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Tchaikovsky: Iolanta / Netrebko, Skorokhodov, Markov, Villaume

Tchaikovsky / Netrebko,Anna Release Date: 01/06/2015
Label: Deutsche Grammophon Catalog #: 002234902
Composer:  Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky Performer:  Anna Netrebko ,  Sergei Skorokhodov ,  Alexey Markov ,  Vitalij Kowaljow Conductor:  Emmanuel Villaume Orchestra/Ensemble:  Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra Number of Discs: 2

Tchaikovsky’s final opera, Iolanta, is a brief affair in one act, slightly more than 90 minutes long. It’s not a masterpiece, but it has a mood and color that are most welcome. It entirely lacks the pomp and circumstance of his better-known operas and has more the aura of his ballets. The story of the eponymous princess who is blind but regains her sight through a combination of love and an exotic magician is a sweet fairy tale, perhaps not altogether suited to the temperament of either Tchaikovsky himself or his brother, Modest, who wrote the libretto, but somehow it works. The prelude, which begins with all dark winds, is in itself remarkable, and each of the characters gets a fine aria, with duets and ensembles tossed in. It’s strangely Read more satisfying.

This live performance, recorded in Essen in 2012, is clearly a vehicle for former charwoman and superstar soprano Anna Netrebko, and she does not disappoint. The creamy, beautiful sound is intact, and even if the acoustic allows us to hear every imperfection (intonation issues in the middle of the voice, a bit too hard-working near the opera’s close), her thoroughly devoted performance, the “face” she gives every phrase, the melancholy at the start, puzzlement in middle, and joy at the opera’s end, make for a vivid, riveting portrayal.

The rest of the cast is very impressive. Vitalij Kowaljow as her father, King René, sings sincerely in his prayer for guidance; Alexey Markov, as her betrothed, Robert, has a warm, rich baritone and is, well, rapturous in his rapturous love song and rock solid elsewhere. Lucas Meacham, as the magician/doctor Ibn Hakia, who has perhaps the most lovely melody in the opera, is both elegant and authoritative. And most important among the men is tenor Sergey Skorokhodov as Iolanta’s eventual lover and liberator, Vaudémont, who sings with Italianate phrasing and morbidezza, and if he doesn’t quite have the voix-mixte for the final, soft A-flat of his aria, well, he’s stylish and delivers acres of handsome tone nonetheless. The rest of the cast is fine, although I wouldn’t want to hear too much from the women who sing the roles of Iolanta’s friends.

The Slovenian choir and orchestra are excellent under Emmanuel Villaume’s leadership. His timing comes in within 90 seconds of Gergiev’s 20-year-old recording on Philips, and like the Russian maestro, he knows when to treat the opera as a chamber work and when to build to a thrilling epiphany. Netrebko outsings and out-nuances Galina Gorchakova in the Philips, and Gegam Grigorian and Dmitri Hvorostovsky at their most exciting give the new Vaudémont and Robert a good run for their money. I’d say the two recordings are tied for first place and it’s an enchanting enough opera to belong in any collection. Voices are recorded very closely and there’s a bit of blare, but otherwise the recording is faithful to the music.

-- Robert Levine, ClassicsToday.com
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