The voice (already known to us as Adalgisa’s in the Muti/Eaglen Norma – EMI, 10/95) is delightfully pure, bright without glare and pointed without being needly-sharp, an ideal instrument for the music of Norina in Don Pasquale and Gilda in Rigoletto. Accomplishments of graceful fioriture, including the trill (which Italians have often neglected), and an ease of movement throughout the range add to the attractions of, it would seem, a modestly disposed artist not over-intent upon stamping her personality on these songs or of obtaining effects beyond their apparent scope. A more scrupulous legato has still to be cultivated, and then a deeper and more individual style of expression.
Meanwhile she would do well to associate herself with a better part of the song repertoire than this. Blandness of melody and harmony, triviality of sentiment, conventionality of dramatic gesture, those are some of its principal characteristics. There is some fun in L’orgia, zest in La danza, pathos in Vaga luna, panache in La zingara: four at a time will earn their welcome in a concert programme. But more than that is too much. One sits as at some inane fashionable salon smiling at vacancy.
The recital is well recorded, the booklet attractive and useful. Fabio Bidini plays even the most insipid of the accompaniments with clarity and style.'