Product Description

Having dazzled us with her coloratura ability in arias by Mozart, Gluck, and her fellow Czech, Myslivecek, this luscious young mezzo-soprano now offers us a generous program of French arias--15 of them, widely varied in tone, weight, dramatic intent, and style--and conquers and convinces in them all. Beginning again in coloratura territory, an aria from Auber's rare catches our attention with the heroine's opening words, "Je suis sauve enfin!" ("I am safe at last!"), in which she paints the picture of our out-of-breath heroine immediately. Throughout the CD we meet the doomed, tragic Sappho in Gounod's opera; Dulcine in the same composer's , here presented first as lamenting lover, then as spitfire, with Kozena reaching down into her most sultry chest voice; a dreamy Marguerite in Berlioz's ; a Princess languorously singing of the night in an exquisite aria from Gounod's all-but-unknown ; and many others, each of whom Kozena imbues with her individual stamp, flawless technique, musicality, and beautiful tone. Almost as a bonus, the CD ends with Carmen's Gypsy Song - a real razzle-dazzler. Kozena is a great singer and this is a great recital CD--a must.