Young American Sopranos Compete in Mozart Arias

MOZART: Operatic Arias. Cheryl Studer, soprano; Academy of St. Martin’s in the Fields, Sir Neville Marriner, conductor. Philips 426 721-2.

MOZART: Operatic Arias. Carol Vaness, soprano; Munich Radio Orchestra, Leopold Hager, conductor. BMG 60562-2-RC.

Two of the most promising of the current crop of younger Mozart singers are sopranos Studer and Vaness. Their work is represented on these two releases; direct comparisons are possible since their selections are the same in four of the arias included on each disc. The results are not a little surprising.

Since the heyday of Eleanor Steber, there has seldom been such lush, full-throated Mozartean singing by an American soprano as that provided by the versatile Studer (also commended for her work in Verdi, Wagner and Strauss).

She manages the bravura demands--trills, leaps and runs--of the “Entfuhrung,” the “Idomeneo” and the Queen’s “Zauberflote” arias with poise and aplomb but also serves up beguiling lyric lines for such quieter moments as Pamina’s and the Countess’ set pieces. The lowest notes are taken pretty much on faith, but they are the only blemishes on an otherwise sterling effort.

Marriner provides the same kind of lovingly stylish accompaniment as Bruno Walter once did for Steber more than 40 years ago.

Vaness’ singing is a disappointment. Although she is superior to Studer in that the low end of the scale is solid and unforced, her top tends to spread occasionally and the trills sometimes don’t come off. Moreover, while individual notes are often lovely, there is little tension of line to her work. Her Italian diction also is of that homogenized American variety that is decent enough but without either shine on the vowels or snap in the consonants.

Hager is not in the same league as Marriner. Of the four shared arias, Studer comes off best in all save “Come scoglio,” where Vaness’ lower vocal security is most impressive. Otherwise, Studer’s rage (not to mention the top Cs) as Elettra, the touching purity of her Countess and her flexibility in the treacherous Vitellia aria are qualities worthy of a major Mozartean.