Verdi Heroines

Angela Gheorghiu, who is know 39 years old, is considered a lyric-dramatic soprano. She's not (instead of what some reviewers said) a simple lyric soprano, but a lyric soprano with a darker voice and a richer lower range. Besides, Gheorghiu is noted for her apparently endless capabilities. Sir Georg Solti, who conducted the famous La Traviata with her in 1994, said "This girl can do anything". Well, I wouldn't be so enthusiastic, but indeed Gheorghiu has proved she can sing a wide repertoire successfully. If you still think she can't sing these arias composed for spinto sopranos, think about Montserrat Caballé, a former lyric soprano that had great success singing spinto roles, and Mirella Freni, who's considered one of the best Elisabetta di Valois ever. Caballé's voice has never been as dark as Gheorghiu's, and Freni's voice was far away from the rounded sound of Gheorghiu's voice.
She is also a wonderful actress, perhaps the best singer actress we've had in the last decades, so that her interpretations are always deep and moving. And Gheorghiu manages to create not only different characterizations but completely different atmospheres in each aria. Her voice is more vulnerable and lyric in the spectacular Otello scene she sings here. I do think she should sing Desdemona immediately. Hers is one of the most introspective and sad interpretations of Desdemona I've ever heard, and her voice is simply perfection: a pure and rounded sound with astonishing pianissimi. In contrast to this, we have a dazzling "Mercè diletti amici", in which Gheorghiu shows off her coloratura skills (some coloratura sopranos of these days would certainly be envy of her!).
Other highlights are the desperate "Pace, pace, mio Dio" and the innocent "Come in quest'ora bruna", sung by Amelia in Simon Boccanegra, a role that Gheorghiu has sung for the very first time in Covent Garden this year with great success. The Il Trovatore scene is wonderfully sung, though I think Gheorghiu is even better in her complete recording. In the aria "Tacea la notte placida" it's required a dark and veiled voice like Gheorghiu's, and she gives us an idea of what was going to be her incredible Leonora recorded in 2002 (though of course she didn't sing the role onstage, more because she wants to protect her voice than because she can't sing it!). Some parts I thought wouldn't fit very well in her voice were the Aida and Un Ballo in Maschera aria, but Gheorghiu proved again to be a true artist, giving us much wonderful singing and dramatic interpretations. Singers like Gheorghiu, Callas, Sutherland, Tebaldi or Rysanek hardly disappoint us, and that's why they were the leading singers during their days.
Riccardo Chailly is a great conductor, particularly in this repertoire, and conducts with intelligence and ballance.
Ignore those ridiculous reviews and enjoy this fantastic album!