Viva Villazón (incl. bonus DVD)

Rolando Villazon is a contemporary tenor. This CD (with an accompanying DVD of a live Prague concert) provides a sense of his craft. As such, listeners will find this a representative introduction to his work. In short, he compares favorably with his contemporaries.

A few examples from the CD. . . .

"Che Gelida Manina" from "La Boheme" is one of my favorite tenor pieces. Once upon a time, when I remembered the words, I'd sing this while driving along (a terrifying thought, I concede). Villazon shows us a smooth and attractive voice. He tends to steer clear of mannerisms (those catches and cries that distress me so much) for the most part (with some exceptions). It does seem that he "scooped" a note early on (if I properly understand the meaning of that term), but not a major problem. He hits the high note at "la speranza" well. Overall, a fine job--although not at the top of the class of tenors historically.
From Donizetti's "L'Elisir d'Amore," "Una Furtiva Lagrima." This is smoothly sung, a solid version of a well known aria. He shows the ability to sing at full volume without ugly sounds creeping into his voice.
"La Donna e Mobile," from Verdi's "Rigoletto." How does he play the rakish Duke of Mantua? He sings this aria well, showing a nice smooth vocal line. His final "pensier" is pretty well sung (but do I note some scooping?). He takes this piece at a quick pace and throws off his lines well.

Then, the classic "Recondita Armonia" from Verdi's "Tosca." What an aria! A voice of steel is handy here (think Corelli, Tucker, and so on). While Villazon does not quite have that type of voice, he acquits himself well, although some annoying mannerisms creep in. He shows enough power at the close to satisfy.

What of the DVD? This product gives a nice sense of his persona while singing. And it is an attractive presentation that he makes. . . . One of the songs that he sings is Rossini's "La Danza." This is a delightful song. It has some treacherous elements to it. Indeed, in the recording by the great Enrico Caruso that I once listened to, Caruso lost his breath at one point. However, Villazon does not fail! This version is great fun, and the tenor really seems to be enjoying himself. He is sure footed (or voiced?) in his singing.

From "La Traviata," "De Miei Bollenti Spiriti." He has a nice voice for this aria and sings it well, seeming to catch the character in the context of this aria. An occasional mannerism, but no problem. He has an attractive stage presentation. Overall, smoothly sung indeed.
So, how does Villazon perform? He is clearly one of the fine tenors of the current era. He does not have the dramatic voice of a Franco Corelli or Richard Tucker. But he handles the repertoire, in my humble view, better than such contemporaries as Licitra and Alvarez. At any rate, a solid CD and an enjoyable DVD.

This CD is SUPERB. I've played it over and over and haven't tired of it yet (if ever).

A "must have" item. Wonderful recital in Prague. Villazón is great not only for his well trained and powerful voice but for his charisma and the link he is able to create with the audience. If you love liric music, don't forget to add this item to your music library (consider any other Villazón product).

Although I haven't received the product yet, I have heard the CD and seen the video (part of the concert) He has a beautiful voice and uses it well. He is also a very good actor. Apart from that, he is a very nice person. It shows in all his concerts and operatic appearances.

Such a deal! A great CD and a DVD to boot. I enjoyed the singing on both.