Octo_Russ

Various Composers - Baritone Opera Arias [Skovhus/Conlon-English National Opera Orchestra]

Here's another Opera Aria recital, just last week i was talking about Roberto Alagna [20th November 2010], these Opera Aria discs take a bit more concentration to listen to, instead of just playing a disc and doing something else at the same time, you have to stop and listen, because it's full of vocals, usually in a foreign language, you have to keep track of what is being sung, for that reason i need a bit more 'quiet time' to listen to Opera, and some of these discs have had a tendency to be cast aside somewhat, also several years ago i went on an Opera Aria disc binge, now i'm looking at a few of the rash buys, and sorting quality from quantity, and thinning out these discs.

Bo Skovhus is Danish, born in 1962, he recorded this disc in 1997, i like the booklet cover [photo by Stephen Danelian], a nice stance / pose, lit from the left, probably from a window maybe, a nice soft light, creating soft shadows on the floor, and it's that door behind Skovhus, a nice brown / orange glow to it, very well done.

On this disc i find that Skovhus sings too much from Thomas's Hamlet [4 arias], he could of had a greater mix here, i enjoyed tracks 2, 7 & 9 the most, with the Britten aria from Billy Budd being especially meaningful, it's a touching scene, Billy Budd is condemned to die by hanging, he 'accidently' killed another shipmate [probably termed as manslaughter], and he mourns his life on his last day, but he is strong and has a positive outlook, it starts off on doleful and mournful low strings [0:00+], almost a solemn funeral march, but it's interrupted by the naval piping of the piccolo [0:10+], and it's this constant piping, that interrupts at the end of almost every verse that Billy Budd sings, and it's this wonderful touch that makes the aria, and Britten is so skillful at using a musical idee fixe to create drama and conjure up atmosphere, a satisfying repetition to things, it's for me the moment of moments in this aria, and makes me want to discover some more Britten gems, Billy mourns his last day, very early in the morning as the moon still shines,

Look!, through the port comes the moon shine astray!

It tips the guard's cutlass and silvers this nook

But 'twill die in the dawning of Billy's last day

Ay, ay, all is up, and i must up too

the words are sung in a resigned tone, as he thinks on his death and how it will all unfold, but the second half of the aria Billy thinks on more happier times [5:47+], his life at sea, and how many wonderful things it has brought him, and ends with a contentment and strength, and even a hope beyond death, both parts of the aria end on a very low note from the double bass, it's a poignant aria, full of sadness, perfectly created and caught by Britten, and Bo Skovhus sings it so well, he has acted / sung the part of Billy Budd on stage, you wouldn't think he was Danish from his singing.

Here's Dwayne Croft singing the first half of the aria on YouTube.