BBC Cardiff Singer of the World, 10/06/2023 (2)

Song Prize - Recital 2

5) Meugui Zhang, soprano (29, China) - Simon Lepper, piano

Dell'Acqua : Villanelle
Debussy : Apparition
Wolf : Die Kleine
Berg : Nacht
Yi Zhou : The Phoenix Hairpin

Meigui Zhang is a coloratura soprano, and accordingly began her recital with a twittering romance popular as a showcase for that type of voice, before getting down to more serious stuff with Debussy's  exquisite "Apparition" from the Four Early Songs.  Both songs, setting French texts, suffered from the same problem; although Zhang produces the right overall sound in French, her consonants are barely audible, rendering the text mushy.  This was not a fault which reappeared in the two German-language songs (I think it's probably impossible to sing in German without consonants!) which were, consequently, rather more satisfying, with winsome charm enlivening the Wolf, and a heady sensuality infusing the Berg.  Finally, a composition whose date I cannot trace, but which would appear to be around the mid-20th Century, though there was nothing particularly modern about the style.  Other than the Chinese text, only the melismas in the vocal line indicated its non-Western origins, but the elegant, melancholic grace of Zhang's reading was very eloquent.

6) Toni Nežić, bass (31, Croatia) - Simon Lepper, piano

Schubert : Aufenthalt
Schumann : In der Fremde
Tosti : Malia
Kunc : Winter
Bellini : Vaga luna, che inargenti

"Aufenthalt" is popular with basses, but there is only maybe one in ten who can pull it off without sounding both portentous and ponderous, and unfortunately Nežić wasn't one of them.  His Schumann wasn't a great deal better, the German stodgy and indecipherable.  The moment he switched to Italian, he was a different singer, far more incisive, both vocally and scenically, and much more pleasing to listen to.  The Bellini was simple and restrained, but it was the Tosti that stole the show, a great breath of fresh air after the weight of the two German songs.  Competitors are encouraged to present at least one number in their own language, particularly if that is not one of the main 'singing' languages, and Nežić's choice was a somewhat gloomy but expressive number by Božidar Kunc, again, probably written around the '40s, and suggesting that maybe it might be worth remembering Kunc for more than just having been Zinka Milanov's brother. 

7) Jessica Robinson, soprano (32, Wales) - Llŷr Williams, piano

Bellini : Malincolia, ninfa gentile
Bellini : Ma rendi pur contento
Grieg : Zur Rosenzeit
Grieg : Ein Traum
Grieg : Jeg elsker dig!
Trad. (arr. Pollock) : Y deryn pur
Haydn Morris : Hei Ho!

You may imagine the reception the 'local girl' got, walking on stage to close tonight's recital.  Robinson's bright soprano voice has a touch of the soubrette to it, but she's capable of providing a depth of reading where her actual voice may suggest something lighter.  The Bellini (again, a nice segue from the end of the previous recital) was a little bland, but then she sang the same Grieg song as Nombulelo Yende earlier today, but with quite different means, and I preferred this more immediate, spontaneous interpretation.  "Ein Traum" was appropriately rapturous, although she pushed her voice almost into parlando at the lowest end of the range, which was unwelcome.  "I love only thee!" was little more constrained, but she relaxed into the Welsh folk song, sure of herself and her audience, and then ended with another Welsh composition, an ebullient song of praise for the wandering life of the traveller, which  closed the proceedings with a flourish.

[Next : 11th June x 2]

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