Customer Reviews

Angela Gheorghiu - Live from La Scala

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Angela Gheorgiu doesn't owe her fame simply to being the female half of a glamorous husband-wife opera duo. From the beginning the Rumanian diva has been the better musician of the two, and her voice encompasses a huge range of roles, basically the same lyrico-spinto range as Cheryl Studer's. Ms. Gheorgiu can record anything she wants, and here she's opted for a song recital with piano. The texts are divided between French and Italian, the two languages in which she has scored her greatest triumphs.

Since Amazon has given up on reviewing clasical music and providing adequate information about the contents of CDs, here's the program:

O del mio dolce ardor (Gluck). Piacer d'amor (Martini). O cessate di piagarmi (Scarlatti). Se tu m'ami (Parisotti). Malinconia ninfa gentile (Bellini). Vanne o rosa fortunata (Bellini). Me voglio fa'na casa (Donizetti). Stornello (Verdi). In solitaria stanza (Verdi). Brindisi II (Verdi). Serenade (Gounod). Chant d'amour (Bizet). Elegie (Massenet). Sub perdeaua dragei mele (Alfred Alessandrescu). Si daca (Diamanti Gheciu). Floricica de pe apa (Tiberiu Brediceanu). Bade pentru ochii tai (Tiberiu Brediceanu). Vai badita dragi ne-avem (Tiberiu Brediceanu). Lasati-ma sa cant : Te iubesc (Gherase Dendrino). A Vucchella (Tosti). I could have danced all night (Lerner / Loewe). O mio babbino caro (Puccini).

Becasue she starts out with Martini's famous cross-over hit, Plaisir d'Amout (here translated into Italian), one may suspect that Gheorgiu will steer away form serious expresssion, but in fact her capacity to communicate deep emotion remains extraordinary. The voice is in good shape, the colorature firm when it is called for, and the tone noticeably dakre than when the singer was young. One needs only sample Massenet's "Elegie" to realize that this opera star is also a major artist in the field of song. I've never encountered her accompanist, Jeff Cohen, but he's outstanding in his own right.

In all, this recital is an excellent addition to Gheorgiu's ever-growing discography.

Earlier this year, I attended Ms. Gheorghiu's debut recital in Los Angeles at LA Opera with great expectations of the diva. To the delight of all in attendence, her program consisted of some of the most beloved and popular arias the world of opera has to offer. Whether Juliette or Carmen or Eliza Doolittle during the encore, you believed in each portrayal by Ms. Gheorghiu. (Before the recital, I had the pleasure of experiencing her supernatural voice and acting skills in Pagliacci and La Boheme with her husband Roberto Alagna as well.) In this extensive live recital recording from La Scala, Ms. Gheorghiu's choices once again reveal her intense passion, purity of voice and keen intelligence. This is a program of supreme subtlety and honesty of heart. Indeed, Ms. Gheorghiu triumphs yet again to add to her growing legacy as one of the best living opera singers internationally.

Angela Gheorghiu - Live from La Scala is a recording starring Angela Gheorghiu (soprano) and Jeff Cohen (piano) on this EMI Records Ltd recording from 2007. Warwick Thomson has written a short essay entitled "Angela Gheorghiu live at La Scala". The lyrics are available in English, French and German. One also gets several nice photos from the time of the performance. Recommended. 4/5.

I suggest that one _listen_ to this undeniably attractive singer, without ever having _seen_ her....
Note, Ms AG is undeniably superb in recitals and only slightly less so in the studio. In an Opera, its quite a different matter. Attend her _recitals_ for all your best expectations. She is the consummate entertainer in those and her studio recordings and trailers, undeniably best exploiting all her aspects of her musicality and repertoire, as well as glam and beauty. It is recommended that one admire her stunning gowns, if backstage - I ignored her previous advice to me, with sad consequences.
If you know of her other skills, than as a singer, NEVER mention them in public to her. We had what would've been a delightful conversation, if I had taken my own advice. We corresponded 3 years, and all that went out the door - so - yes - she is JUST as capricious as everyone who has had any extended contact with her.... worst, she is unforgiving, after she has taken everything....contributing to the LaVampirette persona, that she herself glories in. You ave been warned. Like all primas, she is good company unless you leave their chosen subjects. Do it at your peril.

Long term observers are simply not taken by the _exterior_ to the degree that the public is, and consistently place her and her voice in the middle rank of popular sopranos. There are issues with the musicality, the accuracy, phrasing, diction and Rumanian accent, etc, even the voice -- though its timbre is usually considered unusually unique and wonderful -- that are apparent to professionals, that are simply not influenced by those who admire the exterior so much.

What "professionals"? Consider the long-term musicologist-bloggers, and also the experienced opera house directors, who have a well-developed sense of integrity, and a sense of what professional behaviour consists. Her firing by the LOC was not an isolated instance of her unprofessionalism by any means. Musicians need all the rehearsals they can get, and she is famous for missing those --- _everywhere_ .

And, like all AG's recordings, this one has been _heavily_ modified by sound engineers.