Anna Netrebko & Rolando Villazon: Duets

Given the triumph of Roberto Alagna and Angela Gheorghiu as a starry opera couple, DG is trying to do the same for Villazon and Netrebko (even though they aren't romatnically involved). Commercially, the venture should succeed; these are two attractive young singers. But the results here are mixed. The duet from La Boheme is sluggishly conducted, and although both singers inflect their parts sensitively, the whole effort is rather low in energy. I'm not so sure that their voices match, either, but what really doeesn't match is their temperaments. Neither seems to be lsitening to each other -- Villazon in particular is singing to the microphone without much regard for the dramatic meaning of his part.

Of course, the world is starving for starry young voices, so this is by no means a mediocre outing. Energy picks up in the Lucia duet, despite the noticeable wobble in Netrebko's silvery soprano. In terms of sheer vocalism, he sounds more secure than she does. However, one must call a spade a spade. These aren't two Golden Age voices, and to rank Villazon with Pavarotti or Domingo would be pure hype. Netrebko has glamour going for her, but none of the great lyric sopranos has anything to fear. I wish I could judge their musicality in a better setting, but Luisotti is little better than a time-beater on the podium.

It should be noted that both singers are quite terrible at pronouncing French. It's appealing to hear a zarzuela duet from Luisa Fernanda to tend the program -- it brings out the best in Netrebko, who has a feeling for quiet melancholy, like De los Angeles before her.

Ten years ago Alagna and Gheorghiu meade a more interesting duets albvum for EMI, and one of them -- Gheorghiu -- wnet on to become a genuinely great singer. I wonder if either of these singers has that kind of potential, which is very rare. They are certainly never less than quite good. I could easily have given this CD four stars if I didn't feel a bit ornery about commercial hype.