Arie Ritrovate

Sonia Prina has one of those voices that I can't quite decide if I like or not, and her recorded performances are similar. On the whole this recording falls into the I like it category. She is best on the arias from Scanderberg and Teuzzone, especially Con Palme ed allori, although there are times her breath control is lacking and she breaks the phrase. On the whole I enjoy what she brings to these arias musically, although sometimes the drama of the aria suffers as a result--her rendition of Se vincer non si puo from La Verita in Cimento is too safe and restrained, especially given the character singing is supposed to be manipulative and calculating and willing to do almost anything to win.

While I love Prina's crisp articulation of fast passages most of the time there are moments it seems too hard-edged and too much in the throat and it verges on the ugly (and not ugly-beautiful). She also rushes a little at times. But when it's good it is, very, very good. The aria Per lacerarlo from Teuzzone displays all of this in a single 2.5 minutes! Perfection and UGH! in close proximity.

The true gem here is the accompanying ensemble, which is always good, even when Prina lapses. Every moment of the accompaniment was perfection and lives up to the quality I have come to expect from these Naive recordings. I fully expect to listen to this multiple times, even given my reservations about Prina at moments, because at the end of the day even when she bothers me she is compelling and that is all I can ask of a performer.

Sonia Prina is one of the great voices in our times. Owner of a unmatched vocal coloratura, she gives treatment and interpretation singular in her jobs. Her power of variation in Vivaldian arias are strong, giving a great versatility to the posibilities of interpretation. She can make in "arie da capo" exclusive colors, following sistematically the score in first reading, and giving to us a spettacular "variazzioni" when returns "da capo", being always consistent with the dramaticity of the text and work, of the score and of the techniques, without making use of "pyrotechnics" that surprise but don't transmit what the compositon wanna tell us. The concertos also are great, do not lose anything to the vocal parts. The album repertoire is terrific. Like musicologist, collector and unconditional admirer of Vivaldi, I recommend.

Vivaldi: Arie ritrovate (Vivaldi Edition) is a 2007 Naive recording contralto Sonia Prina. Ottavio Dantone leads the Accademia Bizantina and we also hear violinist Stefano Montanari. Frederic Delemea has written a very well-written and informative essay entitled "Frescoes and miniatures". Also included are short biographies of the performers, the soloist and the conductor. Being a huge fan of Baroque music and Vivaldi this was truly a magnificent listening experience. Highly recommended indeed. 5/5.