This release by soprano Ermonela Jaho appears on the Opera Rara label, which is dedicated to the revival of neglected operatic repertory. Some of the operas excerpted by Jaho, such as Umberto Giordano's Siberia, certainly fit the bill. Jaho's repertory here is determined by a historical consideration: she records the favorites of a soprano of the early 20th century, Rosina Storchio (said to have been the girlfriend of Arturo Toscanini), to whom she has a certain physical resemblance. There are other obscurities, including ...
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This release by soprano Ermonela Jaho appears on the Opera Rara label, which is dedicated to the revival of neglected operatic repertory. Some of the operas excerpted by Jaho, such as Umberto Giordano's Siberia, certainly fit the bill. Jaho's repertory here is determined by a historical consideration: she records the favorites of a soprano of the early 20th century, Rosina Storchio (said to have been the girlfriend of Arturo Toscanini), to whom she has a certain physical resemblance. There are other obscurities, including the La bohème of not Puccini but Leoncavallo, and there are some well-known pieces by Puccini and Massenet. What really makes this recital stand out, though, is Jaho's interpretive powers. Storchio is said to have had a voice of only moderate size, and this is also true of Jaho, but both, it is safe to say, have brought the house down when the right circumstances converge. Sample almost anywhere, but perhaps try "L'altra notte in fondo al mare," from Arrigo Boito's Mefistofele, which...
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