Appearing on the verge of the bicentennial celebration of Giuseppe Verdi's birth, Rolando Villazón's 2012 collection of opera arias and vocal selections is a fitting tribute that also serves as a practical introduction to the composer's music for tenor. Villazón owes a great deal to Verdi, since his performances in La Traviata, Rigoletto, and Don Carlo helped launch his career, though his return to singing after recovering from throat surgery is itself a worthy cause for celebrating with this special appreciation of Verdi's ...
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Appearing on the verge of the bicentennial celebration of Giuseppe Verdi's birth, Rolando Villazón's 2012 collection of opera arias and vocal selections is a fitting tribute that also serves as a practical introduction to the composer's music for tenor. Villazón owes a great deal to Verdi, since his performances in La Traviata, Rigoletto, and Don Carlo helped launch his career, though his return to singing after recovering from throat surgery is itself a worthy cause for celebrating with this special appreciation of Verdi's music. Villazón's voice is clear and strong, with no signs of uncertainty or strain, and his expressions of ardor and intensity are balanced by smooth phrasing and subtle charm. Backed by the Orchestra Teatro Regio Torino, conducted by Gianandrea Noseda, Villazón presents a varied program that spans the years between 1838 and 1893, from "Ciel, che feci!...Ciel pietoso," from Verdi's first opera, Oberto, to "Dal labbro il canto estasiato vola," excerpted from Falstaff, the final...
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