Il Grando Fernando!
David Fletcher Noble | Highlands Ranch, CO United States | 04/06/2001
(3 out of 5 stars)
"I enjoyed this recording a lot. Fernando did have a lovely voice. I myself have been a big fan of Edwardian Era Opera recordings for seven years. However, he has a tendancy to attack some of his parts where they should have been sung more smoothly. The duets with the other baritones are nice, but the singers and even Fernando himself kind of spoke some of their lines rather than singing them. For example, Rossini's "All'idea" and Donizetti's "Obbligato". I have a problem with singers who speak the words when they should sing them. Sometimes unnecessary candenzas are performed, which could have picked up a little speed. Other than that, this gentleman had one of the most fantastic tenor ranges. It was a shame that the London critics did not give his voice the review it could have been capable of deserving. More orchestral accompaniments would have sounded nice. But this recording is a must have for lovers of early opera records."