Vesselina Kasarova: Famous Mezzo Arias > Reviews > A Memorable Portrait of Vesselina Kasarova

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Not applicable
Quality and consistency of tracks	Flawless
Value for Money	Excellent

Advantages:	Kasarova's personal touch .  Virtuosic without showing off
Disadvantages:	She doesn't keep singing forever

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

This CD is a compilation of 10 operatic arias for the mezzo soprano voice. The line up ranges from the Baroque opening number to the Classical Mozart to the late Romantic Bel Canto Donizetti opera numbers. All are gloriously sung by the Bulgarian mezzo Vesselina Kasarova, and beautifully accompanied by maestro Friedrich Haider and the Munich Radio Orchestra/ Chorus of the Bavarian Radio.

Vesselina Kasarova is known for her multi-coloured deep and melancholy voice (a very distinctly identifiable one at that!) and her interpretative intensity. Every note that she sings is a part of the story she is telling. Her florid coloratura (virtuoso decoration of the main melodic line) is legendary, and yet they are never gratuitous. This is a dream singer for anyone who likes drama and theatrically involved singing..... and she doesn't compromize any legato line to achieve it. Like her idol, WA Mozart, this gal can operate within the boundary while generating a singing experience that transcends it.

The tracks included are:
1. HANDEL: Rinaldo: Or la tromba in suon festante
2. GLUCK: Orfeo ed Euridice: Che faro senza Euridice
3. MOZART: Le nozze di Figaro: Voi che sapete che cosa e amor
4. MOZART: Don Giovanni: Batti, batti, o bel Masetto
5. ROSSINI: La Cenerentola: Nacqui all'affanno/ Non piu mesta
6. ROSSINI: Il barbiere di Siviglia: Una voce poco fa
7. ROSSINI: L'Italiana in Algeri: Amici in ogni evento/ Pensa alla patra
8. DONIZETTI: Anna Bolena: Spossa a Percy/ Per questa fiamma indomita
9. DONIZETTI: La Favorita: Fia dunque vero/ O mio Fernando
10. BELLINI: I Capuleti e i Montecchi: Se Romeo t'uccise un figlio

Her repertoire had grown even wider since this CD came out in 1997, but these 10 numbers are already impressive in showing how effective Kasarova can be in very different opera style. She even uses different voices for different numbers!

There are equals for the first 4 numbers of the Baroque and the Mozart opera, perhaps, but the final 6 arias from the Bel Canto repertoire really blows any competition out of the water. Many are as virtuosic, but I have yet to hear one that can be as virtuosic AND as communicative at the same time.

Her Rinaldo's battle fanfare is rousing and heroic, Her Orfeo's lament is a model of emotional devastation, her Cherubino (track3) is youthful and enthusiastic, and her Zerlina (track4) teasing and mischeivous. And then the bel canto virtuoso numbers that follow... absolutely peerless (and I've heard Berganza, Horne, Simionato, Baltsa, Bartoli, et.al in these arias).

If you enjoy the Italian opera and the classical vocal music, this CD is truly a gem that demands your attention. I should warn that Kasarova is not stuff for relaxing background music. When she is singing, you will end up paying attention to her whether you'd like to or not. That's a quality that legends are made of, and a legend this singer is destined to be.