“Brownlee’s brilliant – and above all youthful – timbre emphasizes his indisputable vocal naturalness and ease, as well as his formidable technique. Brownlee conquers from the very start with grace and confidence the roles of Ernesto in Don Pasquale and Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore, adding softness and sincerity without the weepy schmaltziness of other singers. It is hard to pull off so well known an aria as Una furtiva lagrima, but Brownlee lends it an unusual freshness. … A winner of the Richard Tucker Prize, the tenor does nor shy away from the famous Ah mes amis from La Fille du Régiment , that implacable run of high notes capable of defeating the most gifted singer. He also emerges triumphant, sculpting out the Bellini melody line for Arturo in I Puritani (the composer’s last opera, debuted by Giovanni Battista Rubini), accompanied by the soprano Viktorija Miskunaite and the baritone Andrius Apsega. In Brownlee’s art, the exquisite takes precedence over the (still-present) spectacular, and there’s a spontaneity that invites repeated listenings. … In short, this album is a pleasure from start to finish, offering a most excellent example of contemporary Bel Canto singing.” —Sebastian Spreng, El Nuevo Herald (translated by Dennis Adams/Lindsay Koob)
Lawrence Brownlee is “Radiant” on Allegro Io Son
Posted by Lindsay Koob on
