CD from the Met

I gave money to the Metropolitan Opera, and they have sent me this very nice cd containing a track of a piece from each opera in the 2004-2005 season. There are quite a lot of old friends:

Monserat Caballe's "O Patria Mia" could not be more different from Leontyne Price's, but it is nonetheless a great pleasure to listen to, with lots of portamento and warmth.

Anna Moffo, Placido Domingo, Deborah Voigt, Maria Callas, Franco Corelli and Thomas Hampson all put in appearances. From the actual casts of the Met season is David Daniels in an aria from Rodelinda.

My ears perked right up for Rolando Villazon, a Mexican now in his middle thirties, singing "Io l'ho perduta" from Don Carlo. This is nice. He has the style and the sound. I consulted my memory (DE) and he reports that he is the tenor who burned up the stage in Los Angeles with Anna Netrebko in Roméo et Juliette. It's a thrill to hear new singers with so much to offer. It's not a really heavy voice, so let's hope he isn't encouraged to overdo it. When I read that Victoria de los Angeles had sung Wagner, I knew that any amount of abuse was possible.

It has an exerpt from La Boheme with Jussi Bjoerling and Victoria de los Angeles. I will have to buy this. For my friend Jean this is the iconic performance, not merely of La Boheme but maybe of any opera.