The voice of angels : JDF in Paris

 

Récital Salle Pleyel

Paris October 8, 2007

Juan Diego Flórez

Vincenzo Scola, piano

Mozart : air de concert “Misero ! O sogno, o son desto ?”

Bellini :
– Quattro Sonetti (n°2) : La Ricordanza
– Bianca e Fernando : “All’udir del padre afflito”

Rossini :
– Melodia L’orgia
– Guglielmo Tell : Récitatif et aria, “O muto asil del pianto”
– Prélude pour piano seul
– Elisabetta regina d’Inghilterra : “Deh ! troncate”

Tosti : mélodies
- Ideale
- Seconda mattinata
- Quattre Canzoni d'Amaranta n°2: "L'alba sepàra dalla luce l'ombra"

Verdi : Rigoletto
– “Questa o quella”
– “Parmi veder le lagrime” – “La donna è mobile”
 
Bis :

– Verdi, Rigoletto, "Possente amor mi chiama"
– Amadeo Vives, "Doña Francisquita : Por el humo se sabe” (zarzuela)
– Maria Grever, “Júrame” (chanson sud-américaine)
– Donizetti, La Fille du régiment : “Ah ! mes amis, quel jour de fête !”

I cannot share with words an evening with Juan Diego Flórez.
He's the only living singer that provides me with a glimpse of eternity. A moment, out of time, when you forget everything and can't say for sure whether you're dreaming or fully awake.

An evening that ends with the most precious gift you couldn't dare to hope for, on the 4th and last bis, the aria he truly owns for years to come, "Ah mes amis!" and its slippery 9 high C's. All perfectly hit after more than an hour and a half of singing.


 
Back to Earth...

The program was an interesting mix of concert arias (Mozart, Bellini, Rossini) and opera extracts (Rossini, Bellini, Verdi) with the discovery of the melodies of Francesco Paolo Tosti, truly charming and in the tradition of napolitan songs. Superb performance of JDF singing Bellini's aria from Bianca e Fernando (from his lattest CD, Arias for Rubini) and Rossini's "L'orgia".
I'm sorry if my post lacks analysis and well, isn't remotely close to being a review of the concert, but JDF really leaves me speechless. I just adore him. This blog cannot, therefore, relay any criticism read or heard regarding his performance.

All pictures of JDF taken during the evening.