Verismo [DVD Audio]

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The thirtysomething Argentinian tenor José Cura has been making quite a name for himself, and he is nothing if not controversial. His appeal is undeniable: matinee-idol good looks, a big, interesting, healthy, dark voice, great musical intelligence, and a gift for communication. But he is often badly prepared on stage and was recently severely booed at opera's mecca, La Scala. His last recording, in which he played Samson, found the top of his voice in tentative shape. But if the remarkable work here is indicative of what he can do, let's just hope that he stays on track. The disc opens, very unconventionally, with the Pagliacci "Prologue"--an aria for baritone! Cura sings it with great feeling and a truly burnished tone--indeed, he sounds like a baritone with easy top notes. But it is his tenorizing that is truly fine here. A series of arias by Mascagni, from the little-known Lodoletta to Cavalleria Rusticana (a truly sensitive reading of Turiddu's plea to his mother) is superb, well-nuanced, and richly told. The "Improvviso" from Andrea Chenier is simply magnificent, which makes one wonder why his phrasing is so choppy in the same character's final act aria, "Com'e un bel di di maggio." This brings up another issue: Cura is also the conductor here. Granted, this makes certain that he'll be singing precisely as he pleases, but more often than not, a conductorial voice is different from--and complementary to--the singer. Cura's judgment calls can be off, as they are in this second Chenier solo. But the singing's the thing, and Cura proves himself again and again--the Adriana, L'Arlesianna, and Fedora arias are also exhilarating. This is a major release, and tenor lovers will enjoy the singing as much as they will the unusual program. --Robert Levine