Notes by Farouk Rojas

If you liked the movie RENT or the musical it's based on, you might be interested to discover that RENT itself is based on the opera La Boheme by Giaccomo Puccini.  

It has always been easier for me to approach an opera from the arias, usually the best-known parts of the opera, and work my way from there.  In this case, the first act of Boheme has a triplet of beautiful consecutive arias.  The tenor aria Che Gelida Manina, the soprano aria Mi Chiamano Mimi, and the duet O Soave Fanciulla.  

By all means, read the synopsis, then read the lyrics, imbibe the poetry, and enjoy how lyrics and music work together with the singers. 

My two favorite versions of this opera are the recording with a young Luciano Pavarotti and Mirella Freni (where the piece completely succumbs to Pavarotti's voice, while Freni matches him with great authenticity and lyricism), and the version with Placido Domingo and Monserrat Caballe (Domingo is powerful and passionate, while Caballe shows off her impossible pianissimos).  If you want to see how it's done more contemporarily, get a video with Rolando Villazon and Anna Netrebko.  

Recently I expressed to someone that I thought they were sublime.  Little did I know how well the term captures my experience.    

Sublime="of such excellence, grandeur, or beauty as to inspire great admiration or awe." (Oxford American Dictionary)  

If you want to experience the sublime, try Clair de Lune by Claude Debussy.  According to Wikipedia, this is a musical interpretation of a poem by Paul Verlaine. The poem is indeed...well, you know...that word, but I prefer music.  Try this album if you want a good introduction to Debussy.   

It's kind of a difficult thing to say, but this is my favorite Mercedes Sosa album, although it does not contain one of my favorite Mercedes Sosa songs, which I mentioned in the last post.  Still, the energy and delivery she put into these songs in my opinion makes this album superior to studio renditions.  Particularly, Alfonsina y El Mar, a beautiful sad song about the suicide of Alfonsina Storni, is superbly accompanied by the great Argentinian pianist Ariel Ramírez (co-author of the song), and Cuando Ya Me Empiece a Quedar Solo, with also Argentinian rock star Charly García.

When you delve into the world of Latin American folk, which I think is more akin to Bob Dylan and Nick Drake than to Mariachi or Salsa, you delve into a world of tragedy, entitlement, melancholy and sometimes resentment against a perceived political oppressor, but also a world of uplifting heroicism, excellent musicianship, lyricism, reflectiveness and accomplished versification. 

Should you be following this blog, it's time for you to get to know Mercedes Sosa.  She's an argentinian singer (read about her on Wikipedia) who is one of the most influential musical figures in my life.  Why?  Aside from having a beautiful and expressive dark voice (almost tenor-like), and being a consummate performer, her choices of repertoire fit my favorite emotions during my teenage years and in my twenties.  

Of all her songs, one of my very favorites is Soy Pan, Soy Paz, Soy Mas, by the celebrated Argentinian singer / songwriter Piero.  This song shows off her sensibility, and both the sweeter and most powerful aspects of her voice.  Plus, the lyrics are beatuiful.    

There is a live version that I haven't been able to find in any store, and this album at Amazon.com has the song.  Unfortunately, iTunes doesn't carry it with Mercedes Sosa, but they do have it with Piero himself.

I accidentally found E La Solita Storia, from the opera L'Arlesiana by Francesco Cilea, in a recording of italian arias by Rolando Villazon, one of my favorite tenors.  I found it to be quite moving, and his rendition very passionate. 

Later, I had the opportunity to listen to it live at the Metropolitan Opera National Council Finals, a couple of weeks ago, and that really give it some substance for me, both from the excellent accompaniment as well as the emotional experience of seeing a live tenor singing it. 

Today is my 3rd day of listening to this aria over and over again all day, with 7 different tenors.  I have them on infinite repeat in my iTunes: Roberto Alagna, Ferruccio Tagliavini, Joseph Calleja, Luciano Pavarotti, José Carreras, Beniamino Gigli, Rolando Villazon, and Placido Domingo. 

Who's my favorite?  They all do something really well in a way that none of the others does. I guess it's a matter of trying them for yourself and seeing who's your favorite. 

You can find this aria with all of the aforementioned different tenors at iTunes.  Just search for "solita storia".  Be warned though, that it's not a cheerful piece.

The song that the blue lady (Plavalaguna) sang while Milla Jovovich was punching and kicking in the movie The Fifth Element is largely based on the "mad scene" aria Il Dolce Suono (The Sweet Dream) from Lucia Di Lammermoor.  This work by Gaetano Donizetti is, according to Wikipedia, "one of the leading bel canto operas."

My favorite version so far—although I'm open to suggestions—is sung by the great Monserrat Caballé.  I find her pianissimo hard to top.  Certainly the version used in the movie, sung by the Albanian soprano Inva Mula-Tchako, is quite respectable, and adorned with electronic processing.  Not a bad recording to have, more so if you like crossover music. 

Get the soundtrack of The Fifth Element, at Amazon.com, or just the aria with Caballé from iTunes.com.