With grand self-confidence and having an apparently great time, the French-Sicilian tenor Roberto Alagna here presents a generous program of arias and songs taped live over the course of a pair of evenings in Paris in 2001. In tux and frilly shirt, mane flowing, Alagna tears into aria after aria with liberal expanses of volume, oddly beginning with Don Giovanni’s “Deh vieni alla finestra”, which he sings with charm and seductive power, the aria sitting remarkably well for him considering it’s composed for bass-baritone. He phrases tellingly but doesn’t vary his volume enough, and this remains a recurrent pair of traits throughout the recital.
Rossini’s “La danza” is deliciously put across, with plenty of verve and somewhat lighter tone than the remainder of the selections. “Non piangere Liu” is handsomely rendered, but with a bit too much leather in the voice, and while it’s exciting, the tough approach can tire the listener. “Una furtiva lagrima”, here sung in an alternate, decorated version, is enchanting; the “Flower Song” varies between gentle, inward expression and outright belting. “Vesti la giubba” is spectacular in its rich feeling and big tone; conversely, Beppe’s little song, “O Columbina”, from Pagliacci, is sung in a charming half-voice.
Alagna gives off a truly visceral excitement and his enthusiasm, youth, fine tone, and long-breathed phrases are infectious. A bit more subtlety would be welcome, but the Paris audiences seem thrilled, and if you don’t listen to/watch this in one sitting, you’ll probably love it too. Production values are excellent, and Anton Guadagno leads the Lamoureux Orchestra well, with a nice interlude–the Meditation from Thaïs. Sound options are Dolby 5.1; Stereo PCM 2.0.
