Viva Villazón!

Best of Rolando Villazón (CD; 57 m 30 s)
Live in Prague - Concert from Smetana Hall (DVD; 51 m)
Virgin Classics 504762-20
***** $$$

If you are new to the art of Mexican tenor Rolando Villazón, this combination CD-DVD set is the one to buy. The CD contains selections from all the recital discs he made when under contract to EMI/Virgin Classics. While the 35-year-old singer is still very much in his vocal prime, his hectic schedule and a tendency to give unstintingly have taken a toll on his voice, at least temporarily. A certain unreliability has crept into his singing, resulting in a 6-month hiatus in the latter part of 2007. (He resumed performing this January, as Werther at the Vienna State Opera, to cautiously good reviews). His Virgin Classics output dates from 2004-6, when his voice was in pristine shape. His Italian opera arias disc - my personal favourite - was recorded in 2004 with the late Marcello Viotti. Everything is sung with gorgeous tone, rock-solid technique and his trademark sense of drama. His ingratiating, darkish timbre recalls a young Plácido Domingo; his liberal use of mezza voce is an unalloyed pleasure. Also in this potpourri is the French album from a year later with Evelino Pidò, and a marvellous third disc of mixed repertoire under the baton of Michel Plasson. Everything has been previously issued except for "Donna non vidi mai" from Manon Lescaut, the Puccini Des Grieux role he has yet to sing onstage.

However beautiful Villazón's voice is, a substantial part of his magic is visual. A charming and irrepressible personality onstage and off, Villazón exudes an unbridled joy of singing that is infectious. You can get a glimpse of it in the concert from Prague, taped in November 2005. It was a relatively short concert of ten arias, all your usual chestnuts. In thrilling voice, he gave his all vocally and dramatically. He even took the trouble to learn a few words in Czech and had the local audience eating out of his hand. Let's hope he has completely recovered from what ailed him for the past year or so, as a tenor of his stature is hard to find. Highly recommended!

-Joseph K. So

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Donizetti: L'Elisir d'Amore

Chor und Orchester der Wiener Staatsoper; Alfred Eschwé, dir.
Anna Netrebko, Rolando Villazón, Leo Nucci, Ildebrando D'Arcangelo
Otto Schenk, production, Karina Fibich, réalisation
Virgin Classics 00946 363352 9 (DVD: 130 min)
***** $$$$

Captée sur le vif en avril 2005, cette production de l'Élixir d'amour est enlevante dans l'ensemble, mais brille surtout par la présence du couple qui nous a déjà donné une inoubliable Traviata. Anna Netrebko incarne une Adina mutine et fraîche qui sait néanmoins, le moment venu, montrer la sincérité de ses sentiments amoureux. La voix est belle et le jeu toujours nuancé prouve qu'il s'agit là d'une véritable cantatrice. Rolando Villazón démontre des qualités de comique, mais peut-être en fait-il trop par moments sans y croire; la candeur de son Nemorino ressemble à la longue à de la stupidité; on s'étonne alors que l'intelligente Adina puisse s'éprendre d'un tel benêt de village. Le charlatan Dulcamara est rendu par un D'Arcangelo en grande forme : son duo endiablé du deuxième acte avec Adina est l'un des meilleurs moments de la production. Seul le vétéran Leo Nucci (Belcore) semble en retrait autant par la voix que par une interprétation quelque peu guindée malgré une présence scénique indéniable. Le décor réaliste et les costumes dans les teintes pastel évoquent une contrée lumineuse et sans drame; orchestre et chef sont à l'écoute des chanteurs. Une réserve : la prise de son est lointaine dans plusieurs solos, y compris Una furtiva lagrima que Villazón a dû bisser.

-Alexandre Lazaridès

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Rolando Villazon Makes Successful Return to the Opera Stage

The opera community breathed a sign of relief last night (January 5, 2008). Star Mexican tenor Rolando Villazon made a triumphant and successful return to the operatic stage at the Vienna State Opera in Massenet's Werther. According to Associated Press's review, the audience started clapping right from the start and gave him an extended ovation at the end.

His return Saturday set the stage for huge expectations that were mostly -- but not completely -- met.

While wonderfully supple -- and surprisingly strong at times -- Villazon's voice was occasionally lost in the more powerful orchestral passages -- and it wasn't the fault of conductor Marco Armiliato.

Although he appeared to be hitting his high B's, it wasn't always apparent -- because when trying too hard to be heard, Villazon's lyric tenor just seemed to top out among all those potent brass passages of the second and third acts.

Villazon himself appeared to be less than completely satisfied. Miguel Perez, who described himself as a friend of Villazon from Barcelona, said the tenor told him between breaks that he was "very happy" with the first act but "not very happy with the second."

Villazon is considered a leading heir to the "Three Tenors" but took 6 months off from singing, leading to speculations that he was suffering from vocal trouble.

On the web:

• Check Opera Chic's blog for other comments.
• The Mostly Opera blog for a translation of post from a German forum which expressed reservations on Villazon's voice.