The Great Puccini
Deutsche Grammophon, 2023
8/10
The tenor vocalist Jonathan Tetelman pays tribute to the legendary Giacomo Puccini with these 9 operas that employ the Prague Philharmonia, conducter Carlo Rizzi, and singers Vida Mikneviciute and Federica Lombardi.
“Manon Lescaut” opens the listen with the rich and expressive singing amid glorious string interaction, and “Turandot” follows with the soaring pipes complementing the breezy instrumentation that’s powerful and articulate.
“Tosca” arrives in the middle, and emits a fluid and often tense demeanor that unfolds across 2 chapters, while “Madama Butterfly”, the album’s best, radiates a dense and textured mood of poetic and dynamic interaction between the orchestra and vocals.
Making our ways towards the end, “Il Tabarro” showcases the stunning soprano against Tetelman’s deeper range via the cinematic backdrop, and “LeVilli” exits with both bare and busy moments of precise, eloquent songwriting.
A listen that illuminates the revered Italian opera composer’s timeless work, Tetelman’s vision is one of a complex nature that’s emotionally charged and packed with a beauty that will always be relevant.
Travels well with: Paola Prestini/Mark Campbell- Edward Tulane; Lucia Caruso/Pedro H. Da Silva- Transclassical Concertos