Galina Gorchakova: Verdi & Tchaikovsky Arias
Galina Gorchakova is that rarity--a genuine spinto soprano--rather than the usual pushed-up lyric, and she wields her dark, sumptuous voice with assurance; her high notes can be thrilling in their power. She is at her best in the four arias by Tchaikovsky, particularly her believably impetuous reading of the Letter Scene from "Eugene Onegin." She sometimes carries too much heft too high for the Verdian repertoire, with an occasional hint of strain as a result, but most listeners will forgive a measure of Slavic production in an Italian role for the chance to hear a soprano who can sing this music without apologies. She is ably and sympathetically accompanied by conductor Valery Gergiev and the Kirov Orchestra.--Sarah Bryan Miller