Dmitri Hvorostovsky’s last opera?
mainThe great Russian baritone retired from the opera stage 10 months ago as a result of brain cancer.
Next month, Delos will release what may be his final recording of a full opera.
From the press release: On November 10, 2017, Delos releases Rigoletto [DE 3522], a new full-length studio recording of Verdi’s beloved opera featuring internationally acclaimed baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky in the title role. Renowned conductor Constantine Orbelian leads the Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra, Men of the Kaunas State Choir, and a distinguished cast including rising star soprano, Nadine Sierra (Gilda); tenor Francesco Demuro (Duke of Mantua); bass Andrea Mastroni, (Sparafucile); and mezzo-soprano Oksana Volkova (Maddalena). The recording also credits the invaluable contribution of Artistic Consultant John Fisher.
You can listen to an audio sample here.
Dima’s Verdi recordings:
Verdi, ballo in maschera, Un,
Noseda/Crider/Sala/Blythe/Licitra/Hvorostovsky,
2007, live in New York
Verdi, ballo in maschera, Un,
Noseda/Brown/Sala/Blythe/Licitra/Hvorostovsky,
2008, live in New York
Verdi, ballo in maschera, Un,
Luisi/Radvanovsky/Kim-K/Blythe/Álvarez-M/Hvorostovsky,
2012, DVD, New York
Verdi, ballo in maschera, Un,
Luisi/Radvanovsky/Kim-K/Zajick/Álvarez-M/Hvorostovsky,
2012, live in New York
Verdi, ballo in maschera, Un,
Pappano/Monastyrska/Giordano-L/Zajick/Meli/Hvorostovsky,
2013, live in Rome
Verdi, ballo in maschera, Un,
Levine/Radvanovsky/Stober/Zajick/Beczala/Hvorostovsky,
2015, live in New York
Verdi, ballo in maschera, Un,
Levine/Radvanovsky/Stober/Zajick/Tamura/Hvorostovsky,
2015, live in New York
Verdi, Don Carlos,
Haitink/Gorchakova/Borodina/Margison/Hvorostovsky/Scandiuzzi,
1996, Philips
Verdi, Don Carlos,
Gergiev/Villarroel/Zajick/Margison/Hvorostovsky/Ramey,
2002, live in New York
Verdi, Don Carlos,
Levine/Racette/Borodina/Botha/Hvorostovsky/Pape,
2006, live in New York
Verdi, Don Carlos,
Maazel/Frittoli/Smirnova/Vargas/Hvorostovsky/Furlanetto-F,
2013, live in New York
Verdi, Don Carlos,
Nézet-Séguin/Frittoli/Gubanova/Lee-YH/Hvorostovsky/Furlanetto-F,
2015, live in New York, Sirius
Verdi, Don Carlos,
Nézet-Séguin/Frittoli/Gubanova/Tamura/Hvorostovsky/Furlanetto-F,
2015, live in New York
Verdi, Ernani,
Armiliato/Meade/de Biasio/Hvorostovsky/Furlanetto-F,
2012, live in New York
Verdi, Ernani,
Armiliato/Meade/Giordani/Hvorostovsky/Furlanetto-F,
2012, DVD, New York
Verdi, masnadieri, I,
Downes/Delligatti/Farina/Hvorostovsky/Colombara,
1998, live at Baden-Baden, House of Opera
Verdi, masnadieri, I,
Downes/Delligatti/Farina/Hvorostovsky/Pape,
2002, live in London
Verdi, Rigoletto,
Downes/Siurina/Villazón/Hvorostovsky,
2005, live in London, Premiere Opera
Verdi, Rigoletto,
Heras Casado/Lungu/Polenzani/Hvorostovsky,
2013, live in New York
Verdi, Rigoletto,
Heras Casado/Yoncheva/Polenzani/Hvorostovsky,
2013, live in New York
Verdi, Rigoletto,
Orbelian/Sierra/Demuro/Hvorostovsky,
2017, Delos
Verdi, Simon Boccanegra,
Summers-P/Guryakova/Berti/Hvorostovsky/Aceto,
2006, live in Houston, Live Opera Heaven
Verdi, Simon Boccanegra,
Levine/Frittoli/de Biasio/Hvorostovsky/Furlanetto-F,
2011, live in New York
Verdi, Simon Boccanegra,
Levine/Frittoli/Vargas/Hvorostovsky/Furlanetto-F,
2011, live in New York
Verdi, Simon Boccanegra,
Orbelian/Frittoli/Secco/Hvorostovsky/Abdrazakov,
2014, Delos
Verdi, traviata, La,
Mehta/Te Kanawa/Kraus/Hvorostofsky,
1992, Philips
Verdi, traviata, La,
Gergiev/Fleming/Vargas/Hvorostovsky,
2004, live in New York, Sirius
Verdi, traviata, La,
Maazel/Ciofi/Saccà/Hvorostovsky,
2004, DVD, Venice, TDK
Verdi, traviata, La,
Benini/Netrebko/Kaufmann/Hvorostovsky,
2008, live in London, Celestial Audio
Verdi, traviata, La,
Luisi/Dessay/Polenzani/Hvorostovsky,
2012, DVD, New York
Verdi, traviata, La,
Luisi/Hong/Polenzani/Hvorostovsky,
2012, live in New York
Verdi, trovatore, Il,
Rizzi/Villarroel/Naef/Cura/Hvorostovsky,
2002, DVD, London, Opus Arte
Verdi, trovatore, Il,
Luisotti/Radvanovsky/Blythe/Berti/Hvorostovsky,
2009, live in San Francisco, Premiere Opera
Verdi, trovatore, Il,
Noseda/Radvanovsky/Zajick/Álvarez-M/Hvorostovsky,
2009, live in New York
Verdi, trovatore, Il,
Rizzi/Radvanovsky/Walewska/Alagna/Hvorostovsky,
2009, live in London, Premiere Opera
Verdi, trovatore, Il,
Armiliato/Radvanovsky/Zajick/Álvarez-M/Hvorostovsky,
2011, DVD, New York, DG
Verdi, trovatore, Il,
Armiliato/Netrebko/Zajick/Lee-YH/Hvorostovsky,
2015, DVD, New York, Oct 3
Except the world doesn’t need yet another recording of Rigoletto, does it? Oversaturated comes to mind. Besides, sadly, DH cannot possibly be expected to do justice to the role under his condition.
Oh. Please. Shut. Up.
(Record nerd speaks again)
Exactly John.
Well, maybe….. but even if it is, what a legacy he will have left us. Not just the operas but the songs – the Russian composers but also the songs of the war years and more popular folk songs, all of which turn to gold in his rendering. But he is so young to have reached the end. It makes me very sad.
+1
+1
+ 1
Thank you John.
Dimitri Hvorostovsky joins the Hall of Opera Fame with all the recordings he has made of many operas, Russian songs, Neapolitan songs . I spend hours listening to his melodic, rapturous baritone voice. What a legacy to leave.
My prayers are with he and his family in his battle with cancer.
Elissa Kramer
Would-be critics like Ungeheuer are well advised to listen to a recording before making unwarranted pronouncements about it. Just you wait ’til you hear it; I have.The recording was made summer before last — well after Dima’s 2015 diagnosis — but he remained in total command of his vocal and interpretive abilities. And even after his withdrawal from the opera stage, he continued to concertize internationally to considerable acclaim until just a few months ago.
Oho, so you imagine that simply by listening to this recording, you would be able to discern even half as much as Ungeheuer can without hearing a note? Oh, how deliciously naive.
What a very sad loss to Opera. My prayers are with him and his family.