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(More customer reviews)This is a concert Dmitri Hvorostovsky performed at Le Festival International de lanaudière in 1998. It opens with Mussorgsky's "Songs and Dances of Death", which are four dark and chilling songs that depict death as a character who sings and dances around the lives of his victims: a sickly baby (Lullaby); a fatally ill young woman (Serenade); a drunk peasant (Trepak); and soldiers in the war field (The Field Marshal). I've heard Hvorostovsky singing them on CD before, but seeing him performing in concert is transfixing! His lush, dark voice is made for these songs, and his delivery, with gripping theatrical sensitivity, would draw you into the dark scenes with him. Another major part of the program is dedicated to Verdi, with arias from "Un Ballo in Maschera", "Il Trovatore", and "Don Carlo" included. And what depth and refinement Hvorostovsky brings to Verdi's characters! "Eri tu" is a master delivery when all the fine elements of his voice - the dramatic expressiveness and the enchanting lyricism - are blended perfectly. In "O carlo, ascolta", Rodrigo's death scene from "Don Carlo", as he finishes the long verse of "Io morrò, ma lieto in core..." the second time with one breath, a slight plaintive choke can be sensed, which seems to be more spontaneous than tactical - it is truly a thrilling and heartfelt rendition that wins a standing ovation from the audience. At the end of the program Hvorostovsky dazzles the audience with "Largo al factotum" from Rossini's "Il barbiere di Siviglia". His rich, honey toned baritone, as sturdy as it can be, is also enviably flexible. It is a most brilliant "Largo al factotum" I've heard, and very fun to watch, too. The regret, if there were regret with the concert, would be that it's a bit short. The encore piece is Russian folk song "Dark Eyes", which, if you're already familiar with that wonderful version Hvorostovsky sang with authentic Russian traditional instruments accompaniment, may sound a bit mellow.
In the middle of the program, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal performs an orchestral piece - the last movement (The Pines of the Appian Way) of Respighi's "Pines of Rome", which is a wonderful dramatic piece that couples very well with the rest of the program. Charles Dutoit, whose conducting reminded me of the fluidity of Tai Chi, drives the music with strength as well as grace.
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