The new album from Peruvian superstar and bel canto tenor Juan Diego Flórez is a tribute to Giovanni Battista Rubini (1794-1854), the singer for whom several of Flórez's stage roles were originally written in the early nineteenth century. Bellini and Donizetti wrote operas for Rubini, and Rossini revised several works for him. He was one of the leading figures of the day.
However, it's interesting to note that several of the arias on this new disc were not actually written for Rubini. Indeed, it's clear from Philip Gossett's liner notes that not only were some of the pieces not written with Rubini in mind, it is not even definite that he ever sang one of them (the aria from Il turco in Italia is only 'presumed' to have been included in the single production he participated in, at London's Haymarket Theatre in 1841). It's probably also true that some of the arias and roles were not especially associated with Rubini. For instance, he sang the aria for Fernando from Bellini's Bianca e Fernando at La Scala in 1829, but it wasn't written for him and there's no evidence offered here to suggest that he ever returned to the piece (which is not, of course, a repertoire piece nowadays). Ironically, the original version of the opera, entitled Bianca e Gernando, was written for Rubini's voice, as were La sonnambula and I puritani, but none of them are represented here. According to Gossett, Donizetti didn't 'grasp the peculiarities of Rubini's gifts', and although their two major collaborations were Anna Bolena and Marino Faliero, only the latter is included on this disc. Two of the other Rossini items are only remotely connected to Rubini: he didn't appear in Guglielmo Tell until ten years after its premiere or in Elisabetta, regina d'Inghilterra until five years after its first performance.
All of this unfortunately reveals the premise of the recording to be something of a gimmick. Rather than giving a historically aware overview of Rubini's greatest roles, Flórez has evidently chosen a recital of arias that suits him - and rightly so, since his voice may well be a completely different beast to Rubini's. Ignoring the Rubini slant, then, how successful are the performances here?
One cannot deny Flórez's extraordinary ability with the bel canto - the flexibility, the range, the sense of style. But, as I felt on hearing his performance of La fille du régiment at Covent Garden earlier in the year, it's hard not to wish that he'd offer us something more. The range of expression in all but one of these performances is disappointingly narrow; the approach nearly always the same. He tends towards loud dynamics, rarely holding back (when he does, it's captivating), and there's very little characterisation. The seven full arias on the disc are all structured in nearly identical fashion, and because Flórez makes little of the words and in only one performance finds different colours in his voice, the criticism made of bel canto music - that it all sounds the same - would almost seem to be true, if one didn't know any better. What surprised me is that some of the freshness has gone from the voice: although the top notes are all there, they sound a little more forced than they once did, not quite securely held in the middle of the pitch; it feels like he has to sing forte throughout just to reach the notes. Needless to say, Flórez is still revealed as a classy performer with a remarkable talent, but it's hard not to wish that he would record more complete operas and really engage with a character.
The stand-out performance here is the rendition of Arnold's aria from Rossini's Guglielmo Tell, sung in the Italian translation. Flórez finds a darker quality in his voice, and sings with far more impassioned and engaging expression. There's a real sense that this is an aria of revenge, and it points towards a new phase in Flórez's career in which he may excel in slightly bigger, darker and heavier roles.
The two Bellini arias are piquant enough, though the problem with choosing to perform conventional tenor arias by this composer in isolation from their original surroundings is that it reveals his weaknesses as an orchestrator. Nevertheless, Gualtiero's entrance aria from Il pirata offers Flórez the chance to be both lyrical and rousing, and he succeeds. The aria for Fernando from Bianca e Fernando is especially beautiful and tender. The opening is remarkably reminiscent of Beethoven's 'Moonlight' Sonata, and since the text refers to silence and stillness, perhaps this is deliberate? Flórez is warm and restrained in the central cantabile but does not quite thrill in the limp-sounding cabaletta.
In an aria from Donizetti's Marino Faliero, Flórez hits a high E flat with a full voice rather than falsetto, and it's truly admirable and impressive that he hits it right in the centre. But in the passage leading up to it, there is (understandable) tension, a lack of precision and no variety in the dynamic, which is loud through the whole thing. It's such a shame, because Flórez is capable of both tenderness and lethal technical precision, as the introductory scena of the aria proves. The latter is lovely, and shows the singer at his best.
Aside from the astounding performance of the Guglielmo Tell aria, Rossini is represented by Norfolk's scena from Elisabetta, Narciso's aria from Il turco in Italia and Philip Gossett's reconstruction of Uberto's replacement aria from the 1825 Parisian production of La donna del lago. I'm a huge fan of Rossini's Elizabethan opera, and the range of orchestral invention is particularly striking in this extract; Flórez is very convincing in Norfolk's aria, engaging emotionally with the varied emotions of the recitative and andante and the hugely tricky coloratura in the cabaletta. To me, he doesn't suit the character of Narciso, the foolish admirer of the heroine of Il turco, Fiorilla. The opera is a comedy, and although this is a pretty aria it should be possible to smile at the character's excessive and trite outpouring about his beloved. Flórez's delivery could also be lighter.
Uberto's aria is of course of great interest, not least because it is its world premiere recording. Its inclusion is no gimmick: the aria is truly fascinating and includes some wonderful illustrations of the text in the orchestra, for instance the sighing in the violins in the cavatina when Uberto is singing about his 'passionate sighs'. Splendid singing from Flórez makes this one of the most appealing tracks; listen to the utterly riveting semiquaver runs in the cabaletta and be dazzled.
One thing that can't be faulted is the conducting of Roberto Abbado or the playing of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. Stylish, alert and dramatic, they provide sensitive and sympathetic accompaniment in a difficult repertoire.
Overall, this is something of a mixed bag, both from the point of view of the concept and the execution of the programme. Flórez fans need not hesitate; those interested in this repertoire will be fascinated, if taken aback by the question of how well it highlights Rubini's career; but it's still hard not to wish to hear more of this music in the context of complete opera performances and recordings, such as Decca's splendid Matilde di Shabran from last year. Out of an operatic context, Flórez's voice becomes wearing and leaves one wanting something more.
Juan Diego Flórez appears in concert at Cadogan Hall on 4 October 2007 in a programme that includes some extracts from his new recording, Arias for Rubini, which is available now.
Although Flórez is not scheduled to sing in the current Covent Garden season, in an interview in last Sunday's Sunday Times he revealed plans to return in future seasons in Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia with Antonio Pappano, Bellini's La sonnambula, La fille du regiment and the Pesaro production of Matilde di Shabran.
The Arias for Rubini special microsite on Flórez's website here.
Read recent CD and DVD reviews, including Kate Royal's debut album, the latest instalment in John Eliot Gardiner's Bach Cantata Pilgrimage and Opera Rara's exciting new Offenbach CD here.