Aleksandra Kurzak: Gioia!

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Kurzak impresses as a coloratura soprano of the old school — BBC Music Magazine, September 2011, 3 out of 5 stars More…

Release Date: 30th Jan 2012
Catalogue No: 4782730
Label: Decca
Length: 60 minutes

Presto Recording of the Week

20th February 2012
Opera

April 2012

Recording of the Month

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Rossini: Il barbiere di Siviglia / Act 1

Work length5:50

$0.85

$1.15

Aleksandra Kurzak (soprano)
Orchestra de la Comunitat Valenciana
Omer Meir Wellber
Recorded: 2010-12-15
Recording Venue: Palau de les Arts, Reina Sofia, Valencia

Una voce poco fa

Track length5:50

$0.85

$1.15

Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro, K.492 / Act 4

Work length4:27

$0.85

$1.15

Aleksandra Kurzak (soprano)
Orchestra de la Comunitat Valenciana
Omer Meir Wellber
Recorded: 2010-12-15
Recording Venue: Palau de les Arts, Reina Sofia, Valencia

Giunse alfin il momento... Deh vieni non tardar

Track length4:27

$0.85

$1.15

Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor / Act 1

Work length8:34

$0.85

$1.15

Aleksandra Kurzak (soprano)
Orchestra de la Comunitat Valenciana
Omer Meir Wellber
Recorded: 2010-12-15
Recording Venue: Palau de les Arts, Reina Sofia, Valencia

Regnava nel silenzio

Track length8:34

$0.85

$1.15

Strauss, J, II: Die Fledermaus: Act 2

Work length3:24

$0.85

$1.15

Aleksandra Kurzak (soprano)
Orchestra de la Comunitat Valenciana
Omer Meir Wellber
Recorded: 2010-12-15
Recording Venue: Palau de les Arts, Reina Sofia, Valencia

Mein Herr Marquis

Track length3:24

$0.85

$1.15

Excerpt, Puccini: Gianni Schicchi

Work length2:22

$0.85

$1.15

Aleksandra Kurzak (soprano)
Orchestra de la Comunitat Valenciana
Omer Meir Wellber
Recorded: 2010-12-15
Recording Venue: Palau de les Arts, Reina Sofia, Valencia

O mio babbino caro

Track length2:22

$0.85

$1.15

Verdi: La Traviata / Act 1

Work length8:27

$0.85

$1.15

Aleksandra Kurzak (soprano), Francesco Demuro (tenor)
Orchestra de la Comunitat Valenciana
Omer Meir Wellber
Recorded: 2010-12-15
Recording Venue: Palau de les Arts, Reina Sofia, Valencia

"Ah, fors'è lui...Sempre libera"

Track length8:27

$0.85

$1.15

Verdi: Rigoletto / Act 1

Work length6:20

$0.85

$1.15

Aleksandra Kurzak (soprano)
Orchestra de la Comunitat Valenciana
Omer Meir Wellber
Recorded: 2010-12-15
Recording Venue: Palau de les Arts, Reina Sofia, Valencia

Gualtier Maldè...Caro nome

Track length6:20

$0.85

$1.15

Bellini: I Puritani / Act 1

Work length3:35

$0.85

$1.15

Aleksandra Kurzak (soprano)
Orchestra de la Comunitat Valenciana
Omer Meir Wellber
Recorded: 2010-12-15
Recording Venue: Palau de les Arts, Reina Sofia, Valencia

"Son vergin vezzosa"

Track length3:35

$0.85

$1.15

Donizetti: L'elisir d'amore / Act 1

Work length8:37

$0.85

$1.15

Aleksandra Kurzak (soprano), Francesco Demuro (tenor)
Orchestra de la Comunitat Valenciana
Omer Meir Wellber
Recorded: 2010-12-15
Recording Venue: Palau de les Arts, Reina Sofia, Valencia

Una parola, Adina

Track length8:37

$0.85

$1.15

Puccini: La Bohème / Act 2

Work length2:31

$0.85

$1.15

Aleksandra Kurzak (soprano)
Orchestra de la Comunitat Valenciana
Omer Meir Wellber
Recorded: 2010-12-15
Recording Venue: Palau de les Arts, Reina Sofia, Valencia

Quando m'en vo

Track length2:31

$0.85

$1.15

Moniuszko: Straszny Dwor (The Haunted Manor) / Act 4

Work length6:38

$0.85

$1.15

Aleksandra Kurzak (soprano), Gjorgi Dimceuski (violin)
Orchestra de la Comunitat Valenciana
Omer Meir Wellber
Recorded: 2010-12-15
Recording Venue: Palau de les Arts, Reina Sofia, Valencia

Do grobu trwac w bezzennym stanie

Track length6:38

$0.85

$1.15

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Recording of the Week, Aleksandra Kurzak and Renée Fleming

20th February 2012

Up-and-coming Polish soprano Kurzak radiates ‘gioia’ in her debut solo album of operatic arias by Donizetti, Bellini, Puccini and others, whilst Fleming is on ravishing form in an all-French programme of orchestral song-cycles by Ravel, Messiaen and Dutilleux (the latter composed for her in 2007).

The lyric soprano Aleksandra Kurzak is one of the most exciting young singers on the international stage - thrilling press and public alike with her performances in Europe and the US. "Gioia", her debut on Decca, is the eagerly anticipated proof of her excellence. This debut is capturing the current state of Aleksandra's voice by contrasting lyric and coloratura arias, focusing on roles which she has performed on stage. The album features much-loved Puccini arias from La Bohème and Gianni Schicchi, bel canto showpieces from I Puritani and Lucia di Lammermoor and the taxing First Act aria from La traviata "Sempre libera" which showcases both her effortless agility and the full, warm intensity of a Verdi lyric soprano.

“A rising-star soprano with flashing eyes and cover-girl looks” (The Observer).

Reviews

September 2011

Kurzak impresses as a coloratura soprano of the old school

October 2011

So, what's special? The tone quality of the voice, in which an apparently endless sparkle is subtly coloured by darker, East European tints. The accuracy of pitch and intervals...The ability to act with the voice (Adele and Lauretta, which follow each other here, sound really radically different). Also, and it's not as common as you may think, she conveys a real understanding of the text.

February 2012

Kurzak's technique is well honed, scale-work clearly surmounted, no slovenly sliding through the fioritura, and her timbre is most agreeable, having no rawness to spoil the euphony. One can say that her voice does not have the number of colours that a soprano with a larger voice might display, but I did not find that I was bored at any time.

her musical intelligence ensures that there is no hint of monotony here even in some over-exposed repertoire...She achieves everything without resorting to show-off tactics; indeed, a few numbers might almost be described as reserved. Every track gives pleasure, but highlights include a seductive ‘Deh vieni’

20th February 2012

there’s not so much as a hint of shrillness even at the very top of the voice: her warm middle register has a mellowness and body which isn’t normally associated with coloratura sopranos and she never lapses into the generic arch mannerisms which can sometimes creep into these roles...Kurzak simply exudes joy from beginning to end.

27th January 2012

There's a gamine appeal about young Polish soprano Aleksandra Kurzak, who brings an innocent enthusiasm to the arias on this debut collection, negotiating the richly ornamented phrases with an almost exultant relish. Her joie de vivre is well-suited to the "laughing aria" from Die Fledermaus...while her vibrato during "Regnava nel silenzio"...is so controlled it's astonishing to learn she received no vocal training till she was 19.

21st January 2012

there’s no doubt that her voice is stupendous: firm, true, crystal-clear in coloratura, beautifully rich in legato. I enjoyed this far more than recent releases by more famous sopranos.

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Recording of the Week, Aleksandra Kurzak and Renée Fleming

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