Search - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Gioachino Rossini, Giuseppe Verdi :: Miliza Korjus II

Nice introduction to Miliza Korjus

Steven A. Peterson | Hershey, PA (Born in Kewanee, IL) | 09/24/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Miliza Korjus apparently had a nontraditional career as a coloratura soprano. Much of her career was recital and concert-oriented as opposed to on the stage. This CD provides a glimpse of her vocal skills. A few samples of her singing illustrate her work:



From Rossini's "Der Barbier von Seville" (yes, it's sung in German): In Italian, "Una voce poco fa." This is smoothly sung. Korjus shows an agile voice, with a nice staccato technique. Her coloratura singing is good (I miss the trills), with an emphasis on pace, staccato singing, and agility. There is a nice high note to close this out (albeit a bit thin).



"Funiculi-Funicula": This well known Italian song is ably performed by the singer. The song is sung at a nice, quick pace. Her voice seems a bit thin (as opposed to the liner notes that speak of a larger voice). Her version is energetic and captivating. An enjoyable version.



"La Danza": This bon-bon by Rossini is most engaging--and treacherous for a singer who does not have fine breath control. Her vocal agility serves Korjus well. She well captures the manic spirit of this song.



"Fruhlingsstimen": Strauss' waltz has attracted coloratura sopranos (e.g., think Natalie Dessay). Korjus takes this on as a romp. She sings it at a good pace, with good staccato work (needed here). This is an enjoyable version. Her final note is high--but awfully thin.



This is, then, an interesting take on the work of Miliza Korjus. The various selections show her skills off nicely. There are some issues, as noted above, but, in the end, this is a fun CD to listen to.

"