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Gioachino Rossini - Il barbiere di Siviglia (1816) - "Dunque io son" (Eva Mei & Bruno Pratico)

3,927 views · Published 16 August 2009 · 5:07 · Indexed 30 September 2026

Channel: LindoroRossini · 2009 · Music

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A singer can spend years developing and perfecting his/her technique and musicality, a singer can be fluent in several languages, a singer can be a perfect dramatical actor/actress, yet, in my experience, a singer who is able to sing idiomatically in a specific country's musical language is a truly rare case. In general (and there are quite a number of exceptions), as I have discovered during listening to various musical styles, the safest bet is to stick with the native speakers of the country where the music was written, as they can present the listener with qualities that can be absent in foreigners' versions of the music.

I have heard a great number of different renditions of the perennial favorite among sopranos/mezzo-sopranos and baritones, "Dunque io son", and yet I was pleasantly surprised when I heard the version Eva Mei and Bruno Pratico have recorded in 2001 for their joint project, "Buffo Arias & Duets", under the direction of Marcello Viotti (in fact, only the orchestra is not strictly Italian, the Munich Radio Orchestra). There is a certain je-ne-sais-quoi that makes their rendition truly special. Of course, light, lyric voices, well-versed in the belcanto tradition (on a side note, they use what can safely be termed the "traditional" set of variations for the duet); sensible conducting; clear orchestral playing are virtues that can be found in other renditions. But the way the duo relishes each word, clearly understanding the text's meaning and dramatic changes; the way they interact with each other, the orchestra and the conductor is truly rare, even in the best known versions; thus, I could not resist the opportunity to post their rendition.

Hope you'll enjoy :).

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