Previously, Vesselina Kasarova has proved herself on CD in lighter fare, in operas by Mozart, Rossini, and Bellini. Here we get another side–or another angle–of her voice and interpretive talents, and the results are quite good. Almost all of the music she’s chosen for this recital was composed about 75 years later than that of the three composers mentioned above, and it requires a bigger, broader sound and a more dramatic approach. Without forcing what sounds to be a not-particularly-large instrument (she is no Cossotto, Verrett, or Horne; the voice appears to be about the heft of von Stade’s) she makes marvelous effects–and her palette of colors is impressive. The rich, creamy sound is very imposing near the bottom of its range (rarely the case with mezzos nowadays, Ewa Podles notwithstanding) and she gets to show it off here.
The program is varied: We get Urbain’s playful, charming aria from Les Huguenots, followed by Fides’ pitiful plea from Le Prophete. Sapho’s suicidal lament changes mood again (and makes a good case for the entire role) and Dido’s farewell from Les Troyens offers more, very moving grief–all beautifully portrayed. And so it continues with six more selections, some quite rare and welcome (an aria from Gounod’s Cinq-Mars), others familiar but well-enough done to sound newly minted (Dalila’s Act 2 aria). This CD lets us know that there’s even more to Kasarova than bel canto. Despite slightly too many “down-tempo” selections, it’s a fine release, highly recommended. [4/20/2002]
