36 for 36 — An Album history of Delos
Now in our 36th Delos year, we will revisit, week by week, some of the pivotal recordings of our 36-year Delos adventure. The series reflects a number of high points and turning points in our Delos history.
For our founder, Amelia Haygood, Delos was a labor of love, and a second vocation after a successful career as a psychotherapist. In developing Delos, she was able to embrace her lifelong passion for classical music and her interest in sound technology, psychoacoustics, and the physics of music. In a sense, one could also say that, believing as she did that music has the immense power to reach and heal people, Delos became a natural extension of the work she had been doing for many years in psychotherapy and family counseling. As she wrote, in one of our CD booklet introductions, “Good music, like good books, can provide a haven throughout life — a shelter against the heavy weather that comes to us all.”
The most recent recording in our 36 for 36 series is Dmitri Hvorostovsky’s splendid aria album, Heroes and Villains. Here the great baritone sings arias from Russian, French, Italian and German operas, and dedicates the album to Amelia’s memory.
Arias from Borodin: Prince Igor • Mussorgsky: Boris Godunov / Khovanschina • Rubinstein: The Demon / Nero • Wagner: Tannhäuser • Giordano: Andrea Chenier • Verdi: La Forza del Destino • Leoncavallo: Pagliacci • Puccini: Tosca • Gounod: Faust • Massenet: Hérodiade • Bizet: Carmen • Thomas: Hamlet
Dmitri Hvorostovsky, baritone • Constantine Orbelian, conductor • Philharmonia of Russia • Spiritual Revival Choir of Russia (Lev Kontorovich, Music Director)
“Some of the most beautiful and eloquent sounds that can currently be heard from any human throat” The New York Times
“Dmitri Hvorostovsky’s uncommonly glamorous voice might be enough to sell an aria, and his is undoubtedly one of the voices of the century. Nevertheless, for his new recital disc, Heroes and Villains, the Russian baritone brings impressive vocal acting to the fore, as he traverses roles ranging from the preening toreador Escamillo to the guilt-ridden Tsar Boris Godunov. There are vocal thrills aplenty on this disc, and it is an exhilarating listen.” Opera News
Click the “play button” to listen to Dmitri Hvorostovsky perform Track 6—Rubinstein: Nero—Vindex’s aria “Epitalama” from Heroes and Villains.
Heroes and Villains is Dmitri’s eighth recording for Delos. Now at the peak of his powers, both vocally and interpretively, he draws on his gorgeous baritone to interpret a range of arias from the rarely heard to audience favorites.
The Russian repertoire includes Boris Godunov’s guilt-ridden monologue, as well as Boyar Shaklovity’s similarly tragic ruminations from Mussorgsky’s Kovanshchina. Lesser-known arias beloved of Russian baritones are two from Anton Rubinstein’s The Demon, and an audience-pleaser from Rubinstein’s Nero. The great baritone showpiece from Borodin’s Prince Igor has seldom sounded so eloquent and persuasive.
Dmitri has been called “the greatest Verdi baritone of our time.” Carlos’ “Urna fatale del mio destino” from La Forza del destino is a wonderful showpiece for the great singer, Scarpia’s “Te Deum” from Puccini’sTosca, and the arias from Andrea Chenier and Pagliacci are powerful interpretations as well. The French repertoire is handsomely represented here in arias from Gounod’s Faust, Massenet’s Herodiade, Thomas’ Hamlet and Bizet’s Carmen. Dmitri’s German offering, Hymn to the Evening Star from Wagner’s Tannhäuser, suggests an opening into other Wagnerian baritone roles.
“I’ve known Amelia for the past seven years. They have been the most exciting and thrilling years of my life. At what is probably the highest level of my career, I’ve been taking steps forward as I discovered where and how to go; taking risks, and challenging myself increasingly… The entire time, I have cherished Amelia’s unwavering pride and involvement in everything that I’ve been through, every step of the way.
“I remember my first talks with Amelia, strolling in the little forest just outside of Moscow, where she listened to my life stories and talked and talked in return, with charm and wisdom… Ever since, whenever we’ve been together, something important was happening in my life. Red Square, Los Angeles, the Met, London, Paris, Milan… And through it all, Amelia’s wholehearted interest and enthusiasm, her great knowledge and experience, her ongoing advice, have protected me from many mistakes, and have encouraged me to be brave and honest with myself and with other people…
“I loved Amelia and love her still. I am sad that I won’t see her coming towards me with her outgoing, warmhearted smile, holding her usual glass of vodka in her hand…
“I am honored to dedicate this album to Amelia.”
Dmitri Hvorostovsky
Please enjoy a video of Dmitri Hvorostovsky performing the Votre Toast (Toreador Song) from Bizet’s famous opera Carmen. This aria is on Heroes and Villains, and this performance is at the BBC Proms.