Delos Diary

To avoid being swamped by the summer heat, we at Delos keep busy finalizing preparations for Dmitri Hvorostovsky's new operatic blockbuster CD, soon to be released. The title "Heroes and Villains" sounds intriguing, but closely examined, leaves open some questions about the CDs contents. Hvorostovsky sings everything so convincingly that even his "villains" sound "heroic," while his actual "heroes" sound super-heroic.
For example, how could you not love the villainous Scarpia who trumpets his lustful desires for the diva Tosca so openly, and in church, too!
Or what about Rubinstein's "Demon" where the devil's minion spends all his energy mooning over one female, while thousands must be available to him.
Also, there's the wimpy hero, Valentin in "Faust," who gets killed very handily by Faust and Mephistopheles, for defending the honor of his sister who has already lost it. And then there's "Prince Igor" who heroically celebrates his defeat and capture after his first battle, while "Hamlet" ignores his own indecision by singing an elegant drinking song.
I could go on with these contradictions, but why bother when listening to Dmitri Hvorostovsky. In every instance he convinces us that he is the evil villain or sonorous hero he wants us to believe he is.
Remember, in opera, a beautiful voice and a masterful interpretation can make you believe anything. The new Hvorostovsky album will give you 15 opportunities to make up your own mind.
My personal favorite unlikely hero is the mellifluous lyrical baritone hero Wolfram in Wagner's "Tannhaüser" who spends his valuable time serenading an evening star while ignoring his possible true love, Elisabeth.