Mexican tenor
Rolando Villazón has been touted as a worthy successor to
Plácido Domingo, and on the basis of this recording of romanzas from Spanish zarzuelas, that claim should be taken seriously.
Villazón's large voice is extraordinarily like
Domingo's, with rock-solid technique, heroic tone, and impassioned delivery. He sings with a thrilling abandon that would sound reckless if it were not for his absolute security. Those attributes serve him well in this virtuosic repertoire. Anyone who appreciates late romantic operatic showcases is likely to find these romanzas strongly attractive. The examples here come from the golden age of the zarzuela, from about the first third of the twentieth century (plus one entry from 1998) and have a distinctly Spanish flavor, a Puccinian lyricism, and a deeply emotional expressivity. These fully committed performances, by a singer of
Villazón's strengths, make a compelling case for this repertoire, which is too little represented in non-Hispanic opera houses.
Plácido Domingo,
Villazón's mentor, conducting the
Comunidad de Madrid Orchestra, knows this repertoire intimately and provides idiomatic and energetic support. The only caveat is that there is a sameness in the emotional intensity of the romanzas that will be thrilling for fans of the style and of the heroic tenor sound, but which may be appreciated by some listeners when taken in smaller doses, a few selections at a time. The sound is vivid and well-balanced.