Hao Jiang Tian is a true basso cantante with a handsome voice of considerable depth and an intelligent way with text. Here he assays many favorite bass arias, and he’s up against great competition, from Chaliapin through Ramey, not to mention Ghiaurov and Christoff–and he doesn’t come off very well. His diction and musicianship are as worthy as any of the others, but he tends to be literal: rarely does he use rubato for expression, and he tends to sing at mezzo-forte or louder. Because of the dynamic sameness and the singer’s inability to stretch the music expressively, a listener would be hard pressed to feel for Hao’s King Philip despite the fact that the aria is well sung. Banquo’s aria lacks foreboding; “Il lacerato spirito” is not the searing experience it should be; and although Hao’s Faust Serenade is nuanced somewhat better, it still lacks any real snideness. “La calunnia” is sung with fine breadth, but the Count’s little aria from La sonnambula is as dull as dirt and should have included the cabaletta.
Notably, the two most effective selections on the CD are the least recorded: an aria from Le Cid, and Alvise’s aria from La Gioconda, both of which seem suffused with an energy not used elsewhere. It’s a pity–Hao’s sound is rich and velvety and has an interesting buzz. Perhaps part of the issue is Alexander Rahbari’s accompaniments: they are too are literal and lack drama, even though they’re well played.
