Search - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Richard Wagner, Jacques Offenbach :: Bryn Terfel - Opera Arias / MET, Levine

Genius

Benjamin J. Zelkowicz | Valencia, CA | 01/07/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Bryn Terfl is an artist of the highest caliber, one who brings a tremendous sense of character and subtlty of shading to all the arias he sings (unlike, say, Pavarotti, who often just belts it out to show off his tremendous voice) Terfl's Mozart arias are untouchable, and his Evening Star aria from Tannhauser is indescribably beautiful. You have not heard greast singing until you have heard that track (6) on this CD..."

Magnificent

Earl Hazell | New York | 06/17/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"As a fellow bass-baritone, I was too busy trying to emulate and capture the exquisiteness of his technique the moment after I heard his CD to actually rate it for anyone else who wanted to know what I felt! When I first heard the incomparable Sam Ramey in high school, I was awestruck at the possibilities of excellence that lay before me in a future career. When I first heard this CD by Bryn Terfel, who does some of Sam's rep almost as good, I was awestruck by the responsibility of excellence that lay before me as an adult professional. After seeing him perform several times and being driven to happy laughter at his tremendous characterization of Leporello in DON GIOVANNI, I am all the more satisfied by this master class he gives all of us, disguised as a magnificent recital of arias.Bryn inspires you to run into a practice room before you even find the words to say how good he is. The Mozart is tremendously enteratining- and yes, the Wagner is flawless. Definitely worth owning."

One of the all-time great aria albums

Earl Hazell | 06/14/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Bryn Terfel's "Opera Arias" is great from start to finish. It displays not only Terfel's glorious bass-baritone voice (with a lovely mezza-voce -- just listen to his seductive "Deh, vieni alla finestra"!), but also his musicality and expressiveness.
Terfel was smart in his choice of arias; each one suits his voice and temperament ideally. The Mozart sequence is perfection. The Dutchman's monologue is amazing. The aria from PRINCE IGOR is magnificent. The "Song to the Evening Star" from TANNHAUSER is greatness itself. I was most surprised, though, by the excellent bel canto renditions (from DON PASQUALE and LA CENERENTOLA), as Terfel is not usually associated with this repertoire. He should definitely perform Don Magnifico in CENERENTOLA onstage someday. Please, do yourself a favor and buy Bryn Terfel's "Opera Arias.""