Those expecting a Spanish flavor, outside of a seguidilla rhythm or two, will be disappointed; those who love late-Baroque or Classical music that sounds like Handel or Mozart, complete with coloratura fireworks and high-flying or long, legato vocal lines, will be pleased. In the past I’ve found Maria Bayo’s tone unappealing, slightly too artless and too bright; here she varies her tone to suit the character, and the music turns out to be delightful, challenging, and colorful. Before going any further, I must mention Christophe Rousset and his band–the leadership and playing is nothing less than thrilling in the extroverted music and simply lovely in the more personal, private moments, and Bayo’s performances would not be all they are without such remarkable support. The three instrumental-only overtures on this CD are as pleasurable as the vocal numbers.
From José Melchor de Nebra Blasca’s Iphigenia en Tracia, Bayo sings arias for both Orestes and Iphigenia. In the first she’s brash and heroic (he compares himself to a roaring lion) with staggeringly fast divisions and fiorature; in the second, a prayer, she contrasts sweet, delicate pleading with unhappy eruptions in the more agonized fast parts. Her Seguidilla from La Madrilena by Martin y Soler is gentle but knowing. Indeed, throughout the program she changes moods believably and with intelligence, and the recording allows more than just a couple of seconds between numbers for the listener to get ready for the various characterizations. This is a special disc, with marvelous, unknown repertoire, and the combination of Bayo and Rousset makes the music come alive. Highly recommended.
