Don Carlo

I'm torn between two Verdians, feeling like a fool: Sondra Radvanovsky and Violeta Urmana were both wonderful in this afternoon's Don Carlo broadcast. It took me a moment or three to warm to Urmana's Eboli - the Veil Song was fine but didn't really interest me much - but by the time we got to 'O don fatale' I was hers. And Sondra Radvanovksy: what class! I didn't pay much attention to her Elena in Vespri (which feels like years ago) but this time around I was ready for her and she was great. A few less-than-secure passage perhaps but so appealing and so shimmeringly beautiful. Months ago Trrill's Grisi Pasta (which appears have quasi-returned, incidentally) reviewed her and suggested describing her voice as 'prismatic'. (Update: No she didn't! She said it about Victoria Litherland! Still works-ish though) I think that's exactly right, and there's really nothing I could add.

Richard Margison's Don Carlo was alright, I guess. I mean, he made a nice enough sound. But sometimes it sounded to me more like he was singing jazz standards than Verdi. Besides, I'm a pronunciation pedant (when it suits), and a singer who pronounces 'casto' as 'cawsto' loses a lot of credibility. Dwayne Croft as Rodrigo was fantastic, however, and Ferruccio Furlanetto's Filippo was an absolute triumph - to think that just last week I praising his Don Basilio! However, I simply cannot stand Samuel Ramey. Perhaps - surely - he sounds better in the house; but I just can't think of any reason why I should have to listen to him. He wobbles away so much you'd think he was Bert Lahr in The Wizard of Oz. I know he's a legend, and I know he hasn't always sounded this way (he's fine in the Solti Figaro) but the fact remains that as he is now, I don't want to hear him. Anyway, he was the only aspect of this Don Carlo which I didn't enjoy. Everyone else was either very good or absolutely fantastic- and the orchestra under Fabio Luisi definitely falls into the latter category. It staggers me to think anyone would want to leave before the end of this: I didn't even stand up, let alone leave the room, for the full 4 1/2 hours, intervals included.

Comments

[bobregular]

I had the chance to hear Urmana as Eboli in Florence: a great performance. Next week she'll be Floria Tosca in the premiere of Maggio Musicale Fiorentino 2005. Great expectations.

[Don Corleone]

Nothing like hearing Sondra's voice -- that booming quality that I've so enjoyed listening to over the years. Heck, even the dog liked her singing when she practiced back in L.A. years ago!!!

Who would've known that she would have got this far?

There were critics at first (as there usually are in this field), but I have always had a great respect and admiration for her singing abilities, and her sultrous (almost dark) tonal qualities of her voice.

Honestly so, her voice is quite unique, one that fits a wide variety of roles and performances. She truly has become an 'opera star' -- something that I can say that I am proud of. She has come very, very far in this world!