RUTH ANN SWENSON, WITH JULIUS RUDEL AND THE LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA; "Con Amore: Italian Opera Arias" (EMI Classics) ****
It seems that you just can't get enough of Ruth Ann Swenson's voice — no matter how much you hear her sing, you always want more. And this album of Italian opera arias is made to order for just such an enamored listener — you can play it over and over again and never get tired of it.
Swenson has without question one of the loveliest sopranos in opera today. Her coloratura is crystal clear and brilliant, but it's also well-modulated, powerful and remarkably full-bodied. She is a worthy successor to Joan Sutherland and the obvious heir apparent to Kiri Te Kanawa. There are few sopranos of the younger generation in the world of opera who can match the beauty of Swenson's voice.
The 14 selections on this album allow Swenson to show off the depth and expressiveness of her voice, and also her sparkling coloratura.
On the one hand is her electrifying performance of "Sempre libera" from "La Traviata." On the other is her subliminal interpretation of the incomparably beautiful "Ave Maria" from "Otello." And between these two are her delightful renditions of "Caro nome" from "Rigoletto" and "Mi chiamano Mimi" from "La Bohme."
Swenson is also breathtaking in the sweetly enticing "O mio babbino caro" from "Gianni Schicchi," one of Te Kanawa's signature arias.
KIM CRISWELL, AUDRA MCDONALD AND THOMAS HAMPSON, WITH LONDON VOICES AND THE BIRMINGHAM CONTEMPORARY MUSIC GROUP CONDUCTED BY SIMON RATTLE; Leonard Bernstein, "Wonderful Town" (EMI Classics) ***
"Wonderful Town" isn't one of Leonard Bernstein's more popular stage works, although it was quite successful when it opened in New York in 1953, running for a total of 559 performances. There are a lot of charming and witty numbers in this musical, and all are catchy and hummable tunes.
The cast in this new recording is great, and the leads especially are fantastic. The two sisters, Ruth and Eileen, are played by Kim Criswell and Audra McDonald, respectively. Criswell's voice is rich and sultry, and it's offset nicely by McDonald's brighter and more lyrical voice.
Opera singer Thomas Hampson does a good job in the role of Robert Baker. Hampson is an astonishingly versatile singer, who apparently is as comfortable singing musical theater as he is singing opera. He doesn't over-sing his part here, and he never dominates the other artists. There is, in fact, an excellent balance among the voices.
The real surprise, however, is conductor Simon Rattle. The longtime music director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and the newly appointed chief of the Berlin Philharmonic, Rattle puts a lot of swing and bounce into the score and gets a loose-limbed and genial performance out of his singers and band.
You can reach Edward Reichel by e-mail at ereichel@desnews.com