Now THAT'S A Voice!!!
John Fitzgerald | San Francisco, CA United States | 08/11/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Do you ever think, or say, that the great voices of our two "golden ages" of opera are all gone?
Well yes, they are. But don't despair. New ones can, and will, and HAVE, appeared! This is one of the
largest, grandest, most opulent voices you'll EVER hear! And, in spite of the size of her voice, Christine
Brewer always manages to sound real, human and feminine. An earthy, womanly grace and courage and passion.
(Like Nilsson and others before her, it's never JUST the big voice, but what she DOES with it.) There are
two tracks on this album that are especially wonderful. Magda's big scene from THE CONSUL. Brewer won't make
you forget Eileen Farrell's stupendous recording of this aria. But that she can even be mentioned in the same breath is huge praise. Nor will her encore of "Climb Every Mountain" from THE SOUND OF MUSIC make you forget
Patricia Neway's classic original. (Neway, by the way, was also the original Magda.) But I think this album is
worth purchasing for that final track alone. Enjoy! (And, if you're trying to break a lease, turn up the volume.)"
Opulent jewels from a truly fantastic artist..
Stephen Jackson | Texas, USA | 03/24/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Christine Brewer's smoked velvet soprano is used in unexpected English language translations of a wide variety of both well known and less commmonly recorded repertory. A great gift for a classical vocal fan who "complains" about opera being in other languages, Brewer never fails to enunciate clearly, but sing with great passion and consumate artistry throughout. My only possible complaint is that this is not a DVD of her stage performances. She is an exquisite actress as well as classical soprano. One would be well advised to seek out her live performances (a frequent performer at Santa Fe Opera among other houses)to truly experience the sheer magnitude and emotional impact of her artisty. Equally at home in the diverse worlds of Mozart, Strauss, Handel and Britten, she will surely prove to be one of the great voices of our generation."
