It was a revelation. I can’t exactly remember the first time I heard that wonderfully clear, clean tone, but it was unlike any voice I had heard before. For those of us swept up in the fervour of bringing ‘authenticity’ to early music, she was our standard-bearer; one who would liberate this music from what we perceived to be the sludge of indulgent romanticism. Our views may be a little more nuanced these days, but I suspect those who came to know her in their youth still hold a great deal of affection for Dame Emma Kirkby. Here is a golden opportunity to relive those heady days. Across 12 discs, we have Kirkby’s solo recordings for L’Oiseau-Lyre. Founded by Melbourne philanthropist, Louise Hanson Dyer, the label was one of the first to champion historically informed performances and was right on the money when it contracted Kirkby. Beginning in the late 70s there are some rather folksy programmes of Elizabethan songs, pastoral and amorous dialogues, accompanied by her long-time partner, Anthony Rooley. Duets with Judith Nelson follow and then a splendid Purcell recital revealing growing vocal and dramatic intensity. Such intensity is wonderfully deployed in her 1996 disc of Bach wedding…
August 14, 2015
Fresh from her triumphant Lucia, German diva Diana Damrau stays in Donizetti territory for her latest solo album, mixed up with some Bellini, Verdi and a couple of verismo numbers for good measure. The 43 year-old has established a glowing reputation in Europe and at New York’s Met where she has become a firm favourite. This collection shows us why. Damrau’s versatility is firmly to the fore in excerpts from Donizetti’s Rosmonda d’Inghliterra and Maria Stuarda, intercut by arias from Bellini’s I Puritani and La Sonnambula, before her applauded dramatic skills are given a workout in selections from Verdi’s I Masnadieri, La Traviata and Luisa Miller. Her vocal accuracy and agility are no better displayed than in Ah! Non giunge from La Sonnambula, but it is what she does with Verdi – and favourites from La Bohème and Pagliacci – which whet the appetite of this reviewer. This is a voice full of power and beauty across the entire range, but with the additional character and buoyancy necessary for the bel canto repertoire. Damrau gets strong support from mezzo Nicole Brandolino, tenor Piotr Beczała and her husband bass Nicolas Testé. The Orchestra Teatro Regio Torino under Gianandrea Noseda has all…
August 13, 2015
Fifty years ago, the idea of “The Five Countertenors” would have been Alfred Deller, John Whitworth, Russell Oberlin and, err… Even 30 years ago a quintet of such voices would have likely encapsulated half of the known suspects. Nowadays, however, the countertenor seems almost as common as the next voice-type, its superstars are fêted on world stages and their fans are becoming as opinionated as those of rival divas from way back when. The beauty of Decca’s latest recital disc, though, is not just the presence of five of today’s finest guys who sing high, it’s an opportunity to explore repertoire in a programme where most of us would probably only be familiar with the two Handel arias (and those not that common either). Comparisons are odious as they say so I’ll begin at the beginning with Romanian-born German countertenor Valer Sabadus (pictured above) who gets a couple of stonkers: Jommelli’s catchy Spezza lo stral piagato from Tito Manlio and a superbly dark, theatrically intense aria from Gluck’s Demetrio. His silky smooth voice is high (but not the highest here) and his tone deliciously plangent. The Catalan Xavier Sabata is probably the lowest voice and the finest dramatist in the…
August 13, 2015
Hosted by APRA AMCOS and the Australian Music Centre, the awards recognise excellence in new Australian music.
August 12, 2015
With nine new productions, three contemporary Aussie works, a Ring Cycle and Dame Julie – what’s not to like? Continue reading Get unlimited digital access from $4 per month Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log in
August 10, 2015
McVicar brews up an excellently cast comic cauldron of sex and social politics.
August 7, 2015
Festival Director Josephine Ridge’s final festival selection is headlined by Orwell’s dystopian masterpiece, 1984.
August 4, 2015
Distinguished Service to Australian Music Award recognises the composer for his major musical achievements.
August 4, 2015
Barrie Kosky ventures forth from Berlin to triumph at Glyndebourne.
July 31, 2015
Ahead of Opera Australia’s opening, the no-nonsense British director explains why Mozart matters. Continue reading Get unlimited digital access from $4 per month Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log in
July 30, 2015
The superstar tenor criticises his former label for deceptively undermining his new Puccini album on Sony.
July 28, 2015
The rehearsal diary of the Sydney-born mezzo, currently singing with the UK’s Grange Park Opera. Continue reading Get unlimited digital access from $4 per month Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log in
July 24, 2015