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The remarkable young Peruvian tenor Juan Diego Florez continues his triumphs over the difficulties of the bel canto repertory with this recital devoted to arias sung by Giovanni Battista Rubini (1794-1854). Rubini redefined the role of the tenor, singing heroically, with warmth, sensitivity, an amazing capacity for florid music, and an upper extension that allowed him to sing an F above high C. Florez seems to have it all (although his highest note here is a still-staggering high E-flat). The bright tone, charm, ease of production, comfort with coloratura, superb diction, and sheer love of singing is evident throughout this razzle-dazzle recital. High Ds pop out effortlessly in the heroic aria from Bellini's Il pirata and Rossini's lighter-hearted Il Turco in Italia. More introspective sections are sung with feeling and a long, seamless line. The final piece on the CD--a 12 minute tour de force from Rossini's William Tell that ends with a blazing high C--will have you cheering. Roberto Abbado's leadership is expert, sympathetic, and lively. Thrilling! --Robert Levine

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The title of this CD is somewhat of a misnomer; except for the selection from Marino Faliero, the arias here were not composed specifically for Giovanni Battista Rubini. He did, however, appear in most of the operas, albeit in revivals years after their premieres. (There are doubts as to whether he ever sang the aria composed for Il Turco in Italia.) The point is that Rubini (1794-1854) had a voice that, judging from the scores composed for him and/or the roles he sang, was warm and expressive, of a good size, with an ease in coloratura, and an upper extension to a staggering high-F above high-C. Precisely how he reached these stratospheric tones is still open to debate--they apparently were neither in full chest voice nor weak falsetto. His dramatic intensity made audiences swoon; to be sure, he changed the way audiences looked at tenors. I'm not certain if people are swooning over Peruvian tenor Juan Diego Florez, but he sings these arias with an ease, grace, and charm that may have been similar to Rubini's, even if he takes even the highest notes in full voice and not in what is known as a voix-mixte, a sort of reinforced falsetto that may have been what Rubini used. Rubini was Bellini's favorite tenor (both Sonnambula and Puritani were written for him), and indeed, the two Bellini selections recorded here are the jewels in this recital's crown. Gualtiero in Il Pirata is a hero in love; his bold tone and exclamatory style are nicely contrasted with his gentle cantilena. The aria's opening pages have a Spanish/Mediterranean flavor and Florez catches the manner precisely. Later in the recital, he sings an aria from the composer's early Bianca e Fernando, with long lines, a lovely wedding of words and music, and some elegantly florid passages. Florez reaches a high E-flat at one point, and it's quite a feat, with just a bit of stiffness in the notes leading up to it. Arnoldo's lengthy scene from William Tell (it is sung in Italian) is a great tour de force. It first expresses longing and then turns into a vengeful call to arms, with high-Cs flying left and right. Roberto Abbado's leadership in this scene is particularly heart-stopping, and his chorus and orchestra out-do themselves. A never-before-recorded aria from an 1825 revival of Rossini's La donna del lago is a dazzler (it's a reworking of a piece from his 1819 masterpiece, Ermione), filled with difficult runs and frills, and the Il turco in Italia aria has some fine reflective moments before the fun begins, with high-Ds popping out all over the place. The Marino Faliero piece is a downhearted affair, and Florez sings it movingly, the high notes as expressive as they are impressive, and Norfolk's long scene from Elisabetta catches just the right villainous, manipulative tone. There are some people who find this type of music tiresome--there are so many notes and it's so showy that it can exhaust the listener. Furthermore, after listening to more than 70 minutes of singing, the wonderful brightness to Florez's tone can be a bit much, but that also was true about recitals by the young Pavarotti. Take a break every 20 minutes and you'll return refreshed enough to revel in Florez's golden tone, intelligent use of text, and impeccable enunciation, phrasing, and musicianship. You won't be disappointed by this recital, and although he sounds nothing like Pavarotti, you'll get a similar sense of sheer love of singing and desire to communicate. As suggested above, Abbado's leadership is right on the money. Bravi! [2/18/2008]--Robert Levine

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01. Il Pirata: Ascolta, Nel Furor Delle Tempeste
02. Il Pirata: Del Disastro Di Questi Infelici
03. Il Pirata: Per Te Di Vane Lagrime
04. Elisabetta, Reghina D'Inghilterra: Che Intesi!
05. Elisabetta, Reghina D'Inghilterra: Deh! Troncate I Ceppi Suoi!
06. Elisabetta, Reghina D'Inghilterra: Vendicar Sapro L'Offesa
07. Marino Faliero: No, No, D'Abbandonato Senza Un Addio
08. Marino Faliero: Di Mia Patria O Bel Soggiorno
09. Marino Faliero: Ma Un Solo Conforto
10. Il Turco In Italia: Intesi: Ah! Tutto Intesi
11. Il Turco In Italia: Se Il Mio Disegno
12. Bianca E Fernando: Tutti Siam?
13. Bianca E Fernando: Eccomi Alfin, Guerrieri
14. Bianca E Fernando: All'Udir Del Padre Afflitto
15. Bianca E Fernando: Degna Suora Di Fernando
16. Bianca E Fernando: Odo Il Tuo Pianto, O Padre
17. La Donna Del Lago: Pace Non Trovo
18. La Donna Del Lago: Tu Sorda Ai Miei Lamenti
19. La Donna Del Lago: Ah Come Nascondere
20. Guglielmo Tell: Non Mi Lasciare, O Speme Di Vendetta
21. Guglielmo Tell: O Muto Asil
22. Guglielmo Tell: Vendetta!
23. Guglielmo Tell: Corriam! Voliam!