Customer Reviews

Stephanie Blythe - Handel & Bach Arias

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I had the great fortune to be in the audience for two Metropolitan Opera performances of `Giulio Cesare' which featured, among others, Jennifer Larmore and superstar countertenors Brian Asawa and David Daniels. However, it was the young American contralto Stephanie Blythe who managed to steal the show from all of them as Cornelia, becoming an overnight sensation. Actually, I had already been following Blythe's career for several years - from a 1995 Berta in 'Il Barbiere di Siviglia' (where, admittedly, she sounded a bit too big and `divaish' for a comic comprimaria), she impressed me mightily. She was then a member of the Met's Young Artist Program, and went on to such roles as Auntie in 'Peter Grimes', Antonia's Mother in `Les Contes D'Hoffman', Madelon in `Andrea Chenier', and Baba the Turk in 'The Rake's Progress'. You could call these Cornelias her `graduation present'. She recently was a splendid Dame Quickly in `Falstaff', and this season she will sing Mere Marie in `Dialogues of the Carmelites' and reprise Baba. Bluntly, Blythe is probably the finest American singer of the current generation before the public today.

Nearly everybody who has reviewed Blythe has stated that she is the heir to the throne of Marilyn Horne, and I agree. In fact, she is one of Horne's `babies', who did some of her earliest work as a recitalist for the Marilyn Horne Foundation, and she often sounds uncannily like her. Blythe has not only Horne's power, richness, and huge lower register, but also a gentleness and vulnerability that one almost never hears from Horne. Her voice is warm and womanly, and, surprisingly for a contralto, young-sounding. She is equally adept at machine-gun coloratura and silken legato. She has beautiful control of dynamics, especially messa di voce. Her diction in English, which is actually one of the hardest languages to sing, is stunning - I never needed the booklet here, even for such ear-twisters as `O'er Scythian hills to the Maeotian lake'. As far as I could tell her Italian, German, and Latin were equally adept. Finally, a true contralto, at least one who bills herself as such instead of as a mezzo-soprano, is rare indeed these days - in fact the only other ones I can think of with major careers are Ewa Podles and Larissa Diadkova.

Beginning with 'Ombra mai fu', Blythe brings individuality and depth to a chestnut that virtually every other mezzo and countertenor has recorded and makes it special. The arias from `Hercules' and `Semele' are absolute tours de force dramatically. We experience Dejanira's self-recrimination, terror, and willing descent into madness in `Where Shall I Fly', and Juno's majesty, jealousy, and rage in 'Iris hence away'. As I doubt that I will have the money to go to Covent Garden to see her perform in 'Semele' with Ruth Ann Swenson (the same week they are having the Pappano/Domingo/Gheorghiu/Hvorstovsky `Pagliacci' and the Fleming/Diadkova `Rusalka'!), I can hope that these two marvelous singers will eventually sing these roles at the Met.

The highlight of the aforementioned Met 'Giulio Cesare' performances was extraordinary duet `Son nata lagrimar' between Cornelia and her son Sesto. Blythe duplicates this triumph here with her Met partners David Daniels and conductor John Nelson. This selection alone is worth the price of the entire disc. To begin with, the music itself is probably the most beautiful mother-son duet in operatic history. Blythe's and Daniels' voices blend and compliment each other so perfectly and they sing with such tenderness, sorrow and intensity that the effect is heartwrenching. This scene comes right after Blythe's arresting rendition of Cornelia's aria 'Priva son d'ogni conforto'. When I saw her in `Giulio Cesare' at the Met, I actually thought that she would be ideal in the title role. However, despite her fine rendition of 'Al lampo dell'armi' and mastery of Caesar's longing and nobility in `Aure deh pieta', I think I would rather hear a more `masculine' sounding singer such as Ewa Podles.

If I find the Bach arias slightly less successful than the Handel, that is only because I am spoiled in this repertory by Kathleen Ferrier. Blythe does almost have Ferrier's nobility, if not quite her richness and amplitude. Also, Nelson takes some of this music, especially `Enbarme dich' a bit too fast for my liking. However, Blythe here proves that she is as adept at being pious and self-effacing as she is at being dramatic and tragic.

Despite some of my disagreements about tempi, John Nelson is a wonderful conductor for this repertory, capturing by turns its intensity, quiet serenity, and spirituality, and the Ensemble Orchestral de Paris plays marvelously under his baton. There is excellent continuo work from harpsichordists Emanuelle Haim (who has herself recently `graduated' into conductorhood!) and Martin Isepp, as well as also violist de gamba Jerome Hantai in `Es ist vollbracht'. Kudos also to the unnamed violin soloist in 'Enbarme dich'.

French critic Charles Dupechez contributes a fine essay on the history of the lower female voice in opera and of the operas and oratorios performed here. In addition there are full texts and translations and a biography of Blythe. Why, however, is only half of Blythe's face on the CD cover?

Blythe absolutely must record at least one disc of bel canto arias and ideally several complete operas, certainly `L'Italiana in Algieri'. In fact, I really hope that the splendid telecast of this opera from Philadelphia where she was a stunning Isabella (and with no less than Juan Diego Florez as Lindoro!) is put on video or DVD. And I have the feeling that she might give even the astonishing Olga Borodina a serious run for her money as Carmen.

Oh, and did I mention she does an absolutely socko rendition of `Some People' from `Gypsy'?

This CD comes on the heels of critical success in Handel, Wagner and Rossini in performances all over the world. Blythe's voice recalls (and invites inevitable comparison to) the legendary Marilyn Horne and indeed, in some ways, she is even better. While her singing is not as intensely spectacular as Horne's, her voice, while similar, is intrinsically more beautiful, full and moving. In fact, the voice may be too beautiful and it is easy to get lost in the sound. However, Blythe is a better actress than Horne and truly makes the roles she performs come to life. A must have for anyone who laments the lost "golden" age of singing. Hopefully they'll start recording her in the virtuoso mezzo repertoire soon.

I was browsing through the classical section of one of my favourite record stores when, to my utter amazement and delight, an extraordinary version of "Ombra mai fu" poured out from the speakers. Bear in mind that I, a countertenor and Baroque repertoire aficionado, already *own* several versions of said aria (by Scholl, Mera, Taylor, and Daniels). So when I heard this one I was completely captivated. Who was this enchanting new countertenor whose voice I had never heard before?

When I was told it was Stephanie Blythe, a contralto, I was more than a bit surprised, something more like shocked. The only other contralto I'd heard performing Handel works was Ewa Podles. I was in a record store in Quebec at the time, and when I heard Ewa's version of "Cara sposa" from Handel's Rinaldo I was a little put off. Her voice seemed to be lacking the delicacy of the countertenor tone, although she did perform with great passion and gusto. It was a much more fiery voice, earthy and heroic, perfect for a character such as Rinaldo. Blthye's voice, in contrast, performed the song "Ombra mai fu" as a more pastoral song, much more gently and passively.

I was tempted to buy the CD, but the song that *made* me do it was my favourite Baroque religious song "Erbarme Dich" by Bach. I own two other versions of that as well (Scholl and Taylor) and I thought that I'd never hear anyone sing it more beautifully. But Stephanie's voice is something so like a countertenor's: velvety smooth, dark, mysterious, melancholy, and pure. My quest for the perfect voice extended to countertenors only--until Stephanie Blythe. There is something so magical in that voice type that I am powerless in its wake.

"Handel and Bach Arias" features famous arias from a variety of operas (Semele, Serse, Hercules, Giulio Cesare in Egitto) and sacred works (St. Matthew Passion, St. John Passion, Mass in B). Some of my favourite arias/songs are included here ("Erbarme Dich," "Al lampo dell'armi" and "Ombra mai fu") and all selections are spectaularly performed both by Stephanie, the orchestra, and David Daniels on "Madre! Son nata A lagrimar."

This should be nominated for Best CD of 2002. Stephanie has a voice that I look forward to hearing much more of in the future.

I was Stephanie's teacher in High School and directed her in several theatrical productions. Not only was she an immensely talented actress, her voice always took my breath away. The other instructors and myself knew that Stephanie had "IT" and would someday be recognized for all the beauty her voice contains. I have seen her perform live and each and every time am amazed at the depth and feeling in her voice. This cd will not disappoint.

Stephanie Blythe is a name honored in the circles of the music cognescenti where she is considered nearly without peer as the reigning contralto of the day. In this very generous sampling of arias by Handel and Bach the reason for such admiration/devotion becomes readily apparent. Blythe may be called a 'contralto' and, indeed, she has that lush dark burnished tone so often conjured by the contralto roles in opera and oratorio. But she has an amazing range that allows her to effortlessly scale the contralto to mezzo to lyric to coloratura like few other singers. Only Marilyn Horne comes to mind as one with the beauty of voice in tandem with impeccable musicianship and technique for comparison.

Opening this recital (accompanied by John Nelson conducting the Ensemble Orchestral de Paris) she wisely selects the well-known 'Ombra mai fu' and allows first time listeners to bask in the beauty of tone and perfection of execution she brings to every subsequent work on this CD. Unlike other singers who attempt this repertoire Blythe shows no audible break in register as she soars into the passionate stratosphere of 'Where shall I fly' from Handel's "Semele" or plumbs the depths of Bach's touching arias from both the St Matthew and St John Passions.

As far as the perfect display of all her gifts in one piece then her duet with countertenor David Daniels in the 'Madre..Son nata a lagrimar' from Handel's "Guilio Cesare" is that pinnacle. This duet has to be one of the most beautiful baroque experiences ever captured on disc. A singer to watch and collect!

Contralto Stephanie Blythe has a warm, fluid voice that reminds me immediately of countertenor David Daniels, especially since she sings more accurately in the mezzo-soprano range. What they have in common is an artful blending of male and female vocal characteristics that produces a strong sound, rich and seductive. Dramatically she is not quite at his level yet, but it is a tribute to her interpretative talents that she can convincingly sing both Cesare and Cornelia in "Giulio Cesare in Egitto" in the four beautiful arias here. The disc's high point is in fact, a mother-son duet performed with Daniels, "Madre!...Son nata a lagrimar". Their voices meld together wonderfully. What I find intriguing is how his higher, more nuanced voice brings out the dramatic intensity of the piece, while Blythe's superb lower register brings out a lovely contrast since her voice dips deeper than Daniels'. It is as perfect a match as you'll hear in the Baroque world.

The remainder of the Handel arias displays her exceptional range, especially the plaintive "Ombra mai fù" from "Serse" and the vocal agility she displays in "Iris, Hence Away" from "Semele". The second half of the disc features four arias from Bach's "Passions", all more spiritual in tone than the Handel pieces but not as interesting dramatically. She still sounds lovely, but a certain monotony creeps into the last half-hour since these arias seem to create the same dream-like atmosphere and consequently do not require her to utilize her interpretative skills fully. John Nelson conducts the Ensemble Orchestral de Paris effectively, and perhaps to embody the spirit of the Bach pieces, the disc was recorded in a church, the Eglise Notre Dame du Liban in Paris. It is an impressive recital debut and makes one look forward to Stephanie Blythe's next work.

My wife and I heard Stephanie for the first time in a Met Live in HD broadcast at a local movie theater in Gluck's "Orfeo." Later we BOTH ordered this CD from Amazon because we are so impressed with this woman's artistry. This CD is such a favorite! It is always in my car and always puts me in a good mood! Being a "newbie" to Opera but a Classical music fan for decades, this album is a showcase for the genius of two great composers and the beauty of Blythe's voice! An album I never grow tired of listening to, and makes me look forward to buying any and all new recordings she will do in the future.

The inimitable John Nelson, conductor of the Ensemble Orchestral de Paris, has a knack for giving little known musical pieces and as-yet uncelebrated artists their due. He has made good on this worthy capacity by conducting his consort in a debut recital CD of one of our moment's finest contraltos.

Stephanie Blythe works her way sensuously through this baroque repertoire with all the gravitas of an ancient mariner, yet with the supple litheness of youth.

We have all thrilled to the glass-shattering pyrotechnics of the great sopranos. Deep-voiced women like Blythe present a different pleasure, as different from the atmospheric-testing soaring of the high voice as a very large Mercedes-Benz is from a Mustang. Both are class leaders. One works as well in late evening after a storm as in the sunlit avenue at noon.

Blythe is something close to majestic in this EMI/Virgin Classic 2001 release. You could be forgiven for wondering whether a Baroque composer was permitted to feel anything this deeply. Blythe's voice is not a period instrument, after all. The castrati alone played those.

Yet, coming in after their time, Blythe makes a convincing retrospective argument that if there had been female singers of this sobriety and passion around, fewer boys would have been called upon to sacrifice their undergirding in the service of art.

The music, be warned, runs deep.

WOW,

I bought this CD after I discovered this artist totally by accident (well, I usually do not listen to the vocal selections on the sampler CD from the British magazine "The Gramophone"). I guess that it was either fate or luck that made me listen to her selection of Wagner Lieder.

As I have always been a fan of alto/contralto's, I find Stephanie Blythe's voice to be smooth, creamy, solid, and very thrilling!!! I really like all of the Handel arias (which are top notch!!), and I will spend more time with the Bach.

This Virgin Classics CD is up to Virgin's usual high standard of recording, though I do wish that her voice was more centered between the right and left channels. Then again, my new system still needs some dialing in in my room.

I would highly recommend this CD to anyone who likes vocal music, opera, and best of all, for people who simply like stellar singing!!!

Well worth the 5 stars!!!

Blythe has an excellent voice. She isn't Marilyn Horne or Ann Murray or Sarah Walker, but she's first class nonetheless, and this album is certainly worth having. The knock on Blythe, in my judgment, is that she lacks emotion and fire. She just sings, and the listener's mind might stray. The duet from Julius Caesar is the finest feature of the album, and is simply glorious. David Daniels is in a class all by himself.