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Goldberg Magazine # 2 (01/1998)
Goldberg a cessé de publier avec le # 54
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Goldberg is no longer available. # 54 was the last issue.

Garrido's Orfeo strikes home immediately with its magnificent instrumental contributions: the whole of the opening scene is underpinned by some formidable continuo playing and an instrumental brilliance which create a shimmering sonic halo around the voice, that of Maria Cristina Kiehr. Her timbre in fact lends a distinctively dark, Mediterranean flavour to the recording. Gloria Banditelli, a commanding Silvia (Messenger), has something of this quality too, and indeed the Italian choir, the Ensemble Antonio Il Verso, has a slightly veiled quality to its sound which matches that of the female soloists in particular, though it is also certainly sprightly and rhythmical.

Pluto is magnificently portrayed by the rich bass of Furio Zanasi, and Antonio Abete is suitably menacing as Charon (assisted by the reedy scoring employed). Victor Torres is a sweet-toned, lyrical Orfeo (no histrionics in his "Tu se' morta", but heartfelt simplicity), and in the end, the vigour of the instrumental playing notwithstanding, I find this a poetic, meditative Monteverdi. The players of the Ensemble Elyma do not lack poetry either, as the moving rendering of the Sinfonia following Silvia's "Ma io che in questa lingua" in Act II, or the Ritornello before "Orfeo son io" in Act III, show. The solo roles seem in a sense to grow from the instrumental sound; there is a cohesiveness about the timbre as a whole that is possibly the most distinctive and original contribution of this Orfeo which enters a catalogue not lacking in distinguished recordings.

The English translation of Silke Leopold's notes (the libretto is given only in Italian and French), though comprehensible, leaves much to be desired. A pity to spoil such an elaborate production in this way since presumably the English-speaking market will be large; this recording deserves much success.

IVAN MOODY