One viable definition of the word “joy” might be hearing Teresa Berganza sing. The voice itself was stunningly beautiful, the phrasing and approach fully idiomatic for her chosen roles. In everything she sang you could sense a complete artist fully enjoying what she was doing, the result of which was one of those rare love affairs between singer and audience. And the lovefest came from the kind of artistic communication that went from the heart of the singer to the hearts of the audience, unmediated by PR hype, shameless mugging, or self-regarding pretentiousness. Best of all for those who missed seeing Berganza in opera or recital, she was quite phonogenic, with more of her magic emanating from the speakers than many of her peers could muster.
This entry in Decca’s The Singers series plays to her strengths–Mozart and Rossini arias separated by Granados’ “La maja dolorosa”. The disc opens with Cherubino’s “Non so piú” and “Voi che sapete” from Marriage of Figaro, delivered with zest and charm in contrast to the breathless panting that characterizes many performances by other singers. In a stunning “Parto, parto” from La Clemenza di Tito, Berganza captures Sextus’ plight and also demonstrates the richness of her voice, from top to bottom. The concert aria “Non temere, amato bene” K. 505 and Cosi fan tutti’s “Come Scoglio” are stunning too, with brilliant coloratura flashes. The Granados songs are lovingly done, clearing the palette for five arias by Rossini’s spunky heroines, any one of which, in Berganza’s renditions, would be desert island material. “Una voce poco fa” from Barber of Seville has been done so often by so many singers, but rarely with such delightful charm and grace. Her florid singing in Semiramide’s “Bel raggio” is thrilling, and she sparkles in two arias from L’italiana in Algeri–it’s impossible to keep from smiling with pleasure when she sings her repeated “guarda, guarda” line from “Per lui che adoro.”
But why go on? There isn’t a weak track on the disc. Even these days, when terrific mezzos seem to be everywhere, Berganza’s vintage recordings remain the gold standard. The accompaniments–Mozart with John Pritchard leading the London Symphony, Rossini with the LSO and Alexander Gibson, Granados with Felix Lavilla at the piano–are all fine. The Rossini was recorded in 1959, the Mozart in 1963, when Berganza was in her youthful prime and Decca’s engineering was among the best in the business. The Granados dates from 1975, the voice retaining its beauty and suppleness. This disc is a treasure! [12/15/2001]
