Alberto Gazale. Remember the name - I think you will be hearing it again. The young Italian baritone opened Barra O'Tuama's presentation at the NCH at the weekend with a vibrant Pagliacci prologue and then went on to thrill a big audience with stylish performances of arias and duets from Verdi's La traviata, Don Carlo, Macbeth and La forza del destino. He even triumphed in the snare-ridden Toreador song from Carmen.
It's not a huge voice, but it is a well-focused one that benefits from Mr Gazale's impressive breath-control and sensitive phrasing. Regina Nathan, who will appear in the title role of La traviata at the Gaiety in March, sang a poignant Addio del passato and partnered the baritone in a stirring account of the Germont/Violetta confrontation scene from Act 2.
Her lower register continues to sound thin; but above the stave, and especially in long high phrases, her firmness of line and beauty of tone are rather special.
Roberto Brugioni was a very light tenor whose good intentions were frustrated by his lack of the technique required to carry them through. Thus his efforts at softening often resulted in inaudibility, while his high notes, when he succeeded in bringing them off, were too hard-toned for comfort.
Pianist Brenda Hurley, who played for the soloists, was her usual tower of supportive strength. Frank Kelly's 70-strong Bray Choral Society, ably accompanied by Cormuin O'Rahilly and particularly impressive in the male sections, gave a deeply felt performance of a negro spiritual as well as stirring choruses by Handel and Verdi.
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