Barber fans will welcome this new recording of Vanessa, which joins an aging original-cast production from the 1950s, and a budget version on Naxos, as only the third recording made to date. It is an excellent performance that rivals the RCA original for artistic quality (and far surpasses it in clarity and richness of sound), and could easily be considered a first choice for those looking to acquaint themselves with Barber's unique approach to grand opera in English. Leonard Slatkin strikes an effective balance between ...
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Barber fans will welcome this new recording of Vanessa, which joins an aging original-cast production from the 1950s, and a budget version on Naxos, as only the third recording made to date. It is an excellent performance that rivals the RCA original for artistic quality (and far surpasses it in clarity and richness of sound), and could easily be considered a first choice for those looking to acquaint themselves with Barber's unique approach to grand opera in English. Leonard Slatkin strikes an effective balance between expansiveness and naturalism that emphasizes Barber's lyrical conception without overly distorting the language, which is no mean feat. For the most part, the text is comprehensible without relying on the printed text. The cast is terrific, Christine Brewer (as Vanessa) and William Burden (as Anatol) in particular. Brewer's gorgeous soprano changes color with the seasons as the opera unfolds, lending a sense of journey and awakening to Vanessa. Burden rises admirably to the interpretive...
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