Customer Reviews

Handel: Arias

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

 

 

You can tell from DG's product description that they are holding their breaths. Villazon sings Handel pretty close to Verid -- by turns fervent, heroic, declamatory, and laden with vibrato. Will authentic types lead a protest? I can't tell. The tenor is faced with few oustanding arias in Handel's operas, where this vocal range tended to play a secondary role. There are more important numbers available in the oratorios, but since the theme here is Italian (the oratorio being almost exclusively in English), Villazon dips only into La Resurrezione.

Portions of this program are transposed from mezzo roles, complete with flourishes and roulades in plenty, and by seizing upon "Ombra ma fu" and popular operas like Ariodante, Rodelinda and Serse (the latter is said to be Handel's most popular opera with modern audiences, along with Giulio Cesare) Villazon has a few hits to work with. He also has Paul McCreesh, who has enormous street cred as a Baroque condcutor. Villazon is a serious musician, and one can tell that he has applied himself to achieve the kind of detached phrasing that is popular in period circles; he also works hard at trills and runs, the area where female voices are undoubtedly superior.

Is the result enjoyable? It was for me, but I am not steeped in authenticity, so others will have expert opinions. Listen to his courageous, unstinting approach to the fearsomely difficult arias from Ariodante, and you'll know if this CD is right for you. Flaws? Villazon tends to lunge at fast passages, and his timbre, always baritonal, doesn't offer much tonal variety. It could be quite a bit sweeter, for example. He could also be more varied in his moods. A good deal of this recital is styled in a generically melancholy/sensitve mood. Yet there's a lot to be said for a thrilling, robust sound and fearless attack. Villazon is never prim and always musical, so this foray into foreign territory brings real pleasure.

Here's the program as listed at a British website:

Tamerlano: Ciel e terra armi di sdegno and Su la sponda del pigro Lete

Fatto inferno ...

Pastorello d'un povero armento

Serse: Frondi tenere e belle ... Ombra mai fù

Più che penso alle fiamme del core (Serse)

Crude furie (Serse)

Scherza infida (Ariodante)

Dopo notte (Ariodante)

Oh per me lieto, avventuroso giorno! (Tamerlano, Act III, 10)

Fremi, minaccia" - "No, vo' seguirti anch'io (Tamerlano)

O sempre avversi dei! (Bajazet)

with Rebecca Bottone (Asteria) & Jean Gandoullet (Tamerlano)

Caro figlio! (La Resurrezione)

Da capo embellishments by Jory Vinikour

Christopher Suckling (cello) & Robert Howarth (harpsichord)

Villazon has canceled performances in recent seasons and rumors of his vocal decline have circulated, so it's a relief to find this marvellous singer in exuberantly healthy voice. Here he sings arias originally written for male characters with tenor voices and arias originally written for male characters with higher voices transposed into lower keys. He sings with pointed intonation, vivacious rhythm and long-breathed legato. He has wide dynamic range and surprizing agility in runs. He even trills. The tone is open, round and bright on top. Of course he's not as exquisite as the best mezzo-sopranos. But I'd love to hear him as Ariodante or Serse. This is a delicious and tantalizing recital.

I've waited until I've had more than just a few opportunities to listen to this recital full through before writing a review.

The majority of reviews and comments I've read have not been at all favorable - some even a bit scathing. This is something I can't quite comprehend as the more I listen, the more I've grown to love what Villazon does here. Some have called it a "throwback" to the "bad old days" of full voiced singers singing Handel as though it were Mozart, or worse, Mahler. I disagree and rather strongly. While it certainly sounds as it could be a different approach to Handel singing, , I find it to be more of a a "modern romantic tenor" bringing his own style and deploying it in a decidedly bravura approach that makes most of h is choices in this repertoire exciting and true to the spirit of the baroque.

The strongest criticisms seem to take issue with Villazon's somewhat over-the-top manner in delivering this material. That may be what I enjoy the most. Listen to the second track, the recitative to Grimoaldo's aria "Pastorello dun povero armento" or Serse's aria "Crude furie degl' orridi abissi" When has a tenor gone "there" so willingly, performing baroque music with this kind of abandon, not to mention intensity? This type of excess is oft considered "thrilling" when done by a female performer - indeed, Joyce diDonato in the same aria ("Crude furie") was praised to the rafters (and justly so!) for not only her bravura way with the fiery coloratura, but for the thousand different hues she hurled into the music, sinking her teeth into the meat of the text and almost spitting it out. But a tenor heard primarily in Verdi, Tchaikovsky and Puccini seems not to be able to make those same choices.

What's particularly interesting to me is the way Villazon and McCreesh move through this material in ways that are almost unexpected, but which make perfect sense. After having heard some thrilling - near gasp-inducing leaps and flourishes, something like "Ombra mai fu" feels almost pure and cleansing and the simple addition of a well-executed trill makes the scene "pop"with life that is almost rare in a number like this.

This is not to say everything is perfect on this disc, and sometimes the low tessitura (e.g., the central portion of "Scherza infida") can find our tenor getting a tad growly in music sitting a bit lower (even if only a note or two) than he's usually addressing. Still, we seem to be more forgiving when a soprano (or lyric mezzo) gets a bit gravelly on a low note. But, as heard in Villazon's "Scherza infida" there is a melting musicality thatmakes up (to these ears at least) for any shortcoming in the inability to sound perfect in every range.

Another thing I love about this recital is the freedom of the ornamentation employed. Villazon's trills, runs, appogiatura, grupetti, etc., come off with a natural ease and authoritythat would be the envy of a number of singers who sing almost nothing BUT baroque music!

Above all there is a sense of love and admiration for this music that comes shining through from start to finish. The level of musicmaking between Villazon, Paul McCreesh and the early instruments of the Gabrieli Players is never less than top drawer and all wed to a sense of joyousness and meaning which infuses every bar. Regardless of what one might think of his choices, I dare anyone to listen to, say, "Dopo notte atra e funesta"and not feel the thrilling connection between the performers and the music they're sharing.

Then there is the "dark" theatricality that permeats some numbers - with the tenor taking choices that can understandably be seen as controversial. The strangled whispers with which he ends Bajazet's emotional scene has been much commented upon - but you know what? I like it. Look at the text:

"My sight is already fading . . . death, I feel you! This horror is your punishment."

While I can understand purists cringing here, we can't know for certain such a "device" was not employed in Handel's time and here and now, singer (and maestro) seem to find it a valid way of interpreting this dark moment and pull it off with complete conviction.

If I've any disappointment it is in the way the recital ends - with St. John's two numbers from "La Resurrezione." This is not to say that they are not sung beautifully, or that Villazon is found wanting in the emotional intensity heard throughout the rest of the recital, but for my money they simply don't have the"oomph" to draw a disc like this to its conclusion. This, however is purely grousing on my part.

This disc will ever find its way into a widely accepted Handelian catalog, but I think those willing to go along for a wild ride, fueled by fury, passion, joy and total admiration of one of the greatest composers of any era,will find something very, very special here.

Handel: Arias is a recording under the direction of Paul McCreesh who leads the Gabrieli Players and starring Rolando Villazón on this Deutsche Grammophon GmBH release from 2009. The booklet contains roughly 30 pages. Richard Morrisons essay "Villazón sins Handel" is very well-written and informative. It also contains a few fine photographs from the time of the recording. The lyrics are available in French, German, Italian and English. It is an alright recording but nothing spectacular. 3/5.

This is the first time that I have heard Handel where the words are as important as the music, and it was a revelation. This is vigorous, muscular, Handel, delivered with a passion and dramatic intensity that astounds me.

Gorgeous stuff, sung with great intelligence. Viva Villazon!

Rolando Villazon is an extraordinary singer. Handel was an extraordinary composer of opera. And neither of these two artists blend well on this CD. I'm not ruling out future Villazon/Handel purchases, but this one was clearly not meant to be.

The problem is simple: Villazon isn't singing Handel, he's singing Rossini. The music is turned into bubbly fun and lyrical schmaltz (the good kind, but still schmaltz). And for the most part Paul McCreesh and the Gabrieli Players play the orchestral accompaniment well. However, they are also complicit in this coloring of Handel with deep-pink marker.

The most likable aspects of this album are also its worst: lyrical smoothness of texture, no majestic assertiveness or elegance.

One more thing: this CD's promotion blurbs tell us that this isn't "your grandfather's Handel." But actually it is: it's the way Handel was treated before the HIP movement clarified textures and quickened the pace of the drama. This is Pavarotti (may he rest in peace) Handel. It isn't "new" HIP Handel. If you like older Handel, that's fine. Just don't let the blurbs fool you.

On the CD booklet there is a very good explanation about why they decided to have arias originally created for castrato in the album. I can say this was a very refreshing album. Maybe is not the most historically accurate as other reviewer say but why not giving a chance to this light twist?

There is a long and honourable tradition of 'bigger voiced' tenors from Walter Widdop to Jon Vickers singing Handel with great success, to say nothing of Gedda, Wunderlich and, more recently, Domingo. The difference is that, to a greater or lesser extent, all of these artists were technically secure - their voices properly balanced, supported and in the mask. There are many moments on this disc when Mr Villazon's pharyngeally produced instrument makes it impossible for him to achieve the artistic effects for which he valiantly strives. When he reaches climactic phrases or long sustained passages in the upper middle register as in "Crude furie", the voice resolutely refuses to spin and he resorts to sounds which are little short of a yell - listen to Wunderlich's spectacular performance of the same aria and decide for yourself - and frequently the timbre elsewhere is dry and harsh. What the splendid Paul McCreesh was thinking when he got involved in this 'project' is anybody's guess, but his excellent contribution and authentic approach cannot save it. Deutsche Grammophon's decision to promote their star house tenor, whose frequent cancellations highlight the shortcomings in his technique and apparent vocal decline is not, sadly, so surprising.

I know that some people thinks that this is not the way to sing baroque operas, but I really don't care. Villazon is quickly becoming the new opera star and when you listen to this you know why, his voice is so powerful, dramatic and passionate that no eyes in his audience remains dry. Looking forward to hear more to Rolando Villazon!

He doesn't have the voice,he doesn't have the style.The fact is that the lyric tenor of the Romantic type was unknown to Baroque opera.The baritone-tenor and the bass were only used in roles such as the rival of the lover(who usaly was a castrato or a female singer en travesti),in character parts,and at some periods in buffo parts.I doubt if anyone who is really concerned about baroque vocal music would think that this is a very good alboum.