Right or Wrong

A friend, who knows of my admiration for the artistry of Karita Mattila (others might call it obssession), gave me a copy of an opera aria CD of a few years ago. Of course I like it. She is a wonderful singer. But Mattila is one of those singers for whom her singing is only a part of the equation. She is the most compelling operatic actress currently active and while her singing is always wonderful, it is when she is on stage that her true greatness comes through.

She sings two Italian arias on this album and while she'll almost persuasive, vocally it's just not the right profile. Her voice, while beautiful, is not capable of the same kind of warm legato in Come in quest'ora bruna and In quella trine morbide that one would hear from more italiante soprano (like Tebaldi). Yet, textually and musically, she makes a very compelling case.

Which causes a dilemna for me. I wasn't earlier convinced of the rightness of her singing Amelia in Un ballo in maschera (which she does in London this month) or Manon Lescaut which she does in Chicago and Houston, next season. I just don't picture her particular strengths transforming these kind of roles. But now, I'm intrigued. If she applies this kind of intelligence to the vocal performance (as she does in the recording), can her physical presence make this something special, although in a way that I didn't expect? Well, it wouldn't be the first time. Perhaps I'm going to have take a couple of trips :)