In addition to Don Giovanni’s famous duet with Zerlina, several roles
created by Finley on stage are featured in excerpt on this recording. Arias
from Doctor Atomic by John Adams and The Silver Tassie by
Mark-Anthony Turnage are performed here by Finley with great commitment,
reminiscent indeed of his original live performances. One also has the
opportunity to hear Finley in less accustomed repertoire by Weber, Donizetti,
Puccini, and Wagner. Several of the excerpts performed are operatic ensembles
or duets in which Finley is well supported by soloist colleagues and the
Geoffrey Mitchell Choir. The London Philharmonic Orchestra provides
accompaniment under the skillful direction of Edward Gardner.
In the earliest pieces composed and featured in this collection, the duet
from Mozart’s Don Giovanni and an aria from Weber’s
Euryanthe, Finley shows his characteristic ability to inhabit a role,
so that he sings and acts with his voice as one. In both excerpts Finley
communicates urgency and emotions that suggest a complexity of character.
Lysiart’s aria from Euryanthe begins with a declamatory style at
which Finley excels, his diction matching the soul-searching questions of the
character. As the piece increases in melodic interest Finley’s approach
gains intensity with full decorative force layered onto phrases such as
“death and vengeance.” At the close of this scene, the longest in
the collection, one has gazed via Finley’s interpretive singing into the
conflicting sides of Lysiart’s character, the forces of destruction
ultimately winning the upper hand. The duet from Don Giovanni, “L‡ ci
darem la mano,” shared here with Lucy Crowe and performed as “There
will my arms enfold you,” illustrates well the rich legato, which is a
hallmark of Finley’s singing in such roles where it is appropriate. One
can sense the voice performing the act of a seductive embrace as he allows the
lines to flow with baritonal resonance.
In yet other styles Finley makes an equally strong impression, such as
Robert’s aria “My only beloved Matilde I claim” from
Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta. In this piece, requiring a strong lyrical
approach punctuated by dramatic accents Finley builds gradually in his
contemplation of the mutual passion with his beloved. During the initial
recitation the singer emphasizes Matilde’s name and its effect on Robert;
here Finley intones the word “overpower” in order to give musical
expression to his ardor. As often, it is refreshing to listen to Finley sing
such words or phrases forte and in upper registers without giving the
least sign of strain. Further accents on “her face” and “her
eyes” lead to the acceptance of Matilde’s physical
“perfection” — and its communication of emotion — with
a carefully modulated coloration of the voice. In the repeat of the
text’s first half the dramatic result is underlined by Finley’s
sustained pitches on “like flame or like wine,” with which the aria
effectively concludes.
In those contemporary operatic selections here included, which were
originally composed to English texts, Finley’s performances set a
standard for the repertoire. The aria sung by Harry from Turnage’s opera
The Silver Tassie is performed just before the lead character must
return to the trenches of World War I after having spent leave-time in his
native Dublin. After a dissonant orchestral beginning each verse accompanied by
a simple, repeating line serves as an understated reflection on service and the
toll it takes on individual feelings or private loyalties. Finley approaches
the overtly song-like nature of the piece as an exercise in variation. He sings
the first four verses softly, nearly piano, in a melancholy yet
determined resolve to fulfill his military duty while not forgetting the calls
of the homeland. Although each line follows essentially the same pattern, the
vocal decorations are varied subtly just before or at the point of the
end-rhymes. The omnipresent mood of war is suggested by an orchestral intrusion
starting at the mid-point of the aria and returning intermittently until the
end. Finley responds to these reminders of conflict by inflecting his
statements with controlled yet rising pitches, which essentially yield a
disciplined variation of the opening lines. The old is confronted by the new,
as inevitable change caused by the War is registered in the spirit of Harry and
his generation. The second piece from this group is the aria “Batter my
heart” from John Adams’s opera Doctor Atomic.
Finley’s performance as Oppenheimer in this work has been celebrated in
various productions throughout the operatic world, e.g. at Lyric Opera of
Chicago. Here the justly chosen aria, based on a poem by John Donne, showcases
both the music and Finley’s association with it. The dilemma of
Oppenheimer in his work on the horrific weapon causes him to turn to God and to
appeal for renewal in his feelings for humanity. Finley negotiates convincingly
the undulating intonations in the first four verses and their repetition, as
exemplified in the lyrics “three person’d God” and
“break, blow, burn, and make me new.” These verses are surrounded
by intricate orchestral colorings functioning almost as an interlude of
contemplation for the main character. As Finley’s voice rises with
intense expression on individual words (“never shall be free,”
“except you ravish me”), the listener senses the inner
struggles which continue beyond the moment of appeal.
As an example of Finley’s versatility in other repertoire we may look
to Antonio’s scena from Linda di Chamounix —
composed as an aria and duet sung together with the figure of Maddalena —
during which the father’s fears for Linda are expressed. In the
introductory aria Finley demonstrates a mastery of bel canto singing in his
ideal combination of broad legato and carefully placed decorative
melismas on key words such as “altar” and “father.” The
accompanying duet shared with Anne Marie Gibbons illustrates Finley’s
skill at participating in a vocal line with an emphasis on expressive ensemble
singing. The remaining selections in this cd are well chosen and give
indication of Finley’s potential future projects for both operatic stage
and recording. Several of the translations used in this cd were recently
commissioned or produced at the time of the recording.
Salvatore Calomino
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