from Roméo et Juliette. There is room on the disc for it, and Yoncheva was so good in the earlier duet that one would like to hear that entire finale. Nonetheless, this is recommended to anyone with a love of great singing.
FANFARE: Henry Fogel
Product Description:
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Release Date: May 19, 2014
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UPC: 888837565820
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Catalog Number: 88883756582
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Label: Sony Masterworks
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Number of Discs: 1
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Composer: Vittorio, Grigolo
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Performer: Vittorio, Grigolo