***** Coup de cœur

“…this disc is filled to the brim with beautiful-sounding tone, evenly produced, and this singer has a remarkable ability to negotiate the coloratura passages with assurance and brio… Riccardo Frizza gives elegant support to the tenor’s vocal display, and at the period pitch everything sounds comfortable; even the coloratura sections sound more natural to my ears. Pentatone and its recording team have delivered perfect sound in a very naturally balanced recording, and the booklet leaves nothing to be desired. I eagerly look forward to this tenor’s next project to see how much further he develops as an artist.”

Recommended

“.. The three concluding scenes from Marino Faliero, Caterina Cornaro and Rosmonda d’Inghilterra offers splendid opportunities for Camarena to exhibit his brilliant height. And so he does with elegance, seemingly effortlessly and unwavering steadiness and accuracy. With Donizetti specialist Riccardo Frizza in the pit and excellent work from the orchestral and choral forces this is a valuable addition to the Donizetti catalogue and a magnificent full-size portrait of a truly great bel canto artist. Don’t miss this one!”

“…The voice is flexible, with clear vocal lines, precise declamation, and the voice can sound delicate and fine even in the high notes, the top notes are clear and unstrained. Camarena manages dynamic leaps effortlessly. He is equally at home in virtuosic and elegiac arias, because bel canto opera is a world he masters well. Sometimes one fears the tone will become slightly larmoyant and nasal – especially in the middle register – but Camarena has the voice so under control that this never really becomes distracting. Formally, he is equally assured, with plenty of spontaneity and just as much taste to convey genuine emotion.” ****