Search - Giacomo Puccini, Giuseppe Verdi, Argeo Quadri :: Verdi & Puccini Arias

Simply gorgeous

Matteo | Oakland, CA United States | 06/05/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is simply a glorious recital album featuring one of the greatest recordings of the lirico-spinto voice in existence. This album is a triumph.



Sadly, it does not appear as if Felicia Weathers enjoyed a long career. It seems she made a name for herself in Germany, then had major premieres with US companies (Met, San Francisco, Chicago) in the late 60's/early 70's only to tackle inappropriate roles for her voice and suffer the consequences (when you hear her voice you'll wonder why she ever took on Salome or Aida).



But here she is captured in ravishing vocal health. Her sound is creamy, rich, and laser-accurate. Her readings are warm and nuanced but passionate and fiery when called for.



The Verdi selections fare particularly well, especially a potent "Tu che le vanita": as accurate and forthright an interpretation as you'll ever hear. The Willow Song is perfectly suited to Ms Weather's lyric soprano. What is refreshing is that her interpretation is not simpering or feeble; her Desdemona is a passionate young woman.



The Puccini selections also fare well, with a thunderous reading of "Un bel di" and equally strong arias from "Manon Lescaut." In these the voice is strong and healthy, with lots of "oomph." Included is the best reading of that beautiful warhorse "O mio babbino caro" you will ever hear, period!



This vibrant disk is a must for any opera collector or one intersted in an excellent voice. Superb!"

Hidden Diamonds

AD Van Breda | South Africa | 08/07/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Felicia Weathers must be one of the most underrated opera stars in US history. The previous reviewer's comments about this disk of Puccini and Verdi arias is absolutely spot on. If you can find other old recordings (from the 60s) of spirituals, Kodaly folk songs and Strauss lieder, you will see her incredible talent and exquisite voice. She worked in Germany and Europe for most of her career and appears to have been largely invisible to the US. If you search for her on Wikipedia, you will not even find an entry - just an appearance of her name in the bio on some pianist (no disrepect intended to him!). Get hold of this disk, or her recordings of Spirituals and Folk Songs."