French-Danish soprano Elsa Dreisig has built her latest recording around moments of prayer, supplication and reflection. It might sound heavy-going, but the overall effect is anything but; rather, one walks away feeling lighter, consoled by these moments of communion, and impressed by the range and interpretive skill of a singer still early in her career. Remarkably, Dreisig has only performed one of the roles represented on this album onstage (Lauretta, from Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi), a fact which belies the depth of feeling and nuance she brings to the 15 arias and two songs gathered here.

The best example of this is her take on Casta diva. While she’s by no means a classic Norma type, in voice or stage temperament, Dreisig brings an appropriate lunar beauty to this plea to the moon. It’s a deeply felt interpretation, and her vocal purity and dynamic control are commendable. Another aria that seems out of the soprano’s wheelhouse, but which she shows to great effect here, is Vissi d’arte. Although Dreisig doesn’t have the typical vocal lushness or heft one normally associates with Tosca, she imbues the piece with a stylistic intelligence and assured sense of dramatic pacing. Tosca’s anguish comes to the fore through subtle inflections of text and phrasing, Dreisig slowly ratcheting up the intensity. These qualities are also evident in La vergine degli angeli from Verdi’s La forza del destino, a highlight of the recording. Dreisig floats the long phrases with ease and displays an attractive shimmer in the voice which adds to the pathos of the piece.

Other highlights include an affecting Solveig’s Song, which she sings with a beautiful sincerity and simplicity of approach. This restraint is characteristic of Dreisig, who tackles the ravishing Song to the Moon with a reserve and introspection that I’m not sure I’ve heard elsewhere. She’s in perfect partnership with conductor Massimo Zanetti and the Teatro Carlo Felice di Genova Orchestra here, who take a sprightlier tempo to allow Dreisig the opportunity to shape her lines in a manner befitting Dvořák’s lyrical writing. Their collaboration is also powerfully felt in Verdi’s Ave Maria, Zanetti creating a soft bed of sound for the soprano’s beautifully sustained lines and dramatic conviction.

While many of the featured arias are well known, there are rarities to be found on this recording too, including Extase, the second of Amy Beach’s Three Songs. A setting of a Victor Hugo sonnet, it’s a vivid depiction of a visit to the sea at nighttime, which Dreisig imbues with a sense of the ecstatic. Another discovery and a highlight is the aria Jeg beder for hver en vejfarende sjæl (I pray for every wandering soul) from the 1878 opera Drot og Marsk by Peter Heise (1830–1879), a tragedy based on historical events from the 13th century. Dreisig sings this lyrical aria with an exceptional vocal control, building it into an almost existential plea for compassion and humility. It’s a magical moment amidst many magical moments on this recording, and a wonderful showcase for a very impressive singer.

Listen on Apple Music

Title: Invocation
Works: Arias by Bellini, Verdi, Grieg et al.
Performers: Elsa Dreisig s, Orchestra dell’opera Carlo Felice Genova/Massimo Zanetti
Label: Warner Classics 2685409371