Great Operatic Arias (Sung in English), Vol. 11 - Elizabeth Futtal Elizabeth Futtal

• Georg Friedrich Händel (1685 - 1759): Alcina, HWV 34 (Sung in English): Alcina, HWV 34, Act I: Aria:
• 1 Come take me in your arms 05:00
• Gaetano Donizetti (1797 - 1848): Linda di Chamounix (Sung in English): Linda di Chamounix, Act I: Recitative and Cavatina:
• 2 I should have hurried! - My soul is filled with love for you 06:17
• Zelmira: Zelmira, Act I: Duet:
• 3 What are these tears and sighs 05:58
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791): Die Entführung aus dem Serail, K. 384, Act I: Aria:
• 4 How I loved him! 05:47
• Vincenzo Bellini (1801 - 1835): I puritani (Sung in English): I puritani (The Puritans), Act I: Quartet:
• 5 A maiden adorning 05:14
• Hector Berlioz (1803 - 1869): Beatrice and Benedict, Act I: Aria: He has come back: Beatrice et Benedict, Act I: Aria:
• 6 He has come back 09:21
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791): Così fan tutte, K. 588, Act I: Duet:
• 7 See here, Dorabella 05:15
• Charles Gounod (1818 - 1893): Roméo et Juliette, CG 9: Romeo et Juliette, Act I: Waltz-song:
• 8 Ah! Let me live in this dream! 03:58
• Léo Delibes (1836 - 1891): Lakmé: Act I: Duet:
• 9 Reckless man! Are you mad? - He's the god of youth and springtime 08:49
• Lakmé: Act I: Bell Song:
• 10 Ah! - Listen all to my daughter - The silver moon was shining 08:46
• Carlisle Floyd (1926 - ): Susannah: Susannah, Act I: Aria:
• 11 Ain't it a pretty night! 07:03
• Jacques Offenbach (1819 - 1880): Robinson Crusoe (Sung in English): Robinson Crusoe: Waltz-song:
• 12 Take me away to the one I adore 04:08
• Georg Friedrich Händel (1685 - 1759): Semele, HWV 58: Semele, HWV 58: Aria:
• 13 Oh sleep, why dost thou leave me? 03:37
• Total Runtime 01:19:13

Info for Great Operatic Arias (Sung in English), Vol. 11 - Elizabeth Futtal

I first encountered Elizabeth Futral as Tytania at Opera Theatre of St Louis in 1986 and was entranced, not only by her slinkily sexy presence, but by her silvery, crystalline high soprano. Seventeen years on, the timbre of her voice has hardly changed and although she is a rare visitor to the UK – she sang Teresa in Sir Colin Davis’s LSO concert performances of Benvenuto Cellini three years ago and a Thaïs in concert is planned for English National Opera this Autumn – she has a big career in America, singing what might be termed the Beverley Sills repertoire.

Her Chandos Opera-in-English recital encompasses repertoire that does more than justice to her versatility, ranging from Handel: Morgana’s ‘Tornami a vagheggiar’ (‘Come take me in your arms’ in Amanda Holden’s translation) from Alcina and Semele’s ‘Oh Sleep, why does thou leave me?’ – via bel canto: Donizetti’s Linda di Chamounix, Bellini’s Elvira from I puritani and French opera heroines – Gounod’s Juliette, Delibes’ Lakmé, Offenbach’s Edwige from Robinson Crusoé – to more or less contemporary American: Carlisle Floyd’s Susannah (1955).There are also a couple of Mozart extracts: Konstanze’s florid first aria, ‘Ach ich liebte’ (‘How I loved him’) from The Abduction from the Seraglio and the Fiordiligi/Dorabella duet, ‘Ah, guarda sorella’ (‘See here, Dorabella’) from Così fan tutte: these are perhaps the least convincing numbers recorded here for Futral, though she has the flexibility and easy high notes for Konstanze, lacks the reserves of colour and warmth we have become accustomed to in the heroines of these operas. She certainly sounds more of a Despina than a Fiordiligi, especially in tandem with the rich voiced Dorabella of Diana Montague.

Elsewhere there is much to enjoy here, especially in the French items where Futral’s whitish tone sounds idiomatic, her high notes even tending towards the slight shrillness associated with the French coloratura. In the bel canto items – these include a duet with Montague from Rossini’s Zelmira – Futral can not quite match the dazzling coloratura technique of Sills, Sutherland or Gruberova in their primes, but this music suffers more than the rest from translation into English. She is a delightful Handelian, however, and the two arias recorded here whet the appetite for her Partenope, Cleopatra and Semele all of whom she sings on stage. Decent accompaniments from the Philharmonia under Steven White and full marks to Chandos for the presentation: not only an exemplary booklet, but ‘guest’ singers of the calibre of Montague and Barry Banks (in the Lakmé duet) and the Geoffrey Mitchell Choir for choral passages. The big ‘international’ companies could learn a trick or two from Chandos’s artistic integrity in recital discs. (Gramophone)

"A most enjoyable disc, all in all, its satisfaction enhanced by solid orchestral playing, excellent sound, and Chandos deluxe packaging." (American Record Guide)

"No opportunity of hearing an artist as delightful as the soprano Elizabeth Futral should be missed, so this disc is very welcome!" (BBC Music Magazine)

Elizabeth Futral, soprano
Philharmonia Orchestra
Steven White, conductor

Elizabeth Futral
American soprano Elizabeth Futral has established herself as one of the world’s leading sopranos. With her stunning vocalism and vast dramatic range, she has embraced a repertoire that ranges from the Baroque to world premieres.

A native of Louisiana, Ms. Futral studied with Virginia Zeani at Indiana University. She joined the Lyric Opera Center for American Artists at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, won the Metropolitan Opera National Council auditions in 1991 and was catapulted to stardom with critically acclaimed performances of Delibes’ Lakmé at the New York City Opera in 1994. Career milestones soon followed, cementing her star status: a win in Placido Domingo’s Operalia Competition, the title role in Rossini’s Matilde di Shabran in Pesaro, her debut at the San Francisco Opera as Stella in the world premiere of André Previn’s A Streetcar Named Desire, and her Metropolitan Opera debut in a new production of Lucia di Lammermoor.

Since that time she has returned to the Metropolitan Opera as Princess Eudoxie in a new production of La Juive, Princess Yeuyang in the world premiere of Tan Dun’s The First Emperor, Elvira in I Puritani, and additional performances of Lucia. With the Lyric Opera of Chicago she has sung a vast range of roles including Cunegonde in Candide, Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro, Handel’s Partenope, La Traviata, and The Merry Widow. She has notable relationships with the Washington, Houston, Santa Fe, Los Angeles, New York City, Vancouver, and Minnesota opera companies. Internationally, she has been heard at the Royal Opera Covent Garden, the Bayerische Staatsoper, the Staatsoper and Deutsche Oper Berlin, the Theater an der Wien, the Grand Theatre de Genève, the Gran Teatre del Liceu, and Hamburg Staatsoper.

During the 2015/2016 season Ms. Futral appears as the Beggar Woman in a new production of Sweeney Todd at the San Francisco Opera, the title role in the Merry Widowfor the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and Lori Laitman’s The Scarlett Letter for Opera Colorado. The previous season found her singing her first Mimi in La Boheme with Opera Birmingham, Miss Hedgehog in Tobias Picker’s The Fantastic Mr. Fox with Opera San Antonio and the Boston Modern Orchestra Project. Concert performances included the gala opening of the Tobin Center in San Antonio, Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915 and Mahler Symphony No. 4 with the Roanoke Symphony, Strauss’ Four Last Songs and Mahler 4 with the Charleston Symphony, and the Mozart Requiem and Exultate, jubilate with the Colorado Symphony led by Pinchas Zukerman. She also performed in recital at Louisiana State University and Washington & Lee University.

Ms. Futral debuted with the New York Philharmonic in Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 under Zubin Mehta and has returned there for Handel’s Messiah with Sir Neville Marriner and Mozart’s Abduction from the Seraglio with Sir Colin Davis. Other orchestral highlights include Berlioz’s Benvenuto Cellini with Sir Colin Davis and the London Symphony, To Be Certain of the Dawn with Osmo Vänskä and the Minnesota Orchestra, the Brahms Requiem with Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony, arias and duets with Placido Domingo and the Chicago Symphony led by Daniel Barenboim, and a New Year’s Eve Gala with Claudio Abbado and the Berlin Philharmonic.

In demand for contemporary repertoire, Ms. Futral has sung the world premieres of Ricky Ian Gordon’s 27 at the Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Tobias Picker’s Dolores Claiborne at the San Francisco Opera, Andre Previn’s Brief Encounter at the Houston Grand Opera, Philip Glass’s Orphée for the American Repertory Theatre, Ricky Ian Gordon’s Orpheus and Euridice for Great Performers at Lincoln Center, Dominic Argento’s Evensong: Of Love and Angels at the National Cathedral, and Stephen Paulus’ Three Poems of Dylan Thomas with the Tuscon Symphony. Other notable performances include concerts and recording of Paulus’ To Be Certain of the Dawn with the Minnesota Orchestra and Osma Vänskä, Ricky Ian Gordon’s The Grapes of Wrath at Carnegie Hall and Carlisle Floyd’s Of Mice and Men at the Houston Grand Opera.

Ms. Futral’s most recent recording release is Gordon’s 27 with the Opera Theatre of St. Louis on Albany Records. Other operatic recordings include Previn’s Brief Encounter and A Streetcar Named Desire as well as Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortilèges for Deutsche Grammophon, Rossini’s Otello and Zelmira, Pacini’s Carlo di Borgogna for Opera Rara, Lucia di Lammermoor for Chandos as part of their “Opera in English” series, Of Mice and Men on Albany Records, Six Characters in Search of An Author on New World Records, and Philip Glass’s chamber opera Hydrogen Jukebox for Euphorbia Records.

Additional recordings include a solo aria recital for Chandos’s Opera in English series, Mozart The Supreme Decorator, a collection of arias by Mozart and CPE Bach on Opera Rara,Sweethearts, a collection of operetta favorites on Newport Classics, Solo Bach Cantatas with the Washington Bach Consort for Lyrichord Discs, Argento’s Evensong with the Cathedral Choral Society for Gothic Records, Paulus’ To Be Certain of the Dawn on BIS records, and Ricky Ian Gordon’s Orpheus and Euridice.

Ms. Futral appears as Elvira in Kasper Holten’s film Juan a modern retelling of Don Giovanni. Other DVD releases include Tan Dun’s The First Emperor on EMI and A Streetcar Named Desire on Image Entertainment.

This album contains no booklet.