Here is a 74-minute sampler from Chandos’ excellent Opera in English series. Tenor Dennis O’Neill features prominently in many excerpts and he’s a known quantity: excellent musicianship, brains, and an ability to distinguish characters vocally are matched with a healthy, robust tone that only turns harsh as the pitch and volume go too high. His Rodolfo in Boheme is warm and loving, his Canio and Turiddu are dangerous, Cavaradossi is introspective. Bruce Ford, one of the world’s most underrated tenors, is heard to great advantage as Almaviva in Rossini’s Barber, Lionel in Martha, and briefly as Samson to Diana Montague’s sultry Delilah. Jane Eaglen impresses as Tosca while Alan Opie does Figaro’s and Marcello’s music proud. John Tomlinson is a meaty Boris and Barry Banks makes a nice Ernesto in Don Pasquale. And there are other good performances as well. This is a nice collection, unique in its own way, and recommended.
