Olga Peretyatko / Münchner Rundfunkorchester / Miguel Gómez-Martinez LA BELLEZZA DEL CANTO

Operatic powerhouse Olga Peretyatko is accompanied by the Münchner Rundfunkorchester (Munich Radio Orchestra) conducted by Miguel Gómez-Martinez on this high-quality album of (coloratura) soprano favorites. With an able, keen orchestra behind her, Peretyatko is free to demonstrate her considerable talents. Two arias are by opera legend Rossini. One, his "Non si dà follia maggiore," begins the album, and Peretyatko interprets it in a way that leaves the listener entranced. Peretyatko's voice is clean, bright, and full of vibrato. Her interpretation is also highly dramatic. "Canzone del salice" is an even better Rossini choice for the artist, for it begins with a delicate harp and then shows off the core to Peretyatko's smooth, legato sound. Her melismas are not out of control, in keeping with the character of the piece, and there is a lovely trill on "caldi." Despite being a coloratura soprano, Peretyatko's low voice is particularly nice, with depth and color. One can hear this in arias like Dvorák's "Song to the Moon" or Donizetti's "Quel guardo il cavaliere." Where one can hear her true coloratura prowess is on pieces like "Les oiseaux dans la charmille," where the aria shows off her agility as she glides between high and low notes, and her melisma on a piano dynamic demonstrates her excellent technique. The coloratura classic "Caro Nome" is another great example of her fach, for she lightens phrases and notes in such a way that the listener will be amazed by her tremendous vocal control. She brings a rich, fullness to the aria, which is what makes her particular interpretation unique. The overall choice of repertoire on the album is excellent, for it spans a range of composers, languages, and moods that are all well suited to Peretyatko's voice and vocal personality. A general tendency is, oddly, that some of her very high notes are thin and unsupported, rendering them slightly under pitch. This seems to happen on long, sustained high notes, which is unfortunate, for they are often the climax of the aria. Needless to say, no singer is perfect, but Peretyatko and the wonderful Munchner Rundfunkorchester come close. (V. Vasan)