Gitano (Zarzuela Arias)

Rolando Villazon (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 6, 2007)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Virgin Classics
• ASIN: B000FIHZLE
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #150,480 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Zarzuela--the Spanish theatrical form that is half-way between what we know as musical comedy and opera--requires as much from the singer as opera. Teresa Berganza, Placido Domingo, Montserrat Caballé, and others have popularized it somewhat in the past 20 years, and this terrific new CD from superstar tenor Rolando Villazon should convince others of the music's worth. The selections are filled with heartfelt emotions - love, loss, joy - and the remarkable Villazon inflects his essentially dark-hued voice so intelligently and sensitively that he embodies each experience. He's a tenor with ideas, seemingly incapable of phoning in a performance: the lovely, soft ending to an aria by Pablo Luna stands in wonderful contrast with a near-heroic number by Jacinto Guerrero about loving one's home. So much of great singing is about inflection: Villazon is a master of subtlety. It certainly doesn't hurt that he's singing in his native language and that the orchestra is being led by another famous Spanish tenor, Placido Domingo. A greatly enjoyable CD. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must Have!, February 28, 2007

By 

David G. Rogoff (Somerset, NJ United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Gitano (Zarzuela Arias) (Audio CD)

The best way to make my point is by saying that I've had this CD for two weeks now, one in my car and one in my home, and it's about all I've been listening to since I got it. It's that addictive. If you are an opera lover, if you are a fan of vocal art, if you have admired Villazon's earlier work, if you just love great music wonderfully, earnestly, generously, passionately performed, then you absolutely must own this CD. There's not a false note in these gorgeously rendered numbers. The music itself, mostly new to my ears, is sun-drenched Latin throughout--pulsating with life, hypnotic, captivating, sensual and, under Domingo's magic wand, magnificently, charmingly idiomatic. Villazon's singing is beautiful, full-throated, subtle, free and fully alive to every word in the text and will pull you back for repeated listening, I guarantee it.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Magnificent performances, March 21, 2007

By 

James R. Harkins (North Adams, MA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Gitano (Zarzuela Arias) (Audio CD)

This recording should help increase the English-speaking public's knowledge and appreciation of the zarzuela genre. Superbly sung and conducted, it reflects Domingo's knowledge of and experience in zarzuelas aand Villazón's beuatiful voice and great artistry. What a combination!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tenor Villazon, June 26, 2007

By 

A. Perea "Panchito" (Greenville, SC USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Gitano (Zarzuela Arias) (Audio CD)

Rolando Villazon is an outstanding opera tenor, and in this series of zarzuela arias shows his great talent. Coached by Placido Domingo, some of the arias sound as if Domingo was singing them. The CD includes a new aria Domingo has also sang before (Un gitano sin honor)and Villazon does a great interpretation.