“In April of 2015…I had the good fortune to have my attention directed to a Delos recording of what, at the time, I declared to be the “most fascinating opera” that Giuseppe Verdi ever wrote. … Both of these ensembles, as well as their director, were unknown to me when I started listening to the recording. By the time I was done, I was eager to listen to further recordings of Orbelian’s skills. This past Friday, November 10, Delos released another opportunity to listen the Orbelian ply his skills, once again with a Verdi opera and with Hvorostovsky as his leading vocalist. This time the opera was the much more familiar Rigoletto. Listening to this recording should be enough to convince anyone that lightning can strike twice in the same place (even those not quite sure of where Kaunas is)! … As had been the case with the Boccanegra recording, [Dmitri Hvorostovsky’s] musical technique was consistently solid and just as consistently reinforced by expressive technique that reflected the Rigoletto narrative. Nevertheless, it is worth observing that, from a point of view of familiar vocal work, the “main attraction” of the first act does not come from Rigoletto but from his daughter Gilda. … It is thus important to recognize that the contributions of soprano Nadine Sierra to this recording are as significant as those of Hvorostovsky. …she delivered not only “Caro nome” but also the entire role with just the right combination of technical skills and expressive fireworks to make even the most jaded listener sit up and take notice. This recording is, indeed, “one for the books,” leading those who have now fallen under Orbelian’s spell to wonder when the next bolt of lightning will strike.”
