Anna Netrebko VERDI

. . . Anna Netrebko brings a power to these Verdi arias rarely matched since the days of the great American soprano Leontyne Price. It adds riches to bicentenary celebrations this year of the births of composers Giuseppe Verdi and Richard Wagner . . . Netrebko brings plenty of emotional force and vocal colour as she releases the dark powers of Lady Macbeth in the sleepwalking scene and other "Macbeth" excerpts, and her performance of "O fatidica foresta" from . . . "Giovanna D'Arco" displays the quieter textures and beautifully floated top notes at her command. Netrebko's operatic credentials are affirmed in duet and Siciliana from "Sicilian Vespers", "Tu che le vanita" from "Don Carlo" and four "Trovatore" selections revealing a diva who has truly evolved into a character performer fit for this Verdi feast shared with Orchestra Teatro Regio Torino under the empathetic direction of Gianandrea Noseda.

Record Review / Patricia Kelly, Courier Mail (Brisbane) / 03. August 2013

I have rarely been so wowed . . . Netrebko's career is an object lesson in how to take your time until your voice is just right for certain roles. While other sopranos thrust into the operatic limelight crash and burn, Netrebko has wisely bided her time. Over the past few years, since the birth of her son, her soprano has undergone quite a transformation. It has darkened considerably and increased in size and power . . . On the evidence of this disc, there is much to be excited about. Netrebko thrills before a note is even sung. She opens with Lady Macbeth's Act I aria and cabaletta, starting with a reading of the letter which crackles with electricity and whispered awe. Her Italian diction is very fine and she is alive to the text. When she muses 'Duncano sarà qui?' you know precisely what she means with each repeated 'Qui?'. In the aria 'Vieni! T'affretta!', she is imperious, these dark, sensual colours quite fabulous to hear. In the cabaletta 'Or tutti sorgete, ministry infernali'. . . the overall effect is gripping . . . Netrebko's ability as a singing actress are to the fore here, every word loaded with meaning: 'Di sangue umano sa qui sempre' is full of horror. The disc ends with Leonora's great scene in Part IV of "Il trovatore", with the excitable Rolando Villazón guesting as an off-stage Manrico. In 'D'amor sull'ali rosee' Netrebko's soprano has never sounded more luscious; she is a real spinto in the making, unleashing great waves of tone at climaxes . . . Her Giovanna d'Arco is sung with great sincerity amid delicate scene orchestral painting . . . ["Don Carlo"]: Her opening statement is magnificent and she spans Verdi's long, arching phrases very well . . . The Orchestra Teatro Regio Torino performs this music with exactly the right weight and passion . . . Netrebko's disc is the finest contribution in his defence thus far and should whet appetites for her future forays into this repertoire.

Record Review / Mark Pullinger, Opera Britannia / 11. August 2013