The ending of Puccini’s “Turandot” is one of opera’s great tragedies. The composer, at the peak of his power, had composed his most musically daring work to date with some of his most phenomenal strokes of dramatic genius alongside some of his most riveting and enduring melodies. And yet, when he was ever so close to completing it, he hit {…}
Elina Garanca has steadily been moving to the dramatic mezzo-soprano repertoire as her career has developed. In this new solo album, the mezzo-soprano showcases what audiences will hopefully see in the future. “Revive,” the title Garanca has chosen for her album, is a mix of many popular tunes from the mezzo repertoire and some rarely heard. The result is an {…}
For any artist making his or her first solo album is a daunting task. Aside from the technical challenges of going into a studio and repeatedly re-recording tracks that will be spliced together in a manner far different from the spontaneity of live performance, but the repertoire selection can be a point of contention. It would not be surprising to {…}
When Puccini set out to write his “Manon Lescaut,” the composer drew attention to his “feeling it like an Italian, with a desperate passion.” Though the comment came in the context of his comparing it with Massenet’s own interpretation of the work, that idea of desperation has certainly played into numerous readings of the work. A look at the catalogue {…}