The operatic aria recital is quite a conventional form, geared toward singers generally in the early parts of their careers who want to show their chops before delving into more distinctive projects. There are certainly chops galore here from soprano Elsa Dreisig, and the Mozart arias on display are, for the most part, standard repertory items. "Pupille amate" from Lucio Silla, K. 135, a power number written for a castrato, is perhaps the exception, but Dreisig captures its muscular, slightly old-fashioned quality to the ...
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The operatic aria recital is quite a conventional form, geared toward singers generally in the early parts of their careers who want to show their chops before delving into more distinctive projects. There are certainly chops galore here from soprano Elsa Dreisig, and the Mozart arias on display are, for the most part, standard repertory items. "Pupille amate" from Lucio Silla, K. 135, a power number written for a castrato, is perhaps the exception, but Dreisig captures its muscular, slightly old-fashioned quality to the hilt. That's the key to Dreisig's considerable appeal here. She's not quite a household-name opera star, and one might find individual recordings of any of these pieces that have more sheer technical dazzle, but few would be able to put them together as Dreisig has, with each piece carefully considered as to its style and its emotional content. Dreisig is emerging as one of the major singing actresses of the day, as a listen to her compelling reading of the much-recorded "Dove sono,"...
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