Melancolía - Spanish Arias and Songs [CD]

Patricia Petibon is a French coloratura soprano who has been acclaimed for her interpretations of French Baroque music. Interested in the piano and fine arts as a child, she earned a bachelor's degree in musicology at the Paris Conservatoire and then went on to study singing there. She was discovered by the acclaimed American conductor and harpsichordist William Christie and consequently often worked with his orchestra Les Arts Florissants, an ensemble devoted to Baroque music. Patricia Petibon has been awarded three Victoires de la musique classique - as "Best Young Talent" in 1998 and as "Best Opera Singer" in 2001 and 2003.

In this incredibly beautiful recording Petibon indulges in her love of Luso-Iberian music. From zarzuela to art song, folk song, the Aria Cantilena of Brazil's Villa-Lobos, and the traditional Afro-Brazilian Ogundé uareré, Patricia Petibon also samples the new. She includes the world-premiere recording of Nicolas Bacri's song cycle, which was dedicated to her. Patricia Petibon adds spice by teaming up with flamenco musicians for one-of-a-kind performances of the zarzuela hit Adios, Granada and the folk tune El vito. To be complete she includes La tarántula, Marinela, Canto negro, and La petenera - works she makes sparkle with light and life. When she is accompanied by orchestra she is well supported by Josep Pons conducting the Orquesta Nacional de España. She conveys the magical lyricism of Villa-Lobos' Bachianas Brazilieras No 5, making us wish she would decide to record the entire cycle.

The recording contains works by the following composers: Enrique Granados, Joaquín Nin y Castellanos, Heitor Villa-Lobos, Joaquín Turina, Gerónimo Giménez, Rafael Calleja Gómez / Tomás Barrera Saavedra, Manuel De Falla, Federico Moreno Torroba, José Serrano Simeón, and Nicolas Bacri for whom the composer has written songs especially for Petibon and are receiving their world premiere recording here.

Patricia Petibon proves she can step away form the Baroque music that has made her famous, and in approaching songs of this nature she can become completely alluring, seductive, and convincing. She owns a gorgeous voice - and she knows how to use it! Grady Harp, December 11

I really enjoyed this album by Patricia Petibon, who has rapidly become one of my favorite modern singers. This Latin-themed record features excellent performances in a variety of styles with Spanish or Portuguese roots as the common theme.

For a coloratura soprano, Petibon has a remarkable range, and her mastery of deeper registers as well as the high end is well on display here. A few works -- including selections from Xavier Montsalvatge's "Cinco canciones negras" -- were actually written for mezzo soprano.

As usual on Amazon, the list of works provided doesn't give insight into the composers. Here is a quick breakdown:

1. Enrique Granados - Tonadillas: La maja dolorosa II: Ay majo de mi vida
2. Xavier Montsalvatge - Cinco canciones negras: Canción de cuna
3. Xavier Montsalvatge - Cinco canciones negras: Canto negro
4. Joaquín Nin y Castellanos - Veinte cantos populares españoles: El vito
5. Heitor Villa-Lobos - Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5: I. Aria (Cantilena)
6. Joaquín Turina - Poema en forma de canciones: Cantares
7. Gerónimo Giménez - La Tempranica: La tarántula é un bicho mú malo (Zapateado)
8. Rafael Calleja Gómez, Tomas Barrera Saavedra - Emigrantes: Adiós Granada
9. Manuel de Falla - La vida breve, Act I: Vivan los que ríen!
10. Federico Moreno Torroba - La marchenera: Petenera
11. Enrique Granados - Tonadillas: El mirar de la maja
12. José Serrano Simeón - La canción del olvido: Marinela, Marinela
13. Traditional, Francisco Ernani Braga - Ogundé uareré
14. Nicolas Bacri - Melodias de la Melancolia: A la mar
15. Nicolas Bacri - Melodias de la Melancolia: Silencio mi niño
16. Nicolas Bacri - Melodias de la Melancolia: Hay quien dice
17. Nicolas Bacri - Melodias de la Melancolia: Solo

There are only a couple of instantly recognizable "standards" -- the first movement of Villa-Lobos' Bachianas Brasilieras No. 5 and the rousing selection from "La Tempranica" by Gerónimo Giménez. I do regret that Petibon didn't include the second movement from Bachianas Brasilieras No. 5, as an integral performance would probably have made this my favorite recording of Villa-Lobos' most popular work.

But apart from that regret, I found the selection of material very satisfying, and was happy to gain exposure to a number of Spanish, Catalan, Cuban and Brazilian composers that are off the beaten path of standard classical repertory.

The centerpiece of the CD is the new song cycle "Melodias de la Melancholia", written specifically for Petibon by contemporary French composer Nicolas Bacri. While his French status does fudge the album's Iberian theme a bit, the Spanish text -- and more importantly, the rich expressiveness of the music -- more than make up for this. This is a well-rounded song cycle that takes us through a variety of melancholy moods, from languished to anguished. Very nice indeed.

I am very happy that Patricia Petibon is gaining wider exposure and recognition. My perceptions of her as a performer were skewed for quite a while. A few years ago I lived in Europe and was an avid viewer of the French classical cable channel Mezzo. Between longer programs, Mezzo would regularly play short classical video clips, MTV-style, and Petibon was in their constant rotation -- but only with strange, quirky bits featuring her in various outlandish hairstyles. These were mainly, but not exclusively from her role as Olympia in Offenbach's "Tales of Hoffmann". Mentally, I guess I wrote her off for a while as a talented novelty singer.

My perceptions began to change seriously when I saw the video of her singing "Der Holle Rache" -- the aria of the Queen of the Night from "The Magic Flute". Shot in the recording studio with no makeup or pretense, there I saw a singer with power I had not imagined before, coupled with humor and easy grace. I started listening to more Patricia Petibon and became hooked as a real fan. This album confirms her power and personal charm as a performer, as well as her status as one of the top talents around today. Highly recommended.