Title : Duetto: Marcelo Álvarez & Salvatore Licitra
Author : Sartori, Francesco
Release Date : 20030624
Binding : Audio CD
Regular Price : $18.98
Amazon.com Price : $13.99
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Editorial Reviews : The Italian Salvatore Licitra and the Argentinian Marcelo Alvarez are, arguably the two most exciting, promising (they're in their 30s), big-voiced, bread-and-butter (or steak-and-potatoes) 'Italian' tenors around. Yhey have proved themselves on the stages of the great opera houses of the world and on recordings. This CD is designed to present them to a wider audience--it is clearly meant to appeal to Three Tenors and Andrea Bocelli fans. And, in fact, it succeeds. These guys have glorious voices: Licitra's is darker and somewhat heavier than Alvarez's, but the latter's shine is irresistible; one might compare them to Domingo and Pavarotti, respectively, to make that point. Neither has any problem throughout his entire range; each has big, secure top notes, and there's an innate musical intelligence at work at all times. Opera fans will relish the fantastic singing--listening to them trade high B naturals in the CD's third song, 'Odissea,' is thrilling--but will probably be disappointed by the music. It's soupily arranged, sentimental background drivel with catchy melodies (parts of 'Salut demeure' from Gounod's Faust show up in something called 'Son gli occhi tuoi,' complete with a stellar high C from Alvarez), and even the gorgeous duet from Bizet's Les Pęcheurs de Perles (one of two 'classical' pieces on the CD, if one doesn't count an instrumental piece by Bach to which trite lyrics have been added) has been re-arranged to include a tinny chorus, when singing it as written would have been a magnificent treat. Their voices are bathed in a phony-pop glow which will please the Bocelli market while continuing to horrify purists. Yet it is impossible not to be bowled over by the singing--a few off-pitch-at-low-volume moments and a mess of a 'Je crois entendre encore' aside. In short, two high-power, world-class operatic tenors in their prime, singing, for the most part, music in which the treacle level is obnoxiously--even dangerously--high. --Robert Levine
Buyer Reviews : This is garbage. If you want to hear pop music, buy Andrea Bocelli's albums. At lease Bocelli has the appropriate 'voice' for the style. I am not fond of Licitra. I believe he will be gone in a couple of years. But, Marcelo, come on! What are you trying to do? Isn't a full schedule and a great deal with CAMI enough to keep you happy? And, no, you are not handsome. From far away, on the stage, you may be able to trick some older ladies. But if you think you can create for yourself a latin lover image, forget about it. Teenage girls still like the backstreet boys. Marcelo go back to il duca and forget about recording albums singing like you never were taught, along with overrated mediocrities.
