Various Composers - Popular Tenor Opera Arias [Alagna/ Armstrong-The London Philharmonic]I bought this disc in the mid nineties when it first came out, it was one of the very first Opera Aria discs i ever bought, i was new to the medium, and it made an impression on me, and even though i don't listen to this disc as much as in the early days, it still gets wheeled out now and again, and i enjoy the experience.
I have quite an aversion to listening to full Operas, but a bunch of the best bits called Arias are fun, also i have developed a real love for female Opera singers, but the male counterparts not so much, i think Opera Composers [mostly men], gave their best songs to the ladies, men have a greater tendency to be the scoundrels of the Opera.
Roberto Alagna is a superstar Tenor, born in France in 1963, he is now 47 years old, he made this recording in 1995, the booklet is a fairly basic visual shot [by Sheila Rock], this i believe was Alagna's introductory recording, showing off his voice in a bunch of famous Arias.
I like these compilation discs, there's usually a nice variety of Arias, lots of different styles to enjoy, on this listen i liked tracks 3-4, 7 & 10, and especially track 3 'Pourquoi me reveiller?' from Massenet's Werther, it's a gentle yet sad lament, with low sad strings, and a harp motoring quietly in the background, while Werther / Alagna sings,
Why awaken me, o breath of spring?
Why awaken me?
After the first verse / chorus, the quiet harp motors up a slight notch, and the beautiful sweet high violins come in [1:37+], and the second verse starts,
Tomorrow, into the valley, will come the traveller
remembering my former glory
There's just a deep sadness in these words, Werther knows he's lost the love of his life [Charlotte], words and music are touchingly executed, the Aria only lasts 3 minutes, and yet it's packed full of emotion, there's an Aria on this disc for every mood and feeling.
Here's Jonas Kaufmann singing the Massenet Arias 'Pourquoi me reveiller?' on YouTube, from the Opera Werther.
