Marcello Giordani.(Sound Recording Review)

[] ARIAS by Rossini, Donizetti, Bellini, Pacini, Verdi and Mascagni. Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus of Bellini Theater, Catania, Mercurio. Texts and translations. Naxos 8.557269

Despite the dire pronouncements about the current dearth of post-Pavarotti tenors, there has been some free singing in recent recital recordings by Ramon Vargas, Marcelo Alvarez and Juan Diego Florez. After a terrific des Grieux in the Met's Manon, it seemed that Marcello Giordani might be the most finished artist of them all. The Met invited him back for the title roles in new productions of Il Pirata and Benvenuto Cellini, and this debut recital lives up to that earlier promise.

Giordani always gives the impression of having voice in reserve, for example in the way he is able to crescendo to the high A-flats of the Luisa Miller aria. He is a rare tenor whose voice does not close up when singing in French (the arias from Guillaume Tell and La Favorite are sung in the superior original), and in the flower song from Carmen he shows that he can sing in a manner simple, elegant and poised. There is room for more characterization: "Ah si, ben mio" from Il Trovatore really has the urgency of last words, and the Pirata aria has the swagger of the exotic outsider, but elsewhere it is evident that Giordani has sung few of these roles onstage. (And, of those, Pirata and Tell came after this recording was made.)

The one area of Giordani's performances that will really divide listeners is the full-throated, open approach to all high notes. Giordani's voice and musicianship are handsome indeed. But surely the same ringing, thrilling top ...