Puccini=Passion SACD

12/01/2012
Jean-Jacques Millo
Opus Haute Définition (France)

‘Magnificent’

In the Edition devoted to conductor Richard Bonynge, born in Australia in 1930, this recording dating from 2003 centres on celebrated arias from Puccini’s operas, notably Le Villi, Edgar, Manon Lescaut, La Bohème, Tosca, Madama Butterfly, La Rondine, Suor Angelica, Gianni Schicchi and Turandot. With conducting of rare finesse, at once profound and warm, the voice of soprano Cheryl Barker is able to flower and takes the listener to the emotional heart of the music. Richard Bonynge, that old sage of conducting for voice, succeeds in creating a realistic mood for each aria in which singer and orchestra blend perfectly, offering up in the finish a finely crafted recital that one really cannot ignore. That’s my advice to listeners.