I leave it to my colleague Bob Levine to assess the finer qualities of newest tenor sensation Vittorio Grigolo as an opera singer (type Q13041 in Search Reviews); I come to this major-label debut recording simply as a singer who has heard (and sometimes written about) the major-label debut of nearly every “newest tenor sensation” over the last 25 or so years, and who, like most fans of singing, has his own very definite preferences and prejudices.
Whatever the meaning of the label “THE Italian Tenor”, one thing is certain: Vittorio Grigolo is deserving of serious attention from anyone who cares about and loves the operatic tenor voice and beautiful, sensitive, tasteful, musical, technically solid, expansively expressive–as in big-hearted–singing. Here is a young singer who brings the elements of heart, soul, and mind together in thrilling, captivating harmony, instilling beloved and often belabored arias such as Una furtiva lagrima, Che gelida manina, and E lucevan le stelle with luminous, rich-toned personality–these aren’t just arias but utterances from a real feeling person who happens to have vocal chops like we haven’t heard in quite a while, especially from an Italian singer.
I never was a fan of Pavarotti–the spread, tension-forged tone possessed a too-bright, hard edge that I just never found appealing. Grigolo, who has something of a claim to Pavarotti’s legacy–Pavarotti himself endorsed and predicted the young tenor’s future as “Vittorio Primo!”–may remind you at first of a young version of the late legend–albeit technically freer and more facile and tonally alluring. And indeed, if you listen carefully, you hear a similar brightness and strength, a Pavarottian (Italian?) edge in the timbre–but its ultimate expression is realized with an altogether different, more musical, character-centric placement of the ego. Yes, Grigolo is very much front and center–and why not?–but even in these out-of-context arias he affectingly draws us into the emotional core of each setting. In the end you will just be enchanted, captivated, maybe even bedazzled by the sheer freshness and joy and vigor of the singing. (Be sure to take note of your emotional response to the conclusion of the opening aria Quando le sere al placido–you’ll be back for more; indeed, you’ll marvel over and over at Grigolo’s masterful control and shaping of every phrase- and aria ending.)
After years of being less than impressed by promising yet ultimately disappointing aspirants to the throne of world tenorial supremacy, I really believe that here is one who–provided he chooses his roles wisely and guards his most precious asset with his life–could become not only the “Primo” proclaimed by Pavarotti, but one whose voice could be “il più bello” among operatic tenors of the coming decades. Bravo–and buona fortuna! [10/28/2010]
