French Arias
Having dazzled us with her coloratura ability  inarias by Mozart, Gluck, and her fellow Czech, Myslivecek,  this luscious young mezzo-soprano now offers us a generous program of French arias--15 of them, widely varied in tone, weight, dramatic intent, and style--and conquers and convinces in them all. Beginning again in coloratura territory, an aria from Auber's rareLe domino noircatches our attention with the heroine's opening words, "Je suis sauvée enfin!" ("I am safe at last!"), in which she paints the picture of our out-of-breath heroine immediately. Throughout the CD we meet the doomed, tragic Sappho in Gounod's opera; Dulcinée in the same composer'sDon Quichotte, here presented first as lamenting lover, then as spitfire, with Kozena reaching down into her most sultry chest voice; a dreamy Marguerite in Berlioz'sLa damnation de Faust; a Princess languorously singing of the night in an exquisite aria from Gounod's all-but-unknownCinq-Mars; and many others, each of whom Kozena imbues with her individual stamp, flawless technique, musicality, and beautiful tone. Almost as a bonus, the CD ends with Carmen's Gypsy Song - a real razzle-dazzler. Kozena is a great singer and this is a great recital CD--a must.--Robert Levine