Presto Recording of the Week
25th September 2020

Ermonela Jaho (soprano), Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana, Andrea Battistoni

Puccini: Un bel di vedremo (from Madama Butterfly)
Leoncavallo: Musette svaria sulla bocca viva (from La Bohème)
Mascagni: Un dì ero piccina (from Iris)
Massenet: Ces gens que je connais...Pendant un an je fus ta femme (from Sapho)
Boito: L'altra notte in fondo al mare (from Mefistofele)
Mascagni: Ah, il suo nome… Flammen perdonami (from Lodoletta)
Massenet: Adieu, notre petite table (from Manon)
Giordano, U: Nel so amore from Siberia
Verdi: Teneste la promessa...Addio, del passato (from La Traviata)
Mascagni: Son pochi fiori (from L'Amico Fritz)
Catalani: Ebben? Ne andrò lontana (from La Wally)
Leoncavallo: Mimi Pinson la biondinetta (from La Bohème)
Massenet: Prelude…Demain je partirai (from Sapho)
Puccini: Con onor muore (from Madama Butterfly)

Anima Rara, the debut recital album from Ermonela Jaho, explores music championed by Rosina Storchio, one of the most charismatic lyric sopranos of the verismo era. Jaho sings arias from operas including Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, Leoncavallo’s La bohème, Giordano’s Siberia, Mascagni’s Lodoletta and Verdi’s La traviata, accompanied by the Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana led by young Italian conductor Andrea Battistoni. Known for performances of searing intensity and emotional truth, Jaho has been described as ‘the world’s most acclaimed soprano’ (The Economist) and ‘one of the great verismo interpreters’ (The Guardian).

"It all suits Jaho down to a T. As contemporary reviews, letters and the very few existing recordings of Storchio illustrate, there seems to be an almost uncanny affinity between the two singers in terms of both voice and artistic temperament. Storchio was very far removed from the powerhouse sopranos who’ve taken on some of these roles to great effect since the end of her short but astonishing career, and it’s a real eye-opener to hear this music sung with such delicacy, freshness and introversion." - Katherine Cooper, Presto Classical, 25th September 2020.