Karina Gauvin - Karina Gauvin: Purcell (2007)

One of 2005's genuine surprises in recorded opera was CPO's Ariadne, the first recording of a seventeenth century German opera by total unknown Johann Georg Conradi featuring the talents of Canadian soprano Karina Gauvin. That set ended up being nominated for a Grammy, and considerably raised Gauvin's operatic stock in the process. Most of the material on Gauvin's subsequent ATMA Classique release, Karina Gauvin: Purcell will be familiar to devotees of the ill-fated Henry; it is drawn from The Fairy Queen and King Arthur, in addition to the expected, nay, some would say inevitable inclusion of "When I am laid in earth" from Dido and Aeneas, which Gauvin sings to perfection. The program is sprinkled with instrumental numbers, nicely played by Les Boréades de Montréal, although in comparison to a similar program from the majors featuring, say, Cecilia Bartoli or Renée Fleming, it has a few too many. Gauvin's contributions move from one plateau to the next, set high from the beginning with the spirited opening air "Now the Night is chac'd away" from The Fairy Queen. There are many highlights on Karina Gauvin: Purcell, but Gauvin's rendering of "An Evening Hymn" is especially moving and worth mentioning apart from the rest. The only real problem with Karina Gauvin: Purcell is that for some reason Gauvin's voice sinks a little below the level of the ensemble here and there, though overall this is the exception rather than the rule. As good as Les Boréades de Montréal is, one wants to hear Gauvin more than anything else -- after all, she is the main attraction. Nevertheless, it's a heck of a good show, and this program should serve Gauvin well in Europe, as it will serve you in your living room. For fans of truly dynamite soprano singing, Atma Classique's Karina Gauvin: Purcell should prove particularly explosive. -- Uncle Dave Lewis