Title : Arias for Farinelli
Author : Nicola Antonio Porpora
Release Date : 20020910
Binding : Audio CD
Regular Price : $17.98
Amazon.com Price : $13.95
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Editorial Reviews : 'Farinelli' was the stage name for the greatest castrato--and arguably the greatest singer--of his era, the 1720s and '30s (he inspired the film of the same name ). His range was enormous--three octaves, by some reports--with a deep, resonant chest voice that was perfectly wedded to strong, sweet high notes. His breath control seemed superhuman, his ability to execute florid runs at high speeds astounded the audience, and he could leap from one octave to another as naturally and easily as most people could speak. On this CD, the fine countertenor-conductor-musicologist Rene Jacobs leads a historically correct band in eight (almost forgotten) virtuoso arias Farinelli was famous for, and the Alaskan mezzo-soprano Vivica Genaux sings them stupendously. Her voice is warm and rich, and her ability to keep rhythmically and tonally accurate while carrying out almost impossible, dozens-of-notes-per-minute roulades will take your breath away. She's just as impressive in the gentler, long-breathed arias. If you've ever admired Marilyn Horne, Cecilia Bartoli, Joan Sutherland, and other bel canto superstars, this disc is perfect for you. Thrilling!
Buyer Reviews : Vivica Genaux is a very promising young American mezzo. She certainly has done justice to the very challenging Arias on this CD. And Rene Jacobs' style in Broque music is ever tasteful. However, this CD is not perfect. Ms. Genaux's low notes are not as warm as that of a contralto - Farinelli had a vast range and many arias demanded a somewhat low tessutura in main, especially in the coloratura parts. Ewa Podles, the Polish contralto would be a good substitute to a castrato as far as range is concerned but her voice would be too coarse and stylistically too inclined to Romantic Music (too Rossinian?) by Mr. Jacob's standard. Ms. Podles also seems to have better command over roller-coaster coloraturas and give them extra colors (I wish Ms. Genaux had tried this when executing 'Quell'usignolo'). Of course, Ms. Genaux's voice will darken with age.
For those who are on the quest for the perfect voice i.e., that of Castrato's, I suggest not to seek it in male sopranos (sopranists) or even countertenors. Many sopranists recorded Farinelli's arias (Mr. Anglea Manzotti and Mr. Aris Christofellis just to name a couple), but they sound dreadful, after painfully finishing all the trills then, beathing heavily before giving a few screeching shrills at the end - more like giving birth than a nightingale (perhaps, likely, one bitten by a snake). Unless, one listens to them for the novelty of it as I occasionally do. Just as Mr. Jacob's put it, a certain public's interest in 'hermaphroditic' voice. David Daniels is an excellent singer but his prowess cannot challenge Marylin Horne or Ewa Podles. Then again, the latter two whose voices lack the sweetness of youth, sound still more like dames. Nil desperandum! I have not yet mentioned boy sopranos. Bejun Mehta, who is a countertenor now, was a boy soprano who had an flawless voice and the technique to do it justice. If Mr. Mehta were castrated (do forgive me for such cruel balderdash) he would have been 'Farinelli'. At the age of 13, young Mehta's voice had an even tone througout the entire range. Moreover, with breath-taking emotion, coloratura, perfect crescento and diminuento, there is certainly nothing boyish in his singing. His voice eventually broke.
P.S., the CD sound track from the movie 'Farinelli' does not contain the aria 'Qual guerriero in campo armato', and the singing lacks authenticity despite of its boasted 'technology enhancement' - it IS nearly perfect when two voices devide the upper and lower ranges of an aria but the ease is simply too artificial and gives no intrinsinc value of the art of singing. I would prefer the most dreadful voice of a male soprano to 'switch on Bach'.
