Customer Reviews

Thomas Hampson - A Portrait

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Thomas Hampson is definitely one of the greatest artists on today's musical scene. This CD displays the beauty of Hampson's voice and the intelligence and artistry that he brings to a great variety of musical styles (German, French and Italian Opera; Italian, French and German art song, and American music). Among the highlights are the first selection, the beautiful "Mein Sehnen, mein Wähnen" from DIE TOTE STADT by Korngold, sung with great control and melting pianissimos. The same can be said of the aria from TANNHAUSER. His live "Largo al Factotum" from IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA is just virtuosistic, with effortless high notes (even a cadenza up to high C) and energetic vocal acting. In the art songs he is no less impressive, with total involvement in the style and mood of the songs, being particularly impressive "Oh, quand je dors" by Lizt. The American repertoire is also a delight. Hampson displays all kind of nuances for this repertoire, from the estatic quality of "Beautiful Dreamer" to the humor and bawdiness of "Where Is The Life that Late I Led". In summary, this is a delightful and eclectic souvenir from one of the most charismatic and intelligent singers of our time.

This EMI disc, "Thomas Hampson, Portrait" is an excellent example of the wide range of this melliflous baritone. From the first German aria, Korngold's "Mein Sehnen, mein Wahnen" one of my personal favourites, to Jerome Kern's "The Last Time I saw Paris" you have great variety of opera, lieder and popular song offering you examples of Hampson's great talent. Buy and enjoy! Jill Whitburn

No portrait of a singer can satisfy all cmers, so EMI has shrugged its shoulders and tossed a bit of everything into the pot. (Without including any bonus tracks, one should note.) Hampson is without a doubt the successor to Fischer-Dieskau as the world's most famous operatic baritone. His strengths, like F-D's, are in song, especially American song. Seven of the 19 cuts here are American songs, which isn't enough. We don't really need Hampson's rather plodding and earnest Viennese operetta aria, nor his duet, "Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better" with the shrill Kim Criswell (to tell the truth, neither does very well). Two small slivers from Schumann's Dichterlieve cycle seems rather silly, too.

But that leaves a lot that's wonderful--all the American selections, the Rossini and Liszt songs, the aria form Korngold's Die Tote Stadt, and above all Hampson's rollicking, let-'er-rip rendition of Figaro's aria form the Barber of Seville. If this omnium gatherum entices listeners to bu the complete recordings, it will serve a very good purpose.

Short and Sweet.

I love listening to this beautiful baritone's voice, but I really don't like his choice of songs on this album. Beautiful Dreamer is so hackneyed and I can't stand to listen to it (also why I didn't buy the Stephen Foster album). I did like is choice of two classic lieder by Schumann. I would have chosen more lieder for a different album, he does great things with it. The Live recording of Largo al factotum from Barber is distracting with audience claps and poor mics for the recording. You can hear him walking away from the mics (fading in and out). The absolute worst choice is "Anything You Can Do" from Annie Get Your Gun. It sounds nice but I hate this song. The rest of the songs swing from Sappy awful to beautifully sung.

Bottom Line: Inconsistent and Not worth your money. He can do much better