September New Release - Hvorostovsky Heroes & Villains

Delos News

Dmitri Hvorostovsky in new aria album,
“Heroes and Villains”

The great baritone sings arias from Russian, French, Italian and German operas, and dedicates album to the memory of Delos founder Amelia Haygood

DE 3365 • September release from Delos

“Heroes and Villains” is Dmitri Hvorostovsky’s most splendid aria album to date. Now at the peak of his powers, Hvorostovsky draws on his gorgeous baritone to interpret a range of arias from the rarely heard to audience favorites. His collaborator in this versatile program is American conductor Constantine Orbelian with the Philharmonia of Russia. Dmitri has dedicated the album to Delos founder and longtime leader Amelia Haygood, who died in March, 2007 after a 12-year battle with cancer.

Hvorostovsky himself feels that he has reached a milestone, both vocally and interpretively. This album gives his vast audience the chance to share such a moment in the career of a great artist. The Russian repertoire on this 73-minute CD includes Boris Godunov’s guilt-ridden monologue, as well as Boyar Shaklovity’s similarly tragic ruminations from Mussorgsky’s Kovanshchina. Lesser-known arias beloved of Russian baritones are two from Anton Rubinstein’s The Demon, a favorite in Russia, and a novelty from Rubinstein’s Nero. The great baritone showpiece from Borodin’s Prince Igor has seldom sounded so eloquent and persuasive.

Dmitri Hvorostovsky has been called “the greatest Verdi baritone of our time.” Carlos’ “Urna fatale del mio destino” from La Forza del destino is a wonderful showpiece for the great singer. Other Italian arias by Puccini (Scarpia’s “Te Deum” from Tosca), Giordano (Andrea Chenier), and Leoncavallo (Pagliacci) reinforce the strength of Hvorostovsky’s interpretive skills.

The French repertoire, handsomely represented here in arias from Gounod’s Faust, Massenet’s Hérodiade, Thomas’ Hamlet and Bizet’s Carmen, should delight any Francophile opera lover. Dmitri’s German offering, Hymn to the Evening Star from Wagner’s Tannhäuser, suggests an opening into other Wagnerian baritone roles.

“Heroes and Villains” is Dmitri’s eighth recording for Delos. The growing Delos catalog of Hvorostovsky artistry includes Verdi Arias, DE 3292; Neapolitan Songs (Passione di Napoli, DE 3290); traditional Russian songs (Moscow Nights, DE 3339 and Where Are You, My Brothers, DE 3315); Russian romances (I Met You, My Love, DE 3293); the Sviridov song cycle “Petersburg,” DE 3311; and Tchaikovsky: Queen of Spades, Great Scenes, DE 3289.

In October and November of 2007 Hvorostovsky, Orbelian and the Moscow Chamber Orchestra will be touring “To Russia with Love,” a concert program of Russian romances and traditional songs: PARIS: Oct. 6 (Salle Pleyel); LONDON: Oct. 9 (Barbican); MEXICO: Guadalajara, Oct 30; Monterrey, Nov 2; U.S.: Berkeley, Nov 4; Dallas, Nov 6; Los Angeles (Pasadena), Nov. 11; New York, (Lincoln Center), Nov 14; Miami, Nov. 16; Washington, DC, Nov 20; Chicago, Dec 2; Boston, Dec 4. CANADA: Montreal, Nov 24; Quebec, Nov 26; Toronto, Nov 29.

In October 2007, to coincide with the tour, Delos will release a live concert DVD of “To Russia with Love” filmed in St. Petersburg in September, 2006.

“Hvorostovsky continues to astonish, and his voice remains one of the most beautiful of the world.” — The Guardian

Contents of “Heroes and Villains”:

Borodin: Prince Igor • Igor’s aria “Ni sna, ni otdikha”
Mussorgsky: Boris Godunov • Boris’s aria “Dastik ya vyshei vlasti”
Mussorgsky: Khovanschina • Shaklovity’s aria “Spit streletskoe gnezdo”
Rubinstein: The Demon • Demon’s aria “Na Vozdushnom akiane”
with Florence Illi-Hvorostovsky, soprano
Rubinstein: The Demon • Demon’s aria “Ne plach ditya”
Rubinstein: Nero • Vindex’s aria “Epitalama”
Wagner: Tannhäuser • Wolfram’s aria “Oh du mein holder Abendstern”
Giordano: Andrea Chenier • Gérard’s aria “Nemico della patria”
Verdi: La Forza del Destino • Carlo’s aria “Urna Fatale”
with Dmitry Kuznetsov, baritone
Leoncavallo: Pagliacci • Tonio • Prologue “Si può?”
Puccini: Tosca • Scarpia’s aria “Te Deum”
Gounod: Faust • Valentin’s aria “Avant de quitter ces lieux”
Massenet: Hérodiade • Herod’s aria “Vision fugitive”
Bizet: Carmen • Escamillo • Toreador Song “Votre toast”
with Marnie Breckenridge, soprano • Viktoria Smirnova, soprano • Anastasia Chikaeva, mezzo-soprano
Thomas: Hamlet • The Drinking Song “Ô vin, dissipe la tristesse”
with Andrey Azovsky, tenor • Dmitry Kuznetsov, baritone

Dmitri Hvorostovsky, baritone • Constantine Orbelian, conductor • Philharmonia of Russia
Spiritual Revival Choir of Russia (Lev Kontorovich, Music Director)

Recorded in Svetlanov Hall of the Moscow International Performing Arts Center

In memoriam, Delos Founder Amelia S. Haygood (1919-2007)

“I’ve known Amelia for the past seven years. They have been the most exciting and thrilling years of my life. At what is probably the highest level of my career, I’ve been taking steps forward as I discovered where and how to go; taking risks, and challenging myself increasingly… The entire time, I have cherished Amelia’s unwavering pride and involvement in everything that I’ve been through, every step of the way.
  “I remember my first talks with Amelia, strolling in the little forest just outside of Moscow, where she listened to my life stories and talked and talked in return, with charm and wisdom… Ever since, whenever we’ve been together, something important was happening in my life. Red Square, Los Angeles, the Met, London, Paris, Milan… And through it all, Amelia’s wholehearted interest and enthusiasm, her great knowledge and experience, her ongoing advice, have protected me from many mistakes, and have encouraged me to be brave and honest with myself and with other people…
  “I loved Amelia and love her still. I am sad that I won’t see her coming towards me with her outgoing, warmhearted smile, holding her usual glass of vodka in her hand…
 
“I am honored to dedicate this album to Amelia.”  

Dmitri Hvorostovsky

September New Release - Vainberg Chamber Music

Delos News

New recording of music by
Shostakovich protegé Moisei Vainberg

Moisei Vainberg (1919-1996): String Quartets
Nos.11 & 13; Piano Quintet Op. 18
Vilnius String Quartet • Golda Vainberg-Tatz, piano

DE 1042 —  September release from Delos

The music of Moisei Vainberg has been on the upswing in Europe lately; and now Delos presents a new recording of three outstanding chamber works by the Polish Jewish composer who survived two of the 20th century’s greatest horrors, Nazism and Stalinism. His music, until now rarely heard outside of Russia, is masterful, and seems to be gaining recognition in the United States and Europe.

The distinguished Vilnius Quartet, Lithuania’s most famous export, is joined by pianist Golda Vainberg-Tatz, also Lithuanian by birth and recognized throughout Europe and America. The Piano Quintet is an early opus, and the two Quartets are among Vainberg’s later works.

To escape the Nazis during World War II, Vainberg fled to Russia, where he earned the friendship and patronage of Dmitri Shostakovich, his mentor for life. Vainberg remained in Russia until his death in 1996, and composed numerous works in every musical genre: symphonies, operas, ballets and chamber music; and also music for the cinema, radio, TV, animated films and the circus.

Deeply influenced by Shostakovich, Vainberg’s music reflects the catastrophic events of his youth, 1939-45, with an intense focus on the 2nd World War and the Holocaust. The Quartets and the Piano Quintet on our recording are laden with emotions: sadness, pain, darkness, folkloric Russian imagery, at times stirringly lyrical and profoundly meditative.

All of this music is realized in depth by the Vilnius musicians and pianist Vainberg-Tatz. The adventurous CD classical buyer will be fascinated by this beautifully planned recording of a musical visionary’s plea for understanding and peace. The distinguished Vilnius Quartet is well known in the capitals of Europe, and has performed in such U.S. centers as New York, Boston, Cleveland and Houston.

Recorded at Vilnius Philharmonic Hall, Vilnius, Lithuania.