Negative Positive
Title: The ice does crack...
Review: I bought this CD with an aural image of the young Baltsa in Mozart and Rossini in my mind. It turns out that was the wrong thing to do. Baltsa never had a full integration of her lower and higher registers, and the breaks between the two are especially noticable here. It becomes especially apparent in coloratura runs that circle around this area of her voice. The singing tends to be effortful, and she really has no business singing "Bel raggio lusinghier" when she ducks all the high notes and omits a decent cadenza. Coloratura, contrary to my expectations, too often sounds laboured. Occasionally though, you get a glimpse of Bltsa the great Rossinian, with some intelligent musical insights and rythmic touches. On the whole however, you're far better off with Podles, Horne, Kasarova and Larmore, all of whom have produced Rossini discs of far greater distinction...
Is the review positive or negative? 