Rare Verismo Arias - Robin Follman

Its so nice to find an opera recital without the usual standard rep being sung for the 9,000th time. I am not familiar with Robin Follman and see shes done smaller houses and the NYC opera,. This cd was produced in 2002 and I have not seen her name recently. She and Yves Abel has chosen a range of unusual and beautiful arias and a duet from rarely performed operas. Even "L'Amico Fritz" is now rarely done. I think in actuality Ms. Follmans voice is more suited to the true lyric rep(Susanna, Musetta, Norina,etc.) But she manages by using a variety of colors and singing with lovely line and phrasing to perform these arias with sensitivity. One does really wish for a bigger voice in some of these pieces, but considering she coached with Scotto,according to the liner notes,she does very well.She reminds me of Mafalda Favero, a leading soprano at La scala in the 30s-early 50s. The voice was really just a lyric, not spinto, but with color and artistry was able to handle bigger roles , as it seems Ms. Follman has done.The recorded sound is spacious and natural and its a very pleasing way to hear some very unusual music.

First off. Ms Follman is a Spinto and sings controlled throughout all 11 cuts. The music is soothing and she would make Puccini proud. If you followed her career, you would no that Ms. Follman sings Tosca's, Butterfly's and Boheme's all over the world. Have you sung on any stage lately? Yves Abel conducts beautifully and brings alive the 88 piece English Chamber Orchestra. What a treat to have so many rare pieces on one CD. The CD insert is written in Italian and English. This CD is a great collection of wonderful Opera that has been lost and Ms. Follman had the ability to bring it back.

Robin Follman is my favorite opera singer, hands down. She is a terrific actress as well as a very well controlled and conscious singer. She was with the Italian national Opera and has sung all over the world in starring roles as a dramatic soprano, as the star of La Traviata and La Boheme, etc. She studied for many years under Maurice Allard. Her performances are the most compelling I've ever seen in that she owns the part, becomes the character, yet has total control vocally. She is precise and beautiful. She doesn't skip notes like some have been known to do. Her performance of these gorgeous and dramatic pieces is precise, perfect, and emotionally compelling. She comes from many generations of major opera singers.The most important thing to know about this album is that it will transport you, move you with its beauty and her vocal purity, her dramatic interpretations... it's everything you love about great opera in the first place. I find this album so moving that I go back to it again and again. Brava!Note: There is a second CD called "Dramatic Heroines" that surpasses even this CD. It has 17 amazing and well acted and sung arias. What a voice! She pours her entire soul into each aria yet maintains perfect control. There are some very complicate sections that she does with ease. She's known as a method actress as well as an amazing technical singer.She's also the CEO of a number of foundations and companies, "The Singing CEO". I think she may be taking some time to have children.Note: You may have seen her on her tour with Andrea Bocelli, who chose her as his singing partner. If Bocelli chose her, you can't go wrong. She has also done command performances for royalty all over the world.

This CD has it all. A new an upcoming singer and star, soprano Robin Follman sings beautiful arias form the long lost Verismo period. I enjoyed the duet with Philip Webb and the "Amor, celeste ebbrezza'" from Catalani's LORELEY was amazing... I can't wait for the second CD of this new artist...