Alex 2011

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Alex 2011

Alex's Favourites for 2011

	ANNA NETREBKO - LIVE AT THE MET I must admit that I was rather excited when I first heard this CD! Taken from Anna Netrebko’s highlight performances at the Met since her debut there in 2002, it’s easy to understand her immense success as one of today’s leading sopranos. The emotional depth of her voice is showcased in the Gounod and Puccini excerpts, and, as demonstrated by her interpretation of Norina in Don Pasquale, she is equally at home playing comedic roles. Netrebko’s luscious reading of ‘Vedrai Carino’ from Mozart’s Don Giovanni is a personal favourite. Usually the domain of a much lighter lyric soprano, Netrebko brings a strength and warmth to this gorgeous aria of Zerlina’s.
	DON GIOVANNI Much to the delight of this particular opera fanatic, this classic 1996 recording of Mozart’s Don Giovanni has been re-released as part of a budget collection on the Decca label. Bryn Terfel positively shines as the licentious title character, and Renee Fleming gives a beautiful and heart-rending performance as the noble Donna Anna. If you don’t own it already, this is a must purchase for any opera collection.
	DON PASQUALE -THE MET DVD As many of you well know, the Metropolitan Opera broadcasts in cinemas are fantastically lavish, and of the absolute highest quality. This particular production of Donizetti’s comedy ‘Don Pasquale’ is one of my personal favourites from the last season, starring the inimitable Anna Netrebko as Norina. She brings so much vibrancy, energy and intelligence to the role, and her performance is a treat from start to finish. One of the most magical moments occurs in the last act when Norina and Ernesto sing to each other the duet ‘Tornami a dir che m’ami’ (Tell me again that you love me). This, in my opinion, is some of Donizetti’s most heart-warming music.
	ENSEMBLE LIAISON Ensemble Liaison is one of Australia’s leading chamber music ensembles, and their debut recording for the Tall Poppies label perfectly illustrates why. Presenting a program of works by the three great ‘B’s’ – Beethoven, Brahms and Bruch – the trio demonstrates a finesse and unity to rival that of any international chamber ensemble. The Brahms A minor trio is, for me, the jewel in this crown. Ensemble Liaison captures the ardour and spirit of this work, no more so than in the enchanting Adagio movement.
	IL CARO SASSONE Soprano Lucy Crowe possesses a voice of incredible beauty. She lends her warm, luscious tone to this collection of Handel arias composed in London from 1706 – 1710 with great intelligence and sensitivity. What sets this recording apart from the many other Handel recordings on the market is Crowe’s depth of expression and the full, open quality of her soprano, most particularly in her upper register. Listen out for her delicate and heartfelt reading of ‘Lascia la spina’. I can’t wait to discover more recordings from this gorgeous singer!
	CAMILLE - ILO VEYOU Camille’s 2005 album ‘Le Fil’ has long been a favourite of mine, but her recent ‘Music Hole’ was somewhat lost on me. ‘Ilo veyou’ marks a stunning return to form, with all the quirks and moments of tenderness that defined ‘Le Fil’. Camille has an extraordinary ability to create complex and complete music using just the human voice, perfectly exemplified in the delightfully quirky ‘Bubble lady’. Like Zaz, Camille also pays tribute to Piaf, instead by way of a comical parody in ‘La France’.
	KATE ROYAL - LESSON IN LOVE Together with Malcolm Martineau, British lyric soprano Kate Royal has created a song cycle depicting a young girl’s tumultuous relationship by compiling a thematic collection of German, French and English Art Songs. Rather than a tenuously linked fruit salad concoction, the repertoire is beautifully and carefully chosen, showcasing Royal’s voluptuous, golden tone. This is her third recording for the EMI label, and her voice has blossomed with a regality reminiscent of a young Kiri Te Kanawa or Renee Fleming. worth particular mention is Royal’s interpretation of Schubert’s oft-recorded ‘Gretchen am spinnrade’. She approaches this song with aplomb and feeds the climax with a youthful passion.
	THE ROMANTIC VIOLINIST - A CELEBRATION OF JOSEPH JOACHIM Young British violinist Daniel Hope is quickly making his name as one of the worlds’ leading soloists, and this latest recording for Deutsche Grammophon exemplifies his versatility and supreme musicianship. As the title suggests this is a tribute to the repertoire of great violinist Joseph Joachim, the centrepiece being Bruch’s dazzling First Violin Concerto. Hope approaches the concerto with a burning passion, but maintains a sense of great thoughtfulness even during the most virtuosic passages. Another gem is the arrangement for violin and strings of Brahms’ Hungarian Dance No. 1. Here, Hope’s playing is a delicate as a string of pearls, without ever losing the gutsiness required when performing this Romantic repertoire.
	STABAT MATER - A TRIBUTE TO PERGOLESI You might notice a pattern is beginning to emerge here… I make no secret of the fact that I am a huge Anna Netrebko fan, and when I heard earlier in the year that she would be recording Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater I felt a glimmer of excitement, and I was not disappointed! Perhaps not one for the purists, Netrebko and Italian mezzo-soprano Marianna Pizzolato both possess warm, rich voices, and together add palpable sense of drama to this work. However, the highlight is not the Stabat Mater, but Netrebko’s glorious recording of Pergolesi’s little-known chamber cantata ‘Nel chiuso centro’. To quote a review from the April BBC Magazine, Netrebko’s performance is as ‘thrillingly passionate here as it is in Romantic opera’.
	ZAZ I was introduced to Zaz upon recommendation of one of our customers at Discurio. This recording has been on high rotation every since, and has been elevated to the status of favourite non-classical recording for 2011. Zaz is unlike other contemporary French songstresses such as Berry or Coralie Clemént in that her voice possesses a gravelly jazz-like quality, but her sound still maintains that quirky French essence nonetheless. Listen out for Zaz’s soulful cover of Edith Piaf’s ‘Dans ma rue’, where her dusky tones really evoke the romantic idea of the downtrodden and bohemian streets of Montmartre.