Monday, January 17, 2011

Aprile Millo Sings Wagner

(Photo: Christian Steiner)
"Dich teure Halle"
Tannhäuser


"Einsam in trüben Tagen"
Lohengrin


The spinto soprano made a career singing the most challenging roles of Verdi in Aida, Il Trovatore, Simon Boccanegra, Un Ballo in Maschera, Ernani, La Forza del Destino and Otello. Although many of these operas were recorded for posterity, her only solo project was limited to a single disc

entitled "Presenting Aprile Millo" that consisted also of her Verdi heroine portrayals. Her interpretations of the great arias from Andrea Chénier, Guglielmo Tell, La Fanciulla del West, Adriana Lecouvreur, Turandot (Liù), Tosca and Cavalleria Rusticana (all of which she performed on stage) must be found on DVD or live pirate recordings. As someone who studied with Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Zinka Milanov and Licia Albanese, it was her greatest mentor Renata Tebaldi that exuded the most influence artistically. So it is only natural that in addition to the great Italian repertoire she would also take on Wagner as her former predecessor did as well.