Gitano (Zarzuela Arias)

Mexican tenor Rolando Villazón has been touted as a worthy successor to Plácido Domingo, and on the basis of this recording of romanzas from Spanish zarzuelas, that claim should be taken seriously. Villazón's large voice is extraordinarily like Domingo's, with rock-solid technique, heroic tone, and impassioned delivery. He sings with a thrilling abandon that would sound reckless if it were not for his absolute security. Those attributes serve him well in this virtuosic repertoire. Anyone who appreciates late romantic operatic showcases is likely to find these romanzas strongly attractive. The examples here come from the golden age of the zarzuela, from about the first third of the twentieth century (plus one entry from 1998) and have a distinctly Spanish flavor, a Puccinian lyricism, and a deeply emotional expressivity.