The opera selections were a mixed bag. Anna Rossi's review here at Amazon provides a better technical review than I can offer. I would suggest checking it out. If Voice of an Angel was an introduction, this CD is a quality resume. The only real problem I think this created for her was it brought her squarely into the gun sights of opera purists, and opened her up for the inevitable comparisons with veteran sopranos who've been singing these roles for years. It was probably necessary for Sony to cement her place in the firmament, but it also exposes her to some unfair panning.

Cuts from two of my favorite operas, Faust and Marriage of Figaro, were included. I was prepared to dislike the Jewel Song, but thought it was nicely done. She handles the upper ranges well, and each note in the middle runs is delivered cleanly... well enough to show she's got the chops to play with the big girls. I just wished it hadn't been cut to two minutes.

The Marriage of Figaro track, "Tell Me What Love Is" was less satisfactory. The decision to do the English translation undercut the nuances of the original song, and I think she is a bit tender to convey the emotional content. It came across a little flat to me.

The only cut I outright didn't care for was the "duet", Barcarolle, The second role would have been better sung by a mezzo-soprano, (which I think it calls for). That would have helped draw attention to Charlotte's vaulting high notes in that aria.

The best operatic cuts were the Puccini's "O mio babbino caro" and Handel's "Lascia ch'io pianga". The Handel, in particular, is sweet and nicely done. The Rossini "La Pastorella" does a good job of showing her vocal development, and of providing a snapshot of her technical mastery at this time. I would like to hear this track recorded again in a few years in order to provide a measure of how far she's come.

I would recommend this CD to both serious opera fans and casual listeners. She offers us all something that doesn't happen very often... she's getting music that normally heard only in dusty opera halls and art-house soundtracks out in the real world. Perhaps some of the popular enthusiasm for this young lady will carry over into the opera world at large and get some new faces into regional houses.

I think Charlotte is well on her way to a stellar career, and I am looking forward to the day when she takes her place on stage...provided that is what she chooses to do.


One man's opinion   November 29, 1999
37 out of 40 found this review helpful

This CD is much better technically than the first which sounded like it was done in a garage using an old tape recorder. Ms. Church is also better technically. I enjoyed most of the cuts on the CD because I find listening to her to be relaxing. I do not expect perfection in her 13 year old voice; what I find is a lovely voice worth listening to coupled with a certain charm and innocence. If you want the voice of a 40 year old soprano DO NOT BUY THIS CD you will be disappointed. If you want sweetness in an uncloying way this might be your choice.


A voice with potential   December 3, 1999
Anna Rossi (New York City)
114 out of 135 found this review helpful

I'm a 25 year old light lyric soprano and I heard this CD at my voice teacher's house a couple of days ago. We both agreed that Charlotte Church has a very pretty voice but that some of the material she is singing is unsuitable for her at this stage of vocal development. We also observed that she just doesn't have the maturity yet to covey roles like Marguerite (Jewel Song) and Lauretta (O mio babbino caro) with all of the nuance and feeling that they require.

But she's only 13 years old so I'm sure that her interpretive skills will grow in time. I do agree with an earlier poster that it would have been better for her to wait and record some of this repertoire when she is older. Of course, it will make an interesting comparison when she sings these roles later.

I loved the way that she sings "The Last Rose of Summer." She seemed very connected to the song and her high notes have a floaty quality about them. All in all, it's an enjoyable disc. Church doesn't do anything that is vocally offensive.

When you've heard singers like Ileana Cotrubas sing "O mio babbino" and Mirella Freni singing "The Jewel Song," it's very hard NOT to compare them with Church. I don't think that it was the best idea of her agents and producers to set her up for this kind of critiquing by having her perform these arias.

And shame on Sony for not including translations of the pieces in foreign languages. For people who are interested, "O mio babbino caro" is sung by Lauretta, a young girl begging her father to find a way to help her marry the man she loves. Lauretta's plea is irresistable and her father does help her. The Jewel Song is sung when Marguerite, a young country maiden, discovers a casket of jewels left for her. "I laugh to see how beautiful I look in the mirror! Is it you, Marguerite?" She imagines how beautiful Faust would find her in her jewels, "Ah, if only he were here. He would find me a beautiful lady."

I hope that people continue to enjoy Charlotte Church. And maybe consider giving some other sopranos a try: Natalie Dessay, Renee Fleming, Ruth Ann Swenson, Angela Gheorghiu, Renata Tebladi, Beverly Sills, Lucia Popp......there are so many other beautiful singers out there. Perhaps Ms. Church is on her way to becoming like one of these enduring artists.


Charlotte has arrived!   December 9, 1999
22 out of 23 found this review helpful

When I heard Roberta Peters sing "Lucia" at the Met in the sixties I thought I died and went to heaven. When I first heard Joan Sutherland's flawless technique I was sure the opera world had outdone itself. When Kiri, Cecilia, Renee and Leslie came along I was again mesmerized. The very mention of Maria Callas still causes my heart to skip a beat.

So am I some high-falutin' music critic about to warn you all to stay away from this MADNESS called Charlotte? Guess again.

I have played Charlotte Church's self-titled album several times. To start with, I am beyond floored, beyond flabbergasted. She has, unquestionably, one of the most glorious high soprano voices on the scene. It's much too green for opera stages -- let's agree on that -- but it's utterly magical in its present realm, the recording studio and TV venues. Most of the songs on the CD are enormously appealing. I took extreme pleasure in Miss Church's Mozart aria... I know she'll learn Italian and take it to the next level eventually, but it was brilliantly performed nonetheless. I see her owning several Puccini roles outright somday. When she actually begins to perform opera, I hope she'll continue to record sacred music and never forsake her delicious Welsh/Celtic repertoire.

Finally, it's fascinating that so many critics disagree about Charlotte Church. In the end, after all the ecstatic praises, the warm fuzzies, the cynical put-downs, the condescending encouragements, the "give me a breaks", it still about people reacting (and over-reacting) to a 13 yr. old adolescent girl living her dream. No marketing saavy in the world could have planned this.


In a word: Awesome   November 27, 1999
Daniel McGrath (Brookfield, CT USA)
21 out of 22 found this review helpful

This is a must-have. Charlotte's voice has matured dramatically in just the short time from "Voice of an Angel." Just as dramatically, Sony has improved their technical recording quality over the earlier disk -- a terrific combination.

You'll need to be sittng down when you first hear "O mio babbino caro" -- it's awesome. And "Just Wave Hello" is not only a well-produced pleasant sentiment, but intriguing. It suggests Charlotte could open a market for popular songs, sung with operatic style and power. Why be restricted to the legacy of past material, however good?

Perhaps something fascinating is happening here. The popularity of Charlotte's recordings suggests she's reaching an audience new to operatic music or even to classical music. That should be greeted with enthusiam by long-time enthusiasts, since classical music's biggest threat has been its diminishing audience.

Let's follow along. Perhaps as Charlotte continues developing her talents, her audience will be broadening their musical tastes. Definitely win-win.