What do you want from a CD of baritone arias called “My mind is a volcano”? (Or “There is a volcano in my mind”–it may be idiomatic.) Is this a good thing, a bad thing, or a warning? At best, one would hope for a grand, imposing voice capable of bringing great volume and drama to arias like “Cortigiani!” from Rigoletto. Do we need a volcano singing Dr. Malatesta’s “Bella siccome un angelo” or “Sois immobile” from Guillaume Tell? Well, who’s to say–and what’s in a name anyway? Dopey marketing people.
The real problem here is that this 38-year-old Italian baritone, whose career is referred to as “budding”, really needs a series of master classes. Volcano or not, Gabriele Nani’s voice is pleasing and bright, with a remarkable, easy, and brilliant top. But he is unschooled: his legato is mostly non-existent, with long lines a series of notes without relation to one-another; his “Largo”–apparently a signature role for him–is brash and crude, with the few runs smudged. “Cortigiani” is both lightweight and yelled. Posa’s death scene, sung in French, has some change in dynamics and long breaths, but lacks finesse.
Ford’s “E sogno” from Falstaff has a good, startled attitude to it, but I can think of other baritones on disc who do true wonders with it (Robert Merrill being one). The baritone version of “Pourquoi me reveiller” is well sung, but it never quite sounds right anyway. I truly thought that Riccardo’s “Ah, per sempre” from Puritani would be Nani’s cup of tea, but he omits the cabaletta and sings the aria without longing or sweetness. “Bella siccome” sits handsomely for him and there’s nowhere to yell or stress–but even there he occasionally strays from pitch in mid-voice.
What to do? The sound throughout this recital is not the mahogany color one wants in a baritone. My thoughts? He’s probably a tenor with a bad teacher. Accompaniments are fine.
