Italian Opera Arias – Gorchakova

Galina Gorchakova, endowed with what London’s Sunday Times called “one of the most important dramatic voices in the post-war era,” makes her debut on Delos with Italian Opera Arias, a collection of her signature roles that have earned her critical acclaim and an immense public following the world over. Gorchakova is accompanied by Constantine Orbelian and the Philharmonia of Russia, the Maestro’s own assemblage of Russia’s leading orchestral musicians resulting in la creme de la creme of Russian ensembles. “There is no one else around to equal Gorchakova in this music -you have to go back 20 or 30 years, to Leontyne Price and Renata Tebaldi, to hear anything comparable,” wrote The Guardian. 

On Italian Opera Arias, Gorchakova turns to the verismo style which benefits handsomely from her brand of full-bodied vocalism. Represented on this disc are roles that have always been an integral and vital part of her repertoire such as Butterfly, Santuzza and Aida, as well as such dramatic and tragic heroines as Liu, Leonora, Tosca and Manon Lescaut, which have earned her plaudits world-wide. Further, she juxtaposes the two females of La Boheme -the emotional Mimi and the flirtatious Musetta -as well as the twins of “Cav-Pag” -a smoldering Santuzza with the carefree Nedda. Gorchakova burst on to the international scene 10 years ago with her thrilling portrayal as Renata in Prokofiev’s Fiery Angel at the BBC Proms. She has since triumphed at Covent Garden, the Bastille, Bavarian State Opera, Cologne Opera, Teatro Comunale Florence, Houston Grand Opera, the Kirov, Vienna State Opera, the Metropolitan Opera and La Scala. More recently she scored a major success opposite Placida Domingo in Los Angeles Opera’s new production of Queen of Spades, which the Los Angeles Times called “a rare chance to bask in genuine Russian singing. Galina Gorchakova …was a powerful, luminous Lisa.” 

Constantine Orbelian is, according to Opera News magazine “a singer’s dream collaborator.” His ambitious series of recordings for Delos includes partnerships with leading international opera stars such as baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky and contralto Ewa Podles’, and notable emerging artists such as soprano Olga Guryakova and mezzo-soprano Marina Domashenko. Italian Opera Arias was recorded in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory using Sony’s leading DSD (Direct Stream Digital) technology. The recording is available in SACD Super Audio, Multi-Channel..

Mascagni Cavalleria Rusticana: Voi lo capete, o mamma Puccini Tosca: Vissi d’arte Madama Butterfly: Un bel di; Tu, tu, tu piccolo iddio Manon Lescaut: In quelle trine morbide La Boheme: Quando men vo Tosca: Non la sospiri La Boheme: Si, Mi chiamano Mimi Turandot: Tu, che di gel sei cinta Gianni Schicchi: O mio babbino caro Manon Lescaut: Sola, perduta, abbandonata Leoncavallo I Pagliacci: Ballatella: Stridono lassu Catalani La Wally: Ebben, ne andro lontana Cilea Adriana Lecouvreur: Io son l’umile ancella Verdi Aida: Ritorna vincitor! La forza del destino: Pace, pace, mio Dio!