Verdi: Il Trovatore (Complete Opera)
This is Andrea Bocelli's third complete opera recording--afterLa bohèmeandTosca. Manrico is a role to which his type of lyric sound is completely unsuited. How odd it is then that it should be the most successful one to date! Some of the problems persist, but all of them to a lesser degree than previously: a sameness of delivery regardless of situation, forcing the voice for volume (the engineers have recorded the whole opera at such a high volume that everyone sounds as if they're yelling), and, in general, just sounding as if he's trying on shoes which are too big for him. On the other hand, "Di quella pira" is thrilling, with a blazing high C at its close, and, at times, Bocelli actually sounds ardent and caring. The rest of the cast is good without approaching greatness, with Veronica Villaroel singing at times quite beautifully as Leonora and at other times sounding dead. Carlo Guelfi offers fine legato and power as di Luna, and Elena Zaremba is an energetic Azucena. Mercurio conducts the note-complete performance with energy. Bocelli fans will need this in their collections.--Robert Levine