Lovers of the music of Giuseppe Verdi and fans of the tenor voice will find much enchantment in this new CD by Marcelo Álvarez.
The tenor, widely acclaimed world wide for his unique and hauntingly beautiful tenor voice, makes his Decca label debut here to great success.
Earlier in his career Álvarez took on the lyrical Verdi roles of the Duke in Rigoletto and Alfredo in La Traviata on stage and in a previous CD, Bel Canto.
New Repertoire
Now, as his distinctive voice matures, he has moved into the more demanding lyrico-spinto repertoire. His voice has become more powerful and heroic without losing any of its innate sweetness. The beauty of the voice is supported by impeccable technique, dynamics, and elegance, and his passion and love of the music shine through in every note.
Álvarez has already performed Luisa Miller's Rodolfo, Un Ballo in Maschera's Riccardo, and Il Trovatore's Manrico on stage, and several of the other roles sampled on this CD lie in his performance future. Here, he acts with his voice, presenting a vivid personification of some of Verdi's greatest roles.
Excerpts from 10 Operas
The generous 18 tracks include, in addition to the Luisa Miller, Trovatore, and Ballo scenes, excerpts from Aida, La Forza del Destino, I Lombardi, Ernani, Don Carlo, Macbeth, and Otello. The selections demonstrate the depth of his passion and versatility.
As Radames, Álvarez sings the words "celeste Aida" with exquisite tenderness; then the aria builds to a smashing climax. He begins the love song "Ah! Si, ben mio" from Trovatore with delicate piano, demonstrating unequivocally the appropriateness of a lyric voice to the role of Manrico. He repeats the stretta, "Di quella pira," and ends "All'armi" on a high note that is astonishing not only for how long it is held but for how perfectly and unwaveringly the beauty of the note is sustained.
In "Quando le sere al placido" from Luisa Miller, he puts into three words, "Ah! . . .mi tradia," all the pain and sorrow one could imagine from the betrayed hero. His bitterness and despair echo through the end of the scene.
In the Ballo excerpts Álvarez offers us the cheerful Riccardo, hopelessly in love with his best friend's wife. In the Forza selections, we hear Don Alvaro's story told with sensitivity and a thrilling tone.
Dramatic Excerpts
Again, Álvarez's versatility shines from the brilliance of Ernani's buoyant cabaletta, "O tu che l'alma adora" to the lovely waltz-tempo "La mia letizia infondere" from I Lombardi, to the sorrow and loss of "lo l'ho perduto" from Don Carlo and the heartfelt remorse of Macduff's "O figli, o figli miei!" from Macbeth, to the drama of the ultimate tenor role in Otello. In the latter, his voice seems to darken in tone. At the end, he sings "Ah, un'altro bacio," among the most heartbreaking words in all opera, with breathtaking sorrow and tenderness.
The conducting by Daniel Oren is bright and respectful to the music and the singer throughout.
Álvarez does honor to the great composer's gift, while Verdi's music is the perfect expression for this artist's glorious voice.
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