19 Sep 2008
Souvenir of a Golden Era: The Sisters Garcia
Last year saw Cecilia Bartoli’s recording dedicated to the memory, and repertoire, of the early 19th century singer Maria Malibran, “Maria.”
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Now Decca re-releases Marilyn Horne’s “Souvenir of a Golden Era,” which does Bartoli one better by also honoring Malibran’s younger sister, Pauline Viardot.
No direct comparisons can be made between Bartoli’s “Maria” and the first disc of Horne’s “Souvenir,” as the discs covers different selections. Bartoli tends to focus on more obscure repertory (with the exception of “Casta Diva”), especially pieces that play to her strengths in speed and agility. Horne chose selections that primarily highlight Malibran’s key roles in Rossini, from Rosina’s “Una voce poco fa,” to Tancredi’s “Di tanti palpiti.” She also sings as Bellini’s Romeo, and most surprisingly, delivers the “Abscheulicher!” of Beethoven’s Leonore.
Horne sings impeccably on each of three tracks, her lows weighty, the highs with a soprano’s confidence and security. Your reviewer found her Rosina curiously flat, as Horne earned a reputation as a woman of great humor and vivacity in roles that required those attributes (and offstage as well). Perhaps the uninspired direction of Henry Lewis (with the Suisse Romande orchestra) deserves the blame. However, even in the ostensibly dramatic scenarios of Tancredi and Semiramide, Horne’s seamless production can give a sensation of disassociation from the text. As pure vocalizing the singing can’t be criticized, and yet these pieces should scintillate more than they do. Again, Lewis might be the culprit here.
The second disc, dedicated to Pauline Viardot’s roles, covers a wider range of repertory, resulting in a more entertaining listening experience. The disc starts with more Rossini, then moves to French opera - Gluck, Gounod, Meyerbeer — before a wild swing back to Italy and Verdi’s Azucena. In the lusher French pieces, Horne’s gorgeous tone pays big dividends, although she can’t save “J’ai perdu mon Eurydice” from the risible effect produced by Lewis’s frantic, “pop”-like pacing. As for that final track from Il Trovatore, with the mad gypsy woman’s two big arias jammed together, surely there are scarier Azucenas. In the context of this recital, however, Horne’s version has such musicality that the familiar music rings out with a welcome freshness.
With more inspired musical leadership, “Souvenirs of a Golden Era” would be an indisputably great recording. And for listeners who only care about voice, that qualification need not apply. For others, the best of the selections here, especially on the second disc, earn the recording a strong recommendation.
Chris Mullins