Rolando Villazon & Placido Domingo - Gitano
Facts
Gitano
Music Price: $17.98 $12.97You save 28%!
As of Oct 13 0:34 EDT (details)
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About Rolando Villazon & Placido Domingo - Gitano
Zarzuela--the Spanish theatrical form that is half-way between what we know as musical comedy and opera--requires as much from the singer as opera. Teresa Berganza, Placido Domingo, Montserrat Caballé, and others have popularized it somewhat in the past 20 years, and this terrific new CD from superstar tenor Rolando Villazon should convince others of the music's worth. The selections are filled with heartfelt emotions - love, loss, joy - and the remarkable Villazon inflects his essentially dark-hued voice so intelligently and sensitively that he embodies each experience. He's a tenor with ideas, seemingly incapable of phoning in a performance: the lovely, soft ending to an aria by Pablo Luna stands in wonderful contrast with a near-heroic number by Jacinto Guerrero about loving one's home. So much of great singing is about inflection: Villazon is a master of subtlety. It certainly doesn't hurt that he's singing in his native language and that the orchestra is being led by another famous Spanish tenor, Placido Domingo. A greatly enjoyable CD. --Robert Levine Amazon.com
Tracks
- No puede ser (Sorozabal: La tabernera del puerto)
- Por el humo se sabe donde esta el fuego (Vives: Dona Francisquita)
- Cancion guajira (Serrano: La alegria del batallon)
- Pajarin, tu que vuelas (Luna: La picara molinera)
- De este apacible rincon de Madrid (Moreno Torroba: Luisa Fernanda)
- Bella enamorada (Soutullo & Vert: El ultimo ramontico)
- La roca fria del Calvario (Relato) (Serrano: La dolorosa)
- Mi aldea (Guerrero: Los gavilanes)
- Raquel (Guerrero: El huesped del Sevillano)
- Suena guitarrico mio (Jota de Perico) (Perez Soriano: El guitarrico)
- Te quiero, morena (Jota) (Serrano: El trust de los tenorios)
- Madrilena bonita (Sorozabal: La del manojo de rosas)
- Ya mis horas felices (Soutullo & Vert: La del soto del Parral)
- Amor, vida de mi vida (Moreno Torroba: Maravilla)
- Un gitano sin su honor (Cano: Luna)
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User Reviews
Average user review: 
(15 reviews)
I got this CD a couple days ago. I can't stop listening to it. The emotion that Villazon puts into this music stops me from doing anything else while I just marvel at his tone and expressivity. He is certainly one of the great tenors of the day and this magnificent recording is a
must-have for any serious connoisseur of Spanish, Latin American, or operatic music. Domingo's direction is, of course, superb---but Villazon surpasses even Domingo's zarzuela singing when he was at his best. What a great voice! What a great recording!
May 30, 2008 |  | I'M AFRAID THIS GUY HAS SURPASSED HIS MASTER |  |
PLACIDO DOMINGO WAS THE BEST ZARZUELA SINGER I HAD HEARD UNTIL I KNEW HIS DISCIPLE, VILLAZON. HIS PRONUNCIATION AND POWER ARE JUST FANTASTIC!
May 10, 2008It is perhaps the best selection of songs that Rolando has edited.Really impressive.I have heard it more than 18 times and wont stop
February 26, 2008Maybe once in a generation comes a tenor voice as rich and exciting as Rolando's. Unfortunately, such voices sometimes come in fragile packages. His recent appearance cancellations for "health problems," stretching out for almost half a year already and attributed by some to voice difficulties, give us worry that this voice, too, may not last. Nevertheless, this album is rich and fine, not only for the wonderful singing, but also for the introduction to the Spanish Zarzuela. The criticism by another reviewer of pitch wavering I think is mistaken; I see rather an adaptation to the spirit of the Zarzuela, where, as in much popular music (and the Zarzuela has always dipped generously into the field of Iberian popular song), absolute pitch often gives way to expression. The notes give a decent, if limited, background to the genre, and complete lyrics, in both Spanish and English, are given for all of the songs. The translations into English are uneven, frequently missing the inner intent of the original Spanish by a wide margin. Yet they give a decent reflection of the general meaning of the songs and would be helpful for a listener whose Spanish is wobbly. The album title "Gitano" is somewhat misleading in that only one of the tracks deals explicitly with a gypsy theme. But that is a quibble. In all, this is an album which will delight and enrich for many years to come. It belongs in every music library where good singing is treasured--and not just for the voice, but also for the glimpse into the too often obscured world of Spanish musical theater as represented by the Zarzuela.
January 1, 2008Villazon voice brings back in this Gitano CD memories of those tenors of the 50's like Mario Del Monaco and Franco Corelli but this time with a Latin America essence. Placido Domingo direction and his special Spanish touch is felt throughout the recording. However it is Villazon's voice that makes one thrill in every piece of zarzuelas. His performance of Mi Aldea is the best I have heard so far though it is for the baritone role in Los Gavilanes. I have the CD in my car I and listen to it very often(do not recommend it because it could make you loose control of your driving) Every time I listen to the recording I get goosebumps. Even if you are not a fan of zarzuelas I suggest this CD because the exceptional voice of Villazon and the music will lead to Spanish music at its best.
December 4, 2007More reviews at Amazon.com ...
