Tchaikovsky Romances (2-CD) – Dmitri Hvorostovsky

Composer: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Artists: Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Ivari Ilja
Number of Discs: 2
Label: Delos
CD Release Date: September 22, 2009

Operatic superstar Dmitri Hvorostovsky has become the supreme interpreter of the Russian Romance, with its rich resource of music and poetry. In this generous program the great baritone soars vocally and plumbs emotional depths as he delivers definitive performances of a wide range of Tchaikovsky’s masterpieces.

“Taking a break from his increasingly ambitious pursuit of demanding Italian roles such as Verdi’s di Luna and Simon Boccanegra, Dmitri Hvorostovsky returns to a form long central to his art – the Russian art song.... The form and idiom suit [him] admirably.... Hvorostovsky’s older-sounding but still exceptionally beautiful instrument and Ilja’s elegant pianism strike a good balance.

“Hvorostovsky's musicianship and sound have matured well, and these discs are most welcome for that.... [There’s] a sense of feeling and connection in Hvorostovsky's marbled tone.... This generous, beautifully vocalized collection should please [fans] as well as newcomers sampling Tchaikovsky’s outstanding lyric output.” (Opera News)

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