Album Description
This album of Vivaldi arias features numbers from a dozen or so operas and includes five arias receiving their first recording. It joins Genaux’s existing Virgin Classics catalogue, which includes recitals of Handel and Hasse, of bel canto arias and a star-studded complete recording of Vivaldi’s Bajazet, with the dynamic Fabio Biondi conducting Europa Galante. Nominated for a Grammy, Bajazet prompted this response from Opera News: “True star status on this rec… More >>
Pyrotechnics: Vivaldi Opera Arias
Ideas Product
#1 by SB on May 30, 2010 - 1:04 am
Comparing this against over 100 other albums (or anthologies) of Vivaldian vocals, these could be better. Yes, the artists are world renowned, but the sound engineering isn’t quite balanced (her voice is too prominent, while the instruments aren’t as powerful as they can be). Also, the song selection is not the best, because at least one of the arias has been recorded several times (by several singers), and another point is that an opera recitative shouldn’t qualify as “pyrotechnics” (tracks 5, 8, & 11 open with tedious recitativos). By the way, Vivica sometimes sounds like she’s using an electric toothbrush while gurgling mouthwash (i.e., mechanical); I’m mostly impressed by her unique tone and operatics, anyhow. So bravo for the world premier recordings, and another Vivaldi album (three stars over all, because they know how to sound better).
Rating: 3 / 5
#2 by Paul Van de Water on May 30, 2010 - 3:20 am
In my 2005 five-star review of Vivaldi’s “Bajazet” Vivaldi – Bajazet / D’Arcangelo, Daniels, Ciofi, Genaux, Mijanovic, Garanca, Europa Galante, Biondi [Includes Bonus DVD], also starring Alaskan mezzo Vivica Genaux, I spoke of the composer’s “vocal pyrotechnics.” Now Ms. Genaux has released a recital of Vivaldi arias titled, of all things, “Pyrotechnics.” For lovers of baroque vocal music, I can’t recommend it highly enough.
Another favorite of mine is Ms. Genaux’s Virgin Classics disc of arias by Hasse and Handel, including the wonderful cantata “Splende l’alba in oriente” (HWV 166) Vivica Genaux – Handel & Hasse Opera Arias. Likewise, this disc not only offers splendid singing but introduces the listener to many brilliant, unfamiliar works, including five arias that have not been previously recorded. For those looking for a good sampling from Vivaldi’s operas, it provides a wonderful complement to the ongoing Vivaldi Edition on Naïve. You can see a nice video trailer on YouTube.
Rating: 5 / 5
#3 by Abel on May 30, 2010 - 4:09 am
This is my second solo album of mezzo-soprano (or contralto) Vivica Genaux.
Some years back, she recorded a solo album on “arias for Farinelli”, and though quite good, wasn’t at all dazzling as the original sound track recording for the film under the same name, with Christophe Roussett at the baton.
Here she records a brand new all-Vivaldi programme, and frankly hers is one of the best Vivaldi stuff I’ve heard for quite a long while.
Some reviewer say that not all the stuff are NEW. I don’t understand what this means. Vivaldi’s stuff certainly belongs not to this century. Cecilia Bartoli has recorded a few tracks on this one early in her 1991 Vivaldi Album. So you would see that Genaux is facing some tough comparisons in this.
Well, I would report that Genaux has fully passed all the vocal tests posed in these repertoire, and manages even to outshine some of her illustrious ‘predecessors’ in such recordings, viz. Bartoli and Jaroussky.
The reason – she’s got the right timbre.
While Genaux does not own a high register to the same stretch orextent as Bartoli (or even Jaroussky), she’s got one of the fullest middle and low registers heard in female vocalists. Katherine Ferrier comes to mind when listening to her singing, but we have not had much luxury to hear Ferrier in stereo recordings, and certainly far less in Vivaldi’s works.
Genaux’s lower registers give her ample room to maneouvre these works’ coloratura runs and different nuances. You gain the impression that ‘this is what the castrato voice would sound like’ as you listen to Genaux’s singing.
Then, of course, Fabio Biondi does a wonderful job with the orchestra to give this album the final touches of utter finesse.
Highly recommended recording.
Rating: 5 / 5
#4 by Joachim Lauterbach on May 30, 2010 - 5:35 am
wonderfuil,technically safe singer of these
hellish difficult Vivaldi arias ! Exciting
to compare with same type of arias sung
by Cecilia Bartoli !!
Rating: 5 / 5
#5 by Richard E. Goodspeed on May 30, 2010 - 5:48 am
The title of this CD is very apt: Genaux’s vocal exhibition is about as close to pyrotechnics as you can get with a mezzo’s voice. It’s gorgeous. I have a large collection of CD’s, and try very hard not to buy new ones. But my friend Chris Schull’s review of this disc in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram conned me into ordering it. Am I glad it did!
Rating: 5 / 5