[.ca] Radiant Voice Of

From Amazon.co.uk:
Of all the laudatory epithets applicable to Barbara Bonney, "radiant" might not be the one that springs to mind--at least, not insofar as it suggests the warm luxuriance of sunshine. Bonney's light, bright lyric soprano is something else: a voice of delicate refinement and transparent, pure-toned beauty. But it's capable of silkily seductive textures too; and there are wonderful examples on this compilation disc that, if featuring a less well-established artist, might qualify as a demo tape. Most of the tracks are previously issued but together they define her capabilities and home-base repertory, from Bach, Purcell and Mozart through to Scandinavian song and Richard Strauss. With "Morgen", "Solveigs Sang", "The Presentation of the Rose" from Der Rosenkavalier and "Ach, ich Fuhls" from The Magic Flute, this is a catalogue of silver, if not golden moments. Jewel-like singing and pure joy to hear. --Michael White

Simply Stunning:
Radiant aptly describes the voice of Barbara Bonney. Her silvery tones, the effortless highs, and the quality of her pianissimo are simply stunning. Her voice shimmers with life, and love, and color. The music selections are varied and a grand example of the beauty of Barbara's instrument and artistry. This disk is a heavenly collection of some of the best lyric soprano literature and is pure joy to listen to.

She is the ONE:
I bought this CD based on the music review section in The Absolute Sound magazine (TAS). I have not much to add to Michael White's review of this music CD. The other two reviews are also quite accurate in describing Barbara's voice and musicianship. This is the impression from someone who has heard CD's of Jennifer L'Amore, Renée Fleming, and Cecilia Bartoli and been their fan. However, after hearing "The Radiant Voice..." I just feel like, "This is it, the voice that I can listen to any day". As a person who appreciates operatic voices since his childhood, I have not been very satisfied with recordings of the above singers who otherwise are highly praised by such music authorities as Sir Georg Solti and the likes. Only after listening to track #5 (Alleluia), #9 (Chiedi all'aura lusinghiera from L'elisir d'amore), or #11 (Solveigs Sang) to name a few, I realized how much I have been missing out not knowing and listening to Ms. Bonney. Her voice is delicate and expressive, her singing is both subtle and dynamic; I can go on talking how glorious her singing is but I am afraid I would be running out of words. To keep it short, listening her again today forced me to come here to AMAZON.COM and search for more of her recordings and videos. No wonder people said, "Even operaphobic folks like her singing." Thank you TAS for spreading the good news, and thanks Ms. Bonney for letting us hear your radiant voice.

Absolutely luscious, as always.:
I am a rabid Bonney fan and happen to feel this recording is the perfect culmination of her impeccable artistry. Her sound is luscious, fluid, charming and always perfect for what she is singing. She is definately one of the smartest singers today. I could go into each piece individually, but there is a max of 1000 words. In a nutshell, the perfect CD for any classical music lovers collection.

A Lieder Singer Who Also Does Opera:
Barbara Bonney is a phenomenon. With a rich and sensuous voice, she imparts more subtle emotional colors and musical nuances to the works she performs than any soprano in recent memory. To hear her sing is to come away with both a new understanding of the work and a heart full of joy. At the risk of seeming to hedge, however, I am less ecstatic about some of her performances of larger works. On this CD, for example, the "Laudate Dominum" seems strangely forced. (It is only because other of her albums are even more exquisite that I gave this one four stars. She deserves all the stars in the firmament.) But there is no comparison with her renderings of lieder, like the exquisite "Mondnacht." She is haunting, delicate, seductive - and all things in between. I have written elsewhere of the ongoing rediscovery of Robert Schumann. Ms. Bonney's recordings are, in my view, among those leading this revolution, which has led others besides this reviewer to consider Schumann's lieder even more remarkable than Schubert's. Her recent disc with songs of Liszt balanced by the "Dichterliebe" is so lovely as to be almost unearthly. Similarly, in a recording with Vladimir Ashkenazy, she sings the "Frauenliebe und Leben," excerpts from Eichendorff's "Liederkreis," and champions to excellent effect a number of sumptuous lieder by Clara Schumann. This is by way of saying that what Ms. Bonney herself asserts is accurate: that she is a lieder singer first and foremost. Her Richard Strauss and Sibelius are subtle, powerful and passionate. The Mozart arias are sprightly and, where called for, sexy as well. She also works wonders with Andrew Lloyd Weber and Andre Previn, though I think she really deserves to sing better material. This is a marvelous overview of Ms. Bonney's range, and while I am always suspicious of hagiography in program notes, here I can only say "Amen"!

A Great CD:
My first introduction to Barbra Bonney was on Renee Flemings Straus Heroines CD. After hearing her amazing rendition of Sophie I knew that I had discovered a truly great artist. I bought this cd as a taste of the others, a sort of preview to her music. It is now on of the cds that I listen to the most. Her voice is so glorious and beutiful that even my freinds who hate opera love her. I was suprised by the range of her repetoire, and curious as to how she would handle Straus and Berg, but she passed the test beutifully. And I must say that I have ner heard the Pamina aia sung so well! It is an all around great cd that fits into whatever musial mood one is in. I would recomend this cd to anyone who is discovering Bonney for the first time, or has enjoyed for years.

• Come Again! Sweet Love Doth Now Invite - Barbara Bonney
• Thy Hand, Belinda... When I Am Laid in Earth - Academy of Ancient Music, Barbara Bonney
• Heute Noch, Lieber Vater, Tut Es Doch - Barbara Bonney,
• Stabat Mater - Barbara Bonney
• Alleluia - Barbara Bonney,
• Laudate Dominum - Barbara Bonney,
• Deh, Vieni, Non Tardar - Barbara Bonney
• Ach, Ich Fühl's - Barbara Bonney,
• Chiedi All'aura Lusinghiera - Barbara Bonney,
• Mondnacht - Barbara Bonney
• Solveigs Sang - Barbara Bonney,
• Var Det en Dröm? \oWas It a Dream?\c - Barbara Bonney
• Flickan Kom Ifrån Sin Älsklings Möte \oThe Tryst\c - Barbara Bonney
• Morgen - Barbara Bonney
• Mir Ist Die Ehre Widerfahren \oPresentation of the Rose\c - Barbara Bonney, Wiener Philharmoniker
• Die Nachtigall - Barbara Bonney, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
• In Trutina - Barbara Bonney, Wiener Philharmoniker
• Pie Jesu - Barbara Bonney,
• Vocalise - Barbara Bonney