Rolando Villazon Sings Verdi

From the very beginning of his glittering career, Rolando Villazón has shown himself to be an outstanding Verdi interpreter. On the occasion of the 200th anniversary of Italy s greatest opera composer, Giuseppe Verdi 1813-1901, Virgin Classics releases Rolando Villazón sings Verdi, a compilation of Verdi arias sung by the master interpreter Villazón. This album includes best loved arias from La traviata, Rigoletto, and Macbeth featuring leading conductors like Antonio Pappano, Michel Plasson, and Marcello Viotti.

In the same way as Pavarotti first made his name in the part of Rodolfo in La Bohème, Villazón began his career by singing Alfredo in La traviata, and his performance of this role won him acclaim in opera houses throughout the world from the Bastille Opera to the New York Met, from the Berlin Staatsoper to the Los Angeles Opera, and from the Salzburg Festival (in the celebrated Willy Decker production) to the Orange Festival. He has also regularly sung the part of the Duke in Rigoletto, particularly in London and in New York.

Villazón s dark-toned and passionate voice, fiery temperament and individual style of singing (which manages to be both virile and refined at the same time) make him an ideal interpreter of Verdi s heroes both the regular heroes and the more troubled ones. It s safe to assume that for a long time to come, Viva Verdi! will trigger the response Viva Villazón!