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bygone years he comes across the UniEmiDeccaNax compact disc archives (all the recording companies had amalgamated in 2115 following an economic crash 50 times worse than the one of 2008).
He continues his search until he realises that ‘us lot’ were an un-creative bunch of nerds. Furthermore, he finds that following the great years of musical exploration between 1700 and 1930 the urge to generate novel forms of music evaporated and a preference to copy rather than to create existed.
In particular most classical vocal CDs repeated the same repertoire ad nauseum. If it was popular it was recorded … and recorded. What seemed even more disturbing was evidence that the vast majority of the populace liked what was being dished out because the records showed that sales soared.
Take this CD. Here are four well-known singers performing in a newly-opened setting (the 10-year old Festival Theatre in Baden-Baden which incorporates the old railway station as its foyer) singing arias, duets and quartets they have sung millions of times before, and encouraging the audience to clap rhythmically during the rendition of Verdi’s ‘Brindisi’ like a bunch of over-proofed Viennese New Year concertgoers. Produce a CD recording and perhaps a DVD which will be broadcast either on the ABC or SBS for years to come and you have a product on your hands that can’t possibly fail. Forgive me for being cynical but when I come across CDs like this Deutsche Grammophon contribution I wince and I cringe because I have heard it all before. In more ways than one.
The voices have changed, the settings are new, the orchestra is different but, ultimately, it’s a rehash of a rehash that has been rehashed to death. The only original piece of music in this album is an aria by Ruperto Chapi from his Las hihas del Zebedeo and although the music is welcome, I can’t help feeling that using the mezzo voice of Elina Garanca instead of a higher registered soprano, robs the song of the brighter lustre it deserves. Garanca is decidedly more effective in ‘Mon coeur s’ouvre a ta voix’ from Samson at Dalila and as part of the duet with Netrebko from Delibes’s Lakmé.
Netrebko herself is in her element in ‘Casta Diva’ from Bellini’s Norma but lacklustre in the quartet from Rigoletto. Her voice needs more height and less drama. Which is how I feel about tenor Vargas’s renditions from Luisa Miller and the duet with Netrebko from La Bohème. On the other hand baritone Tezier’s arias show too much top and not enough bottom which leads me to believe he’ll develop into a good Heldan tenor.
As for ET, I think he’ll be going home wondering why he bothered. – John Strapp
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