Search - Franz Lehar, Robert Stolz, Johann II Strauss :: Operetta Arias / Hampson, LPO, Welser-Möst

Here is a great opera and lieder singer in a light vein. One might suspect that Thomas Hampson, famous for his high seriousness and dramatic projection, is slumming, but his glorious voice, superb vocalism, incredibly clear German diction, and infectious enjoyment give even the corniest arias a persuasive authenticity, despite occasional musical exaggerations and a certain intellectual overrefinement alien to the carefree, spontaneous Viennese idiom. Listeners familiar with these operettas may be surprised to find a baritone singing roles long associated with great tenors such as Richard Tauber and Jan Kiepura, both also operatic stars, but though the range does seem a bit high for Hampson at times, he makes them completely his own in sound, inflection, and spirit. He varies the inevitable reprise of the first verse with great imagination and vocal resourcefulness, including a magical mezza voce and a triumphantly ringing top, and captures the simplicity, piquant charm, humor, and parody of both the words and the melody. The orchestrations tend to underline the corniness of the music, but the playing is terrific. --Edith Eisler