Delos Diary

Veteran theatregoers are familiar with the legend that Shakespeare's "Macbeth" is a "jinx" role. Something always seems to go wrong. This summer the famed Kirov Opera has brought its new production of Verdi's opera "MacBeth" to New York's Metropolitan Opera, the only Italian entry in a short season of Russian masterpieces. Judging from Martin Bernheimer's review in the Financial Times, the "jinx" still remains. But amid stage mishaps galore, Bernheimer, a true connoisseur of the vocal arts, lavishes compliments on the singing of Vassily Gerello: "Gerello dominates the proceedings with a beutifully focused bel-canto baritone in the title role."

Delos CD aficionados are familiar with Vassily's beautiful voice, featured in the title role of Rachmaninoff's "Aleko" (DE 3269), the important part of "Tomsky" in Delos's unique single-CD version of Tchaikovsky's "Queen of Spades, great scenes" (DE 3289), as well as soloist in Tchaikovsky's Coronation Cantata (DE 3196). Coming soon will be a new Delos recording of Vassily Gerello, singing favorite Ukrainian songs accompanied by Constantine Orbelian and the Moscow Chamber Orchestra. It adds another facet to Gerello's bright shining career.