Italian Album – Florez

   in Opera Now (Nov, 2015)
Juan Diego Florez’s new album is called Italia, which is rather vague, as is the programming. He veers from the usual Neapolitan songs such as ‘O sole mio’, on through composers like Rossini and Donizetti letting their hair down, to more modern classics. His glamorous tenor sails through everything with ease, and there are no vocal compromises. Perhaps this is part of the problem, for the album generally comes across as lacking light and shade. But there are some exceptions, and Florez makes a good impression in the rather faded classics beloved of singers of yesteryear, such as Donaudy’s ‘Vaghissima sembianza’ and Gastaldon’s ‘Musica proibita’. Maybe he could have refined …
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