Search - Samuel Barber, Leonard Slatkin, Catherine Wyn-Rogers :: Barber: Vanessa [Multi-Ch/Stereo]

A Dramatic And Beautiful Account Of Barber's English Opera

J. M. Buck | 03/23/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Cast: Christine Brewer (soprano) [Vanessa] ** Susan Graham [mezzo-soprano Erika] ** Catherine Wyn-Rogers [mezzo-soprano The Old Baroness] ** William Burden [tenor Anatol] ** Neal Davies [baritone The Old Doctor] ** Simon Birchall (bass) [Nicholas] ** Stephen Charlesworth [Footman] ** BBC Singers [Servants, Guests, Peasants] ** BBC Symphony Orchestra ** Conductor Leonard Slatkin



This modern studio recording of Barber's Vanessa from the BBC, and with the score conducted by Leonard Slatkin is possibly the best all-around recording today. Of course, the 50's recording which complimented the original Metropolitan Opera performances (Eleanor Steber, Rosalind Elias, Nicolai Gedda and Regina Resnik) is undoubtedly the best of the best. But this one is amazing. The singers are themselves British and therefore enunciate the English with lazer-sharp diction and don't try to sound like they are singing Italian. There are times when the singing can sound melodramatic (as if they were singing for the English National Opera) but they truly understand the mood of this work. This is a haunting, chilling story about lost love and even tackles a serious issue for the 50's - abortion. The smooth, womanizing gallant gentleman Anatol (Will Burden) gains the affection of two women, aunt and niece Vanessa and Erika. He plays both women. He impregnates Erica, then dumps her and marries Vanessa. Erika is naturally distraught and even decides she'll have an abortion by drowning herself in a lake in the middle of winter. She lives, inherits Vanessa's home but will live in constant humiliation and anguish. She is hopeful that perhaps Anatol will return to her (and the son) and now the cycle continues and she will wait for Anatol the way Vanessa did for 20 years. Set in a wintery landscape in Edwardian England, the opera has a bleak, Gothic feel, as if it were a sort of modern Bronte novel set to music. Barber's lush, heavy, subtle music is always powerful but never drowns out the singers. Christine Brewer sings the role of Vanessa in a heavier voice than other sopranos, at times she even comes off as a dramatic or high mezzo soprano. It was hard for me to distinguish between Brewer and Susan Graham, who is a mezzo-soprano, but that's a good trick/technique considering how both women are affected by Anatol and how tragic their lives truly are when it comes to love. I don't care for Brewer's voice for Vanessa. It is too mature and old sounding but I'm being very picky. It is a good voice nonetheless and she is doing a fabulous performance. Still, I prefer Eleanor Steber and Kiri Te Kenawa as Vanessa. Susan Graham set the bar high for the role of Erika. She is dramatic and full of rich lyric prowess. Her abilities are as such that we are able to see her expression and gestures even through a recording. The sound is clear and the orchestra is first-rate. A must have for fans of this particular opera or fans of these singers."

Not all singers performing with the BBC are British

J. M. Buck | Columbus, OH United States | 07/05/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The previous reviewer refers to a cast of British singers in this performance. In fact, Christine Brewer, Susan Graham and William Burden are all Americans. Ms. Brewer is a dramatic soprano, and as such may sound "mature" to some ears. Hers is certainly a larger voice than we have tended to hear previously in the title role of Barber's "Vanessa." Eleanor Steber, who created the role (after Maria Callas and Sena Jurinac turned it down) had a lighter voice, but Ms. Brewer's sound is gorgeous. Otherwise, I agree with the previous reviewer's positive comments about this performance."