Dolora Zajick - The Art of the Dramatic Mezzo-Soprano
Dolora Zajickis a real rarity--a true dramatic mezzo-soprano. Her voice, live and on disc, is huge and lush and absolutely even from the deepest chest tones all the way up to the high B natural. With a sound so ample, she's occasionally unsubtle, but on this recital CD, she sings Dalila's music with great gentleness and allure, while portraying Azucena (inTrovatore), Eboli (inDon Carlo) and the Princess (inAdriana Lecouvreur) with vigor, generous tone, and the correct rage. She also sings the Sleepwalking Scene from Verdi'sMacbeth, rising to the high D-flat at its close softly--as Verdi wrote it and almost no soprano (let alone mezzo) can sing it. Zajick manages the coloratura from Arbace's aria in Rossini'sSemiramidewell enough, but it's clearly not her cup of tea. This is a thrilling recital; listening to it is like viewing a geyser--very, very impressive indeed.--Robert Levine