This recital of Italian opera arias presents Villazon near the alpha of his career (one appearance as the Steersman on the Barenboim Flying Dutchman before, for Teldec) and the conductor at his omega – the just deceased Marcello Viotti, at the age of 52, who suddenly replaced Sinopoli in Berlin for the second of two performances of Verdi’s Aida in 2001. Sinopoli had passed away at 54 the night of the first performance that weekend in Berlin.

On first impression, Federico’s lament from Cilea’s L’Arlesiana is taken too slowly, and yet from repeated listening to this disc, it is one of nearly half a dozen selections that contribute the most to making this an interesting recital. The lachrymose manner and delivery here, though, sets a little too much of an overall tone for the rest of the recital, including its several or so lighter numbers. Said to also be a Caruso favorite, the aria from Donizetti’s Duca d’Alba is a real highlight as close to being Schubertian in feeling as some Verdi – as late into Verdi’s work as Forza and Don Carlo. Villazon’s singing here is as warmly ardent as you’ll find anywhere on this disc, and his personal identification with the character of Don Carlo, several tracks later, is as complete as that of its best interpreters of the recent past, Placido Domingo especially.

The two Elisir d’amore selections are pleasant vocally, but too dark, especially the start to so many phrases of “Una furtiva.” The remorse felt during the opening aria of the Tomb Scene from Lucia, after a slightly uncertain start, is entirely felt. Oronte’s brief aria from Verdi’s Lombardi is handled with an easy, pleasant swagger from both Villazon and Viotti, leading one to expect similar lightness in selections that soon follow, and which is not entirely forthcoming; the beginning of the recitative to “Parmi veder” from Rigoletto shows a palpable anxiety in this peculiar moment for the Duke in which he finds himself. Intonation falters momentarily at the end of this aria. “Ah! la paterna mano”, after good recitative, gets pushed a little too forward, robbing the crest of several lines in it their full expressive potential. Contrast of expression between Alfredo’s aria and cabaletta from Traviata is so minimal, almost to have been erased altogether; Viotti here, so deft and highly musical an accompanist he is for most of the rest of this disc, is similarly disengaged. Connecting music between aria and cabaletta and repeat of the latter both get awkwardly cut.

That leaves four verismo tracks for the remainder of this disc. Most distinctively sung is “E lucevan le stelle” from Tosca, but frequently quite close to sounding a copy of Domingo’s interpretation. The honeyed placement for the top of the staff, once the voice takes on the melodic line, could hardly remind you of anyone else. “Che gelida manina” is also given a fine performance here, but begins to lose all consonants on a couple of words right before the ascent to the high C in the aria. After hearing Dino Borgioli and Cesare Valletti as Fritz, each more of a benchmark than Pavarotti, it is hard to identify the villager Fritz, from how disinteresed Villazon sounds. A slight cut is taken between two portions of recitative before Fritz’s Act III aria. “Quando al soave anelito” from Mascagni’s Nerone, obviously a rarity, is one for which I can only find a Domingo recital before. Here, the singing is fine, but the youthful sense of wonderment for Nero, in his vision of Venus, as wordly-wise a fellow he is, gets understated. Accompaniments to these four arias are mostly as fine as the others, but all come to abrupt endings, the endings of Boheme and Amico Fritz which lose all their shimmer here.

Much criticism here, but there is also much hope felt from listening to this disc, for a bright future for Mr. Villazon still. He is only seldom a conscientious and musical performer, but as opposed to what the liner notes might say, part of being musical in singing such selections or opera in general, is being specific for each character being portrayed here. Villazon should also take note that his singing is most interesting and also most easy to distinguish from his widely celebrated mentor, when he sings lightly. First impressions are strong – I first anticipated awarding this disc five stars – but unfortunately it just barely deserves four. Sound quality, if a bit heavily miked for climaxes and a bit recessed for the orchestra, especially at closings to arias, is warm and full.
Rating: 4 / 5