Of all the new tenors on the operatic scene, it is Mexico’s Rolando Villazón who offers the winning combination of vocal weight and beauty needed for both lyric and dramatic leads. Though the voice is not huge, it is strong, virile and fresh throughout the range. Capable of a glorious, unforced high C, the man possesses sufficient metal for the Italian leads of Puccini and Verdi as well as the elegance and subtlety of phrasing essential for portraying the romantic principals of French opera.
A graduate of the San Francisco Opera’s Merola Opera Program, Villazón first came to international attention in 1999 when he won second prize in Placido Domingo’s Operalia competition as well as the first prize for Zarzuela and the Prize of the Public. Making his European début in Genoa as the lead in Puccini’s Manon, he then appeared in Lyon and Rome as Rodolfo in La Bohéme. Performances in one of his signature roles, Alfredo in La Traviata, followed the same year.
San Francisco first heard Villazón as Alfredo last fall, shortly after he sang the part at his Met début opposite Renée Fleming. With his début recording of Italian arias named one of The New York Times’ ‘Best Classical CDs of 2004,’ the tenor looks forward to seven Salzburg Festival summer performances of La Traviata with Anna Netrebko and Thomas Hampson that have sold out in record time.
Rolando Villazón’s second recital for EMI (EMI 7243-5-45719 2 3), Massenet/Gounod Arias, shows the tenor ideal for French repertoire. As in his first EMI recital, Italian Opera Arias, the disc combines familiar classics with rarely heard arias from nearly forgotten operas.
Ably supported by Evelino Pidó and L’Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Villazón’s 15-track recital opens with ‘ ” souverain, ” juge, ” pére,’ the most well known aria from Massenet’s Le Cid. Ever since Enrico Caruso recorded this gem, most great tenors of the 20th century have used it to win audiences over. Villazón more than meets the challenge; his ardour, passion, and unforced beauty make his rendition ring true.
Some singers have fabulous voices and make all the right sounds, but too many these days sound more like they’re dutifully going through the paces than actually believing in the fantasy they’re singing about. With Villazón, there’s no question that his is the real thing. The mounting passion of Werther’s ‘Lorsque l’enfant revient’ is thrilling, the high C in Gounod’s ‘Salut, demeure chaste et pure’ from Faust about as good as it gets. ‘La Réve’ from Manon may lack the ultimate sweetness and changes of color that Jussi Björling and Richard Crooks brought to it, but abetted by Natalie Dessay’s incomparably sweet cameo as Manon, it is a memorable performance. Even in arias more commonplace than inspired, Rolando Villazón throws such heart and soul into his singing that cries of bravo merely begin to tell the tale.