A good sampler
Queen Margo | Arlington | 10/09/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I am appalled by Steven Paterson's statement (in the previous review) that "hers is not a lush, sweet, beautiful voice--but it is nonetheless a fine instrument indeed." Zinka Milanov has been criticized for many things. Some say she was a poor actress. I cannot comment on that as I have never seen her on stage. She has also been criticized for pitch and other problems. But even her worst enemies acknowledged that she had a beautiful, lush, creamy, silvery, velvety, etc. voice. She was perhaps most famous for her "floating pianissimi" and smooth legato. This CD is a fine sampler of arias she was known for, but to really appreciate Milanov's voice, one has to hear her studio recordings of Aida and Il Trovatore. In some music books these still rate as the best ever recordings of the two operas."
Terrific introduction to a fine soprano
Steven A. Peterson | Hershey, PA (Born in Kewanee, IL) | 05/24/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This CD represents a solid introduction to the art of Zinka Milanov, a soprano who sang from the late 1920s to her final performance in 1966. She was born in 1906 and lived until 1989.
Her reputation was as a fine stylist, an intelligent singer, someone who brought emotion to her roles, and someone who could create characters on the operatic stage. Some illustrations from an untutored but appreciative fan of opera.
From "Aida," "Ritorna Vincitor" (recorded in 1953). She sings well this dramatic aria. Hers is not a lush, sweet, beautiful voice--but it is nonetheless a fine instrument indeed. As Cecil Smith remarked upon her debut as Aida in Chicago in 1940 (from the liner notes), "[She] turned phrases so eloquently that they became. . .heart-storming expressions of emotion."
Then, some items from Verdi's "Il Trovatore," recorded in 1952). The lugubrious "Miserere," with Manrico (sung by Jan Peerce) in prison. She sings her part of this duet with considerable intensity. The pathos of the scene unfolds with her singing. She sings this with a deep, rich voice.
"D'amor sull'ali rosee." I can't say that I'm enamored with the sheer beauty of her voice, but she doesn't have that kind of voice. Her voice, though, is rich and she uses her vocal instrument with great intelligence. Good vocal agility when called for; some decent soft trills ; floats some piano notes quite nicely. All in all, a fine job here.
"Taccea notte placida." Just a few words here. Does well on a high C, shows good agility in the faster paced closing moments, and closes out with a clean note.
All in all, I'm glad that I acquired this CD. I have heard about Milanov for the past 40 or so years, but never bothered to listen to any of her recorded work. I'm glad that that drought is over. This does represent a nice introduction to Milanov's work and I heartily recommend it to those who want to learn more about her. And, finally, kudus to Nimbus Records for bringing these classic voices to us in the 21st Century.
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Track Listings (11) - Disc #1
