In the Still of the Night

I have been listening to "In the Still of the Night" with Anna Netrebko and Daniel Barenboim. One has to realize that Anna only a few years ago was indeed afraid of recital performances (ala Carnegie Hall with Dmitri Hvorostovsky) that she canceled. This performer has grown and matured and now has begun to bear her soul with poignant, impassioned singing. Only in a solo recital can one begin to truly embrace the audience with a poignancy and warmth that are not distracted by acting, sets and other performers.

The initial track can be found at
http://www2.deutschegrammophon.com/html/special/netrebko-inthestillofnight/sites/player.html

and sets the stage for what must have been a wonderful evening.

This CD recorded in Salzburg with Maestro Barenboim at the piano has been repeated a number of times throughout Europe with Barenboim and another pianist. Although not available yet in the US, I procured my copy from Crotchet Music in UK.

http://www.crotchet.co.uk/4778589.html

The singing is breathtaking in its style and intimacy. Barenboim's place on the piano is simply astonishing in the fluidity and support for the soprano. Anna shines in many of the slower songs and sings with fierceness in the more rapid selections. The CD was recorded from a live audience. As one listens to the music of Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844 - 1908) and Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840 - 1893), one realizes that these giants offer much more symphonic and piano repitoire respectfully. These are emotionally laden songs of joy and lament. I suggest that you all buy a copy to enjoy and cherish as I am emotionally thrilled by this recording. As a glimpse of the music, please go to the ePlayer at DG for a glimpse of 4 tracks.

http://www2.deutschegrammophon.com/eplayer/eplayer.htms?ID=netrebko-inthestillofnight

It will be available in the US on 4/27/10 and can be ordered from Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Still-Night-Songs-Rimsky-Korsakov-Tchaikovsky/dp/B0033QEURM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1271361343&sr=8-1

Barenboim is a master at the piano and suggested these songs to Netrebko. It was indeed a wise choice and the CD and live performances throughout Europe have been enthusiastically received. Barenboim plays with sensitivity and supports the singer graciously. It indeed is a marriage made in musical heaven. The more one listens to these, mostly unfamilar songs, it illustrates how a fine artist can draw in the audience with warmth, solitude and a true communication straight from the heart. Netrebko has learned her skill well and now has mastered the art of digging deep into her soul to communicate passion and drama through her artistry.

The ablum closes with 2 special tracks, the first being Als die alte Mutter op.55 No.4 (Dvorak) which Netrebko announces to the audience with some laughs as she says that she will sing it in Czech. This is most beautiful and has been sung very well by others like Magdalena Kozena in her album, Songs My Mother Taught Me. It has been terribly butchered by the likes of Charlotte Church who simply denegrate the art form. The last track closing the album is
RICHARD STRAUSS (1864–1949)Cäcilie op. 27 no. 2 Heinrich Hart, a touching lullaby.

No doubt, I am very partial to her singing and acting ability. I must share with you a rather funny anecdote on how I discovered this wonderful artist. Some years ago, I was working in New Jersey for a struggling biotech/pharmaceutical company. I lived in Natick, MA at the time, but spent my working week in NJ, living in hotels, etc. I had much spare time that I spent in the gym or at Barnes & Nobles listening to CD's in my ever expanding collection. One night, I picked up one of Netrebko's early CDs, Sempre Libera and admired an usual voice.

http://www.amazon.com/Sempre-Libera-Anna-Netrebko/dp/B000295TXC/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1271361627&sr=8-18

I brought in to work the next day to share with a colleague who also enjoyed classical music. He lent me her other recording, Opera Arias. He told me that she was recently on "60 minutes"
http://www.amazon.com/Anna-Netrebko-Opera-Arias/dp/B00008MLSH/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1271361837&sr=8-12

From that time forward, my wife, Paula and I have enjoyed many of her performances in the US (Traviata, L'Elisir d'Amore , I Puritani, Romeo & Juliet, La Boheme, Don Pasquale and Lucia, Rigoletto) and a concert in Abu Dhabi with Elina Garanca and Erwin Schrott.

While these are wonderful albums, they only give a glimpse of some of her capabilities. I suspect that many of you know that her avante garde performance of La Traviata from Salzburg with Rolando Villazon and Thomas Hampson set her career on fire. It features only a red couch and clock on an otherwise stark empty stage. The quality of the singing and acting are fabulous. You will either love or hate this version. I cherish it immensely, but others of an older generation have said it is a travesty.

http://www.amazon.com/Verdi-Traviata-Anna-Netrebko/dp/B000F3TAOE/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1271362072&sr=8-6

You may be able to rent any of these in a substantial library, but they are worth adding to your collection. There are two additional recommendations that I offer to you. The first is her Russian Album. It is thrilling to hear a singer in her native language.

http://www.amazon.com/Russian-Album-Anna-Netrebko/dp/B000IZK4YE/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1271362333&sr=8-7

The last recommendation for this post is Bellini's: I Capuleti e i Montecchi with Elina Garanca and Joseph Calleja. Anyone familar with Bel Canto (beautiful singing) will certainly love this recording. Calleja, a rising star from Malta has sung with Netrebko in the MET's performance of the Tales of Hoffman.

http://www.amazon.com/Bellini-Capuleti-Montecchi-Anna-Netrebko/dp/B001NPUGWS/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1271362409&sr=8-4

The only recording that I am ambivalent about is the filmed version of La Boheme with Rolando Villazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Boheme-Film-Anna-Netrebko/dp/B002Q9MZF6/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1271363524&sr=8-5

This is a lipsynched and shot completely on sets with fake snow. Many of the historical contexts are lost here. Mimi wearing red lipstick is preposterous as was the swing in Rodolfo's bedroom in the loft. What one does get at the end of the film is a gripping sense of grief by Rodolfo (Villazon) as Mimi (Netrebko) dies of consumption (TB). This type of heightened drama does not quite rise to that level in a live performance. We just saw Netrebko and Piotr Beczala, a wonderful Polish tenor in Zeferelli's production at the MET. Although Netrebko has matured since the birth of her child, her voice has grown in intensity and color. Both she and Piotr amply filled the MET with glorious sound to over 3500 seats.


When I met Anna in San Francisco after a performance of La Traviata, she told me that the music of I Capuleti e i Montecchi was beautiful and wonderful to sing. The voices meld together like honey and ice cream. She is a remarkable singer who now is married to Erwin Schrott with and has a son, Tiago. I cannot imagine how she keeps up such a pace without extraordinary help.

We should all thank Valery Gergiev for discovering and nurturing this talent. He brought her to San Francisco some years ago for her US debut and the rest is history. I won't bore you with the details which are like a fairy tale come true.

In closing, I must pay tribute and ultimate compliments to Carlos in Barcelona who maintains an impeccable and wonderful blog dedicated to Anna. Carlos is a gentleman and avid opera lover with impeccable taste. He has done a spectacular job in following and annotating her career with both pubslished reviews as well as those from his loyal following. He welcomes comments, photos, reviews and has a wonderful recollection of many of her performances. I urge you all to take a look
http://anna-netrebko.blogspot.com/