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Every now and then some
British/European/American guy will launch an album of pop classics
sung in Italian, amidst a whirlwind of marketing hype, and proclaim
himself the New Pavarotti. You know who they are, the blind lawyers,
ex-police chiefs and pastor-slash-music ministers (oops, wrong
genre!) that just about fooled everyone except opera lovers.
Fortunately, the immense popularity of these clowns has not dampened
the demand for ‘real’ opera superstars, and a few have risen above
the pecking order in the past years to lead the future generation of
Divas and Divos. This profile features some of these artistes, most
of who had only released at most two solo albums, even if they have
been singing for decades and had numerous parts in other
recordings.
The increasing popularity of crossover acts,
however, means that even the ‘straight’ classical recording industry
has to conform to market demands, at least to some extent. Hence,
singers yearning for recording contracts must not only have that
unique sound, but also the looks, personality and that ‘X factor’
that can capture a youth oriented culture. Luckily, musical gifts
are still principally important to classical recording moguls, for
it is to opera lovers that the following artistes sing for.
In the interest of objectivity, I have profiled
singers from a wide spectrum of genres ranging from traditional
Italian opera, to bel canto, to early music, even to TV contest
winners. It is my pleasure to bring attention to these promising
artists, the chosen ones to keep opera alive, and possibly even
entertaining!
 
First on the list is Anna Netrebko
(left). This lovely Russian lass made such a splash with her debut
CD last Christmas season that she threatened to steal the limelight
from Renee Fleming, who was celebrating her Christmas release with a
Greatest Hits package. Audiences all over the world (meaning Europe
and America) have been mesmerized by her sensual sound, kittenish
personality and a sultry looks. Discovered by artistic director
Valery Gergiev while scrubbing the floors of the Kirov Opera House,
this young lyric soprano has now sung in all the important opera
houses, including the Met. Her debut album is filled with excerpts
of lyric soprano staples; Mozart, bel canto, French arias and
La Boheme. The velvety tones in the voice conceal a steely center
that might suggest a future Tosca or Butterfly. Her record label DG
even commissioned a DVD of music videos from Vincent
Paterson, the director of the MTVs who has choreographed dance
sequences for Michael Jackson and Madonna, to capture her photogenic
presence on a more contemporary medium.
Presently, the promising upstart has undergone
a makeover for her sophomore CD to an image more befitting of an
opera superstar. Having recorded Russian and German parts in
full-length recordings, she seems eager to claim the standard
French/Italian parts in her solo albums. Whether she has the
ability to define her generation the way Joan Sutherland and Renee
Fleming had done remains to be seen. Still, the chance for her to do
just that is a distinct possibility!
Read more at
http://www.annanetrebko.com.
 Once
upon time in the year 2002, a desperate old tenor
called Luciano Pavarotti cancelled a gala performance of Tosca at
the Metropolitan Opera. A young tenor named Salvatore Licitra
(right) was flown in to replace him, and made his Met debut in front
of an audience disappointed by yet another cancellation from their
idol. The crowd went wild, the reviews were ecstatic, the record
moguls lined-up, and a new star was born!
Perhaps the hoity-toity crowd of the gala
industry were merely comforted to see another fat and hairy Italian
man who looks somewhat like Pav from afar. Nonetheless, Licitra is
no doubt a wunderkind of sorts. A protégé of La Scala’s
artistic director Riccardo Muti, he had studied for little more than
2 years before singing leading parts at the house. He also received
coaching from the legendary Franco Corelli. Both mentors were so
excited by his natural gifts, that Muti staged La Scala’s first
performance of Il Trovatore in 22 years specially for him. “This is
the first time La Scala will hear Il Trovatore,” the maestro told
his student, “I am trusting you!” Even the legendary Renata Tebaldi
was impressed to find “A real tenor who fills the hall!”
Licitra is firmly from the school of
traditional Italian opera. Whereas most singers these days are
dipping their toes in everything ranging from Mozart opera seria to
contemporary art songs, Licitra represents the dying breed of
Italian natives who’s bright, ringing sound and Italian temperament
perfectly suits the Verdi and Puccini roles that had been vacated by
Corelli and Pavarotti. Indeed, his voice, light and creamy in tone
yet heavy in its volume and depth, is like gulping down a glass of
undiluted Bailey’s (which will leave you suitably intoxicated). His
recent release of pop-duets with fellow tenor Marcello Alvarez was
neither appreciated by the opera-goers nor the cross-over crowd,
which goes to show that Italian opera is still very much his thing.
In contrast, his live recording of the afore-mentioned Il Trovatore
and DVD of Tosca (amazingly, Muti’s first effort on the piece) were
better received, despite criticism about his lack of acting ability.
Along with Roberto Alagna and singing partner Alverez (and some say
erm… Bocelli), Salvatore Licitra represents the future of
traditional Italian opera
Read
about Licitra at
http://www.salvatorelicitra.com/
 American
early music specialist Sophie Daneman (left) has to date released umm… not
a single albums. Nonetheless, I feel compelled to feature her after
witnessing her, ahem, Esplanade Debut with Les Arts Florrisants.
Those lovely curls (she had big hair then), flowing Lacroix gowns,
that radiant smile and that beautiful lyric soprano brightened up
what was a musically perfect but static performance. Her voice was
smooth, clear, and bright, like a cup of cold sugarcane on a hot
day.
Even though she
has yet to make a splash in the classical recording industry, she
hasn’t been idle either; having made numerous recordings, many with
Les Arts Florrisants, and has recorded leading parts in Handel’s
Rodelinda and Theodora, both matching her silvery tones with the
golden sounds of leading man Daniel Taylor. She was also featured in
numerous tracks in Ian Bostridge’s Noel Coward Songbook, which shows
off another side of her artistry. Go to the Amazon search page to
find sound clips and CDs of her recordings.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-form/103-9000435-9043866
http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/artist_page.asp?name=daneman
China has produced numerous big voices, many of which are acclaimed
in the Mainland but not anywhere else. They share the same qualities
of many of their Italian counterparts- that they are all voice and
no brain (I know…, that’s an unfair stereotype.). Nonetheless, China
has provided many singers capable of singing traditional Italian
Opera to these parts of the world where ang moh singers shun until
it’s nearly time to retire, like Kiri and Carreras did.
Till now, only a handful of Asians have made it
to the loftier Western standards. Korean Sumi Jo is the most famous
of course. Chinese Ying Huang created a lot of buzz in her movie
role of Madame Butterfly, but soon fizzled out. On another platform,
Filipino Lea Salonga is a big star on the musical scene and has
created the role of Miss Saigon. My ex singing teacher once
commented that for every famous recording superstar, there are at
least 10 who are just as good and deserving. Western record moguls,
swarmed with talent from their own cultures, obviously had not
thought of looking elsewhere for the next money-spinner.
 But
all that seems to be changing thanks possibly to increasing global
interest in China, Opera impresario Tibor Rudas, who produced many
of Pavarotti’s televised stadium concerts and the one to blame for
the Three Tenors mayhem, has unearthed this promising jewel and used
his substantial influence to produce this album featuring the
talented Yu Qiang Dai (left).
Compared to Licitra, the other singer who
specializes in traditional Italian opera, his voice has a darker
tone colour, and his singing is of a more lyrical, expressive
quality, sort of like expensive dark chocolate with sweet cherry
fillings, with just a tinge of brandy. His Italian diction needs
work, but despite not being a native Italian, he expresses well in
his numbers, colouring the phrases intently so that you can hear a
character singing.
At press time, this CD has just been released
and so word has yet to spread far. Even record label EMI Classics
has only produced a half-assed ‘homepage’ on their Switzerland
website (!). EMI Classics has even gone to undermine his ethnicity
by augmenting his name to fit western sensibilities (Dai Yu Qiang to
Yu Qiang Dai), like the many Asians working in the West has done.
But at least it’s the place to go to hear soundfiles of Asia’s
future in the international opera scene.
http://www.emiclassics.ch/xml/6/3252881/5577912.html
If there ever was a male version of Cecelia
Bartoli, Juan Diego Florez certainly fits the bill. When I bought
his first CD some time ago, I was captivated with excitement; this
bel canto specialist from Peru sings the most thrilling coloratura
with ease and aplomb, and adds his own high Cs where he deigns the
composers’ originals not challenging enough. His debut CD of
Rossini arias was an exercise in high-speed runs, trills and high
notes that had listeners clamouring for more. His follow-up of arias
from the other bel canto composers, Bellini and Donizetti,
showed off his extraordinary legato and matched the first in sales
and rave reviews. He’s handsome, slim, and a terrific singer. Just
about the perfect package for international superstardom!
http://www.deccaclassics.com/artists/florez/
 Finally,
here are two voices from the underdogs. Denise Leigh and Jane
Gilchrist are the joint winners of Operatunity, an Idol-style
singing contest organized by BBC Channel 4 and the English National
Opera. Each week, judges send contestants home until a winner is
left, but they changed their minds and picked two winners instead.
Denied the opportunity to persue music for a career, this pair has
proven the old adage of ‘better late than never’!
These two ‘working moms’ have since received
professional training from the experts at ENO and have even made
their operatic debuts sharing the role of Gilda in ENO’s production
of Rigoletto, in a performance that had set precedence in gaining
new audiences and television ratings. This album is thus the next
logical step, preceding a tour that included their Covent Garden
debut.
In choosing the right repertoire for both
ladies and hoping to please opera-neophytes whom the ladies have
converted, this CD is filled with lyric-soprano favourites that suit
their voices and are popular enough. The Lakme duet and Letter duet
from the Marriage of Figaro are just two of the three joint efforts,
and other faves like Casta Diva, Song to the Moon and O Mio Babbino
Caro are also included.
Thruthfully, I seriously doubt the longevity of
their career. Nonetheless, these two have at least impressed
audiences and important opera folk enough to have earned their place
in the spotlight, and they have also proven to struggling artists
everywhere that it is never too late to make your dreams come true.
I applaud them for it.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2799301.stm
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12.12.1998 © Chia Han-Leon
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