Dmitri Hvorostovsky - Heroes & Villians (2008)

Dmitri Hvorostovsky's recital of operatic arias spans the French, German, and Italian repertoire, with about half the selections coming from Russian works. The combination of familiar and unfamiliar arias and the variety of moods that they express are strong testimony to Hvorostovsky's versatility and mastery of a variety of idioms. His voice is exceptionally dark and richly loamy, with a wonderfully full bottom, which makes him fully secure in the bass roles, such as Boris. Throughout his range, he has a sheen that also serves him well in the less heavy selections, like the Pagliacci Prologue and "Avant de quitter ces lieux," and it's a pleasure to hear him bring his heft to the Toréador song and Scarpia's Te Deum. It's in the weightier roles, though, that Hvorostovsky makes the strongest impact. Except for the excerpts from Boris and Prince Igor, the Russian selections are fairly obscure, especially the aria from Rubinstein's Nero. The aria from Nero, which has rarely been recorded by modern singers, has a folk-like character shows off the singer's suave legato. Hvorostovsky really shines in this repertoire; he fully inhabits the roles from Boris, Khovanschina, Prince Igor, and The Demon, and his voice is perfectly suited for them. Constantine Orbelian leads the Philharmonia of Russia and Spiritual Revival Choir of Russia in unusually spirited and colorful performances. Delos' sound is bright, with an extremely lively presence, if a little on the loud side. -- Stephen Eddins