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 Really Good!! Jul 01, 2008
This is a really good cd, it's amazing how Mr.Keenlyside is singing!! every aria it's perfect!!
You must has this cd i your own collection!!!
 Splendid singing Mar 09, 2008
I heard a snippet of this CD on a Gramophone podcast of Gramophone 2007 award winners. Simon Keenlyside is a revelation--wonderful singing, intensely musical, gorgeous voice. This is a terrific addition to any collection.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
Very nice stuff.... Jan 20, 2008
I recently purchased this disc, and wasn't sure what I was getting into, only really listening to a couple tracks or so before buying. Keenlyside brings more maturity to these arias that many lyric baritones today don't really seem to do. In my opinion he is quite a versatile singer singing everything from the acrobatic "Largo al factotum" barber aria to arias by Leoncavallo, Massenet, Verdi, Bellini, Mozart, Ambroise Thomas, Tchaikovsky, and even Wagner. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw him put "Oh, du mein holder Abendstern" on this CD. Most is done very well though. All the Verdi on this CD is done quite well. He seems to keep a nice blend of dark and lighter sounds within his voice. Too many baritones seem to be either too dark or too light. Opposed to some other reviews, I personally like his "Ein Maedchen oder Weibchen" aria. It has that comic sound, that Papageno should always have. Also, the Muencher Rundfunkorchester plays very well. I studied in Europe last semester and was able to see them play. They are magnificent in every way, and in ways, more impressive than the Vienna Philharmonic. A good collection of music.
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
An artist with true versatility. Nov 19, 2007
Simon Keenlyside picked a programme for his recital of operatic arias that befits an all-round lyrical baritone who is capable of handling the diverse repertoire for this genre with full capability.
I don't take for granted his ability in languages. Even great operatic stars had been unable to offer such a diverse programme as Mr Keenlyside. Nor could one say that he sticks his fingers into too many pies, since each piece is being meticulously prepared and performed with finesse.
The Rossini opening aria is better done than many big names around, if not outright brilliant. Mr Keenlyside's Italian being more Italianate than most British singers. And his German is very passable if not perfect. On top of the Frech, Italian and German pieces, he also adds the great lyrical piece from Pique Dame, adding Russian to his diverse album.
How far can a lyrical baritone go in terms of an operatic career? If not with such language proficiency, I bet Mr Keenlyside would NOT have stayed that much in demand. Many a good lyrical baritone had been unable to make a big name for himself owing to this lack of proficiency, and many a good lyrical baritone have been forced to acquire such language proficiency in order to advance his career. This is pretty much unlike tenors, nor bassos.
Perhaps Mr Keenlyside should further explore his potentials in the baroque reperotire than those romantically dramatic ones. His perfect intonation, good enunication, crystal clear timbre appears most adept at such repertoires than romantic ones.
11 of 13 found the following review helpful:
The leading British baritone struts his stuff Sep 25, 2007
If you count Bryn Terfel as Welsh, then Simon Keenlyside ranks as the leading British baritone, his every move greeted rapturously by the musical press in London. He's rather dashing and sings with intensity; his voice, although lighter than either Tefel's or Hampson's, is flexible and attractive. I don't think you'd pick it out in a crowd -- he lacks the distintive signature of a superstar. But his career has skyrocketed, and as a young man he was tapped by Abbado, no less, to record Don Giovanni.
This CD is one of those typical calling-card recitals of arias from Mozart and Rosssini to Tchaikovsky and verismo. Here's the complete program:
Il Barbiere di Siviglia : Largo al factotum della citta (Rossini). Guillame Tell : Sois immobile (Rossini). Herodiade : Vision Fugitive (Massenet). Don Carlo : Per me guinto e il di (Verdi). Un ballo in maschera : Eri tu che macchiavi quell'anima (Verdi). La Traviata : Di provenza il mar (Verdi). Hamlet : O vin dissipe la tristesse (Thomas). I Puritani : Ah! Per sempre io ti perdel (Bellini). Zauberflote : Ein Madchen oder Weibchen (Mozart). Pagliacci : Si puo si puo (Leoncavallo). L'Arlesiana : Come due tizzi accesi (Cilea). Pique Dame : Ja vas ljublju (Tchaikovsky). Don Giovanni : Dah vieni alla finestra (Mozart). Zaide : Nur mutig mein Herz versuche dein Gluck (Mozart). Tannhauser : Oh du mein holder Abendstern (Wagner).
Like many well-schooled, intelligent singers, Keenlyside handles his voice very well and studies the languages he's asked to perform in. It was n't a good idea to start out with Figaro's aria from the Barber of Seville, however. Keenlyside doesn't have panache or humor, and the results sound forced. He seems to be shouting here and in the following aria form William Tell. Where many non-Italian baritones fall down is in Verdi -- even Hampson sounds like a fish out of water -- but Keenlyside gamely delivers three numbers from Don Carlo, Ballo in Maschera, and La Traviata. Surprise, surprise, he's quite sympathetic in all three and could easily be singing such roles at the Met.
Despite making a name in Mozart, Keenlyside offers a humorless aria of Papageno's, then switches gears with a lurch to deliver the Tonio's big number from Pagliacci, very effective in its verismo robustness. The program ends with a beautiful, heartfelt rendition of the Evening Star aria from Tannhauser. Listening to Keenlyside's soaring legato, you feel that he deserves his reputation, even if the last dash of charisma is lacking.
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