Ruth Ann Swenson - Con Amore ~ Italian Opera Arias / Rudel, London SO

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
The arias on this record display to perfection Ruth Ann Swenson's most striking gifts: a pure, flawlessly produced bel canto voice that caresses the ear (as in her previous recital album, Endless Pleasure) with a mellifluous, silken sound, and an effortless, impeccable coloratura technique with a radiant top all the way up to E-flat. With meticulous care for every detail, trills, runs, ornaments, and cadenzas all simply come flowing out with natural ease and unhurried poise. Perhaps this very perfection induces a certain vocal and emotional blandness, especially since Swenson seems temperamentally most comfortable in calm, lyrical music, a tendency underlined by the predominance of slow arias. However, since nearly all of them belong to tragic operatic heroines, the singing often rises to considerable intensity and becomes warm, affecting, and very moving. Some highlights are the otherworldly, mournful dreaminess of the lament from Bellini's La Sonnambula, Mimi's innocent simplicity in Puccini's La Bohème, and the deeply inward, anguished prayer from Verdi's Otello. The orchestra is wonderful throughout, with some outstanding horn, harp, and violin solos; the offstage tenor part in Verdi's La Traviata is vividly taken by a solo cello. --Edith Eisler

Tracks:

Turandot: 'Signore, Ascolta!'
La Traviata: 'E Strano! ... E Strano!'
La Traviata: 'Sempre Libera'
La Sonnambula: 'Ah! ... Se Una Volta Sola'
La Sonnambula: 'Ah! Non Giunge'
I Capuleti Ed I Montecchi: 'Oh! Quante Volte'
La Boheme: 'Si. Mi Chiamano Mimi'
Rigoletto: 'Gualtier Malde!'
Rigoletto: 'Caro Nome Che Il Mio Cor'
Manon Lescaut: 'In Quelle Trine Morbide'
L'Elisir d'Amore: 'Prendi; Predi, Per Me Sei Libero'
L'Elisir d'Amore: 'Il Mio Rigor Dimentica'
Otello: 'Ave Maria'
Gianni Schicchi: 'O Mio Babbino Caro'

Amazon.com

The arias on this record display to perfection Ruth Ann Swenson's most striking gifts: a pure, flawlessly produced bel canto voice that caresses the ear (as in her previous recital album, Endless Pleasure) with a mellifluous, silken sound, and an effortless, impeccable coloratura technique with a radiant top all the way up to E-flat. With meticulous care for every detail, trills, runs, ornaments, and cadenzas all simply come flowing out with natural ease and unhurried poise. Perhaps this very perfection induces a certain vocal and emotional blandness, especially since Swenson seems temperamentally most comfortable in calm, lyrical music, a tendency underlined by the predominance of slow arias. However, since nearly all of them belong to tragic operatic heroines, the singing often rises to considerable intensity and becomes warm, affecting, and very moving. Some highlights are the otherworldly, mournful dreaminess of the lament from Bellini's La Sonnambula, Mimi's innocent simplicity in Puccini's La Bohème, and the deeply inward, anguished prayer from Verdi's Otello. The orchestra is wonderful throughout, with some outstanding horn, harp, and violin solos; the offstage tenor part in Verdi's La Traviata is vividly taken by a solo cello. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

Good representation of the work of Ruth Ann Swenson.......2007-03-07

This CD represents Ruth Ann Swenson's repertoire nicely. She has a rich voice. While her technique may not be as excellent as that of some other contemporaries such as Sumi Jo and Natalie Dessay, she surely ranks well in the coloratura repertoire. And, indeed, her version of Mimi's signature aria, "Si, mi chiamano Mimi," shows that she can handle a range of roles.

"Signore, ascolta" is well sung. Her rich voice fits this aria nicely. She also suggests good characterization in this instance (in some other cuts, there appears to be more emphasis on technique than characterization). From "La Traviata," we have "E strano. . .Sempre libera." This is smoothly sung. Swenson shows an agile voice. "Sempre libera" is taken at a nice pace. This is capably done, with a nice concluding high note.

From "La Sonnambula," there is the cabaletta, "Ah! Non giunge," one of the terrific coloratura pieces around. This is a nicely done version. Once more, Swenson shows off an agile voice. She hits notes pretty cleanly. In the repeat, she shows nice ornamentation. There are some good trills. Not all who essay this piece show satisfying trills.

Her version of "Si. Mi chiamano Mimi" was very interesting to me. In this "verismo" aria, she shows some nice characterization and sings this well. "Caro nome" from "Rigoletto" shows her technique off well. Nice trills, good agility.

To conclude, Ruth Ann Swenson is a capable singer in the coloratura repertoire; she can also handle roles outside this territory. This is a satisfying CD.

What A JOY!!!!!!.......2004-01-06

This is a wonderful recital CD from one of today's leading coloratura sopranos, the brilliant Ruth Ann Swenson! Swenson might not have a high G like Natalie Dessay or the rapid vocal fireworks like Sumi Jo; what she has is a unique style of her own. The solid, confident and agile coloratura techniques, the runs and thrills plus the clear and pure golden voice are all here for your listing pleasure! One might find the pace some of the arias a bit slow, for example Sempre libera; but it is only to show cast the quality of her sound and the fearless ability to hit the pitch-perfect high note and hold it. I found her version of Ah! non giunge sung much more at ease in comparison to Renee Fleming's cut from her controversial album Bel Canto. Ruth's warm and calm interpretation of O mio babbino caro is just tremendous! You see, sometimes the hardest arias are the ones that's been done a million times, and I believe Ruth has given a new life to each of these aria, she sang them with full passion and love, what a joy! BRAVO SWENSON!!!!

sorry, so disappointing!.......2002-04-03

I have admired tremendously Ruth Ann Swenson from first hearing, her Mozart, her Rossini, beautiful accuracy, lightness - but this disc is a dud. Except for the admiration expressed for Swenson's 'Caro nome' (which sounds, frankly, like a bad student recital performance - of contemporaneous versions surely June Anderson's is supreme), I indeed agree with the previous review from Oxford. I would add that I detect definite vocal problems in Swenson's work on this disc. What is that extended and disagreeable flattening of the notes from top A-flat, A and up?? The voice starts to scratch faintly, and immediately one feels Swenson feeling it and fearing it. I actually started upon hearing it the first time- I thought Maria Callas had suddenly claimed Ruth Ann's voice in some mysterious embodiment! -over and over on this disc - most unfortunate! And Swenson's timorous, academic approach to nearly everything just grinds each aria to an emotional standstill. The problem is that I hear her showing me her singing, rather than simply singing. The antidote, for an attentive singer, is to listen to Caballe. Really listen.

Listening to this disc brought me to a moment's reflection with respect to a number of opera recordings of late. Over-miked and under-conceived, produced for an elusive pop crossover market (now you have to be beautiful to sing opera, too!)-- all that is fine, but maybe a bit of MUSICAL understanding gets lost in the process, I don't know. I know this disc disappoints me. I wish I had all my OLD Ruth Ann sentiments back, but I just had to go in close, didn't I..! A beautiful instrument, and even a unique and limpid style of singing, of itself cannot garner a genuinely profound understanding in a singer, or any musician, for that matter, nor is it a meaningful substitute. That profoundness comes of humility not in the sense of ego, but in an artist's relationship to his art. I believe the unique canon of operatic arias is profound enough to warrant that much attention from a singer interpreting that canon. I wish that for Swenson, who has I think authentic musical gifts and sensibilities, but you wont find it on this disc. Listen to Caballe's recording of 'Al dolce guidami', Ruth Ann Swenson. Everything to aspire to is contained in its brief ten minutes.

Pretty but oh so boring.......2001-05-15

Like just about everything else I have heard of Ruth Ann Swenson, this CD is pretty but oh so boring. For the first few minutes, you say Oh what a pretty voice she has. Then your mind starts to .... wander. Because there is no personality, no distinct characterization, no passion, just... prettiness.

I also felt that there was an awkward balance between the lyric and the coloratura selections. Some singers can manage both without sacrificing the best of either. But Swenson can't seem to do that - the high notes and runs aren't as clean as they used to be, and the heavier lyric moments are not quite within her grasp.

Most of the selections were suitable to her voice and are roles she has or could essay on the stage - Rigoletto, Elisir, etc. On the Puccini, she makes a respectable stab but simply can't compete with the finer Puccini interpreters in terms of warmth and passion.

However, I felt that the arias from Manon Lescaut and Otello were completely inappropriate for such a light voice - and both suffered the most from plodding, dull interpretations.

Summary - strictly for fans or background music only. If you are familiar with previous singers of this repertoire, this CD simply won't keep your interest.

Give it up Ruth Ann.......2000-09-28

I bought this CD without listening to it first in the store because I have several other CD's with Ruth Ann Swenson on them and I liked what I heard. What I heard on this CD was totaly different. I wish I could return this CD because the only time I listen to it is when I need an a good laugh. In almost every Coloratura song that she sings her highest notes have a slow vibrato, sound anemic, and are usually very sharp. With all of the recording technology available these days why would she not go back and redo the bad parts in her songs. This CD will give you chills, but in the wrong way. I highly don't recomend buying this CD.

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