Hvorostovsky, Orbelian, Domashenko Shine in Moscow Concert

In little more than two years Dmitri Hvorostovsky has recorded for Delos International a remarkably wide-ranging repertoire — from Verdi arias to old Russian romances, from Neapolitan songs to Russian war songs. Understandably, the facets of this diverse material are increasingly represented in his many concerts.

Last April with Constantine Orbelian and the Moscow Chamber Orchestra, Hvorostovsky created a sensation singing war songs, an inspiring body of pieces in popular idiom that resonates strongly with the Russian audience. A telecast of the event on May 8 — the eve of Victory Day celebrating the end of World War II — was reportedly viewed by 98 million people.

On December 9 2003, it was the turn of the familiar opera aria and duet, as Hvorostovsky and Orbelian appeared the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, part of a tour that included Frankfurt, Munich and London and that had the critic of the Guardian proclaiming: "Hvorostovsky continues to astonish, and his voice remains one of the most beautiful of the world."

This is indeed how it sounded from the first arias he sang in Moscow, "Or dove fuggo io mai" from Bellini's I Puritani and "Deh malvaggi invan … Vien Leonora" from Donizetti's La Favorita. Here bel canto elegance of melody was matched with golden tone and seamless legato, subtly charged by a current of dramatic intensity.

Sharing the stage with Hvorostovsky for the Moscow concert were two fast-rising singers, the exciting mezzo soprano Marina Domashenko and the captivating coloratura soprano Ekaterina Siurina. This was the first time that Hvorostovsky has acted as a kind of mentor to young singers, but, as he said with a laugh in an interview before the concert, "you know, I am getting older. They are both so incredibly talented that I am delighted to help."

In fact, Domaschenko, known to many from her aria disc for Delos, has already become highly sought-after following her initial appearance with Hvorostovsky in a San Francisco production of Rimsky-Korsakov's The Tsar's Bride in 2000; her Metropolitan Opera debut is scheduled a month after the concert.

A colorful performance by Orbelian and the orchestra of the Bacchanal from Saint-Saëns's Samson et Dalila led to two arias from that opera, "Amour! Viens aider ma faiblesse" and "Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix." Domashenko, in luxuriant voice, brought to them much seductive allure. Another instrumental number, Rimsky-Korsakov's evocative "Dawn over the Moscow River" paved the way to a sizzling performance of the duet from The Tsar's Bride by Domashenko and Hvorostovsky.

After the intermission, Hvorostovsky offered a powerfully heartfelt performance of "Cortigiani" from Verdi's Rigoletto, then was joined by Ekaterina Siurina for the ensuing father-daughter duet. Here and in arias from Bellini's I Capuletti e Montecchi and Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffmann, Siurina proved to be a singer of true distinction and striking individuality.

The voice is bright, flexible and appealing, but what impressed most was her capacity to suggest varied emotions and give every phrase meaning. In the Bellini she made something vibrant of an aria that in lesser hands can seem dull, and Olimpia's aria sparkled brilliantly in every respect. She makes her Covent Garden debut in January and an aria disc from Delos, scheduled for release in 2004, marks her recording debut.

The initial fulminations of "Eri tu" from Verdi's Un ballo in maschera brought a stunning demonstration of Hvorostovsky's burnished sound at full cry, then gave way to a poignant tenderness. Two lesser-known Neapolitan songs, De Curtis's "Voce e notte" and Falvo's "Dicitencello Vuie," gave further demonstration of Hvorostovsky's legitimate claim to this repertoire, normally the domain of the tenor.

An encore found all three singers involved in a unique arrangement of "Là ci darem la mano" from Mozart's Don Giovanni, in which Hvorostovsky's irresistible Giovanni had not one but two women to pursue. Here and elsewhere Orbelian proved himself to be an uncommonly informed and supportive accompanist.

George Loomis