Fra l’ombre e gli orrori

Fra l'ombre e gli orrori - Nahuel Di Pierro

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About Album

Fathers, gods, philosophers, emperors, sorcerers … The bass voice is typically used on the opera stage to convey nobility and authority. Although it often represent the resting and pivotal point of an entire opera, and its depth, power, and softness were regularly highlighted already in the Baroque period, bass singers are usually not the focus of attention.

In this recital specially tailored for Nahuel Di Pierro, the bass voice, accompanied by the Ensemble Diderot, takes center stage. Through a journey across 100 years of opera history, the program showcases the range and brilliance of compositions for this voice. With his spectacular vocal range of two and a half octaves, Nahuel Di Pierro interprets the great arias from Seneca’s death to Polyphemus from Handel’s Aci, Galatea e Polifemo with exceptional sensitivity and mastery. And it wouldn’t be Johannes Pramsohler and his Ensemble Diderot if the program didn’t also include some spectacular new discoveries.

Recorded 5-9 February 2023, Salle Colonne, Paris

Artists: Bononcini, Cavalli, Giannettini, Handel, Monteverdi, Sartorio, Scarlatti, Vivaldi, Ziani

Label: Audax Records

Release Date: November 15, 2024

People: Recording producer: Claudio Becker-Fox, Executive producer: Johannes Pramsohler, Cover photographe: Julien Benhamou, Design: Christian Möhring

Catalog No: EAN 3760341112103

Album Reviews

 The outstanding feature here is the voice of Di Pierro. Where others resort to squeaking or growling, he maintains his full resonance and agility though out the range (...) His dramatic and expressive range is good too. Di Pierro demonstrates outstanding breath control and, accompanied by trumpets and drums, his flair for the bravura style. 

BBC Music Magazine

 Di Pierro fully does justice to the stylistic breadth of his program, which spans from the declamatory style of early Venetian opera to the eloquent bel canto of Bononcini and Händel. He lends a soothing dignity to Seneca’s farewell in Monteverdi, while the death of the unfortunate Hercules in Ercole amante—Francesco Cavalli’s coronation opera composed for Paris in 1662—is delivered with a musical phrasing that perfectly balances words and sound. Thanks to Di Pierro’s subtly nuanced dynamics and rich tonal shading, it becomes a dazzling vocal showcase. The same applies to Giove’s virtuosic aria in Alessandro Scarlatti’s La gloria di primavera (1716), but even more so to the four Händel arias, which undoubtedly form the highlight of this program. 

Opernwelt

 In every setting, Ensemble Diderot lays the groundwork for Di Pierro with a refined and passionate Italian-style interpretation, highlighting his fluid bass register, where no leap is too wide, and no coloratura too fast. A Baroque feast, far from the high voices! 

Frankfurter Allgemanie Zeitung

 The versatile and flexible Di Pierro showcases his excellent technical skills, effortlessly overcoming the numerous challenges of the scores, as well as his interpretative abilities, bringing meaning and life to the diverse and varied characters they portray. 

Scherzo, Mariano Acero Ruilopez

 An excellent recital for the bass voice in opera from Monteverdi to Handel" "Fra l'ombre e gl'orrori - the voice of Nahuel di Pierro negotiating Handel's demanding vocal line with lovely colourful support from Ensemble Diderot directed from the violin by Johannes Pramsohler. 

BBC record review

 In the lowest registers, Di Pierro captivates with a uniquely sonorous, anthracite-colored tone, while in the higher range, his bass voice brightens slightly without losing its core or strength. Listen, for example, to Polifemo’s aria from Handel’s Aci, Galatea e Polifemo (with a deep D), Claudio’s aria from Agrippina, or Rinaldo’s triumphant aria Sibillar gli angui d’Aletto from Handel’s Rinaldo to get a sense of his extraordinarily wide vocal range and his ability to master dramatic leaps and intricate ornamentation with precision. 

Online Merker

 Nahuel Di Pierro succeeds remarkably in showcasing his vocal range in the best possible light. He does so without resorting to gimmicks or vocal extravagance. His bass voice is both powerful and natural, transitioning seamlessly from higher registers to the depths without losing tone quality or presence. His articulation is exceptionally agile and effortless, proving that even a deep voice can deliver delicate, floating vocal runs with finesse. The result is an impressive fusion of charisma, virtuosity, and a remarkable breadth of expressive nuance. 

Pizzicato, Guy Engels

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