This is a marvelous album for lovers of masterfully refined singing. Léopold Simoneau possessed a voice that, while not enthralling in its power, was captivating by virtue of its sheer beauty. Although not in the dramatic, superstar league we are accustomed to today, Simoneau nonetheless made the most of his lyric-spinto instrument. His sweet-sounding tone in Cimarosa’s “Cara, non dubitar”, which opens the disc, can be highly deceptive, for it doesn’t prepare you for the piercing dynamics of “E la solita storia”, or the full-bodied, ringing top notes of “E lucevan le stelle”. Simoneau accomplishes this through a nearly ideal blending of registers, or what the French used to call the “voix mixte”.
But it’s not all tone and volume that makes his performances so engaging: his continuity of line, impeccability of phrasing, and his convincing communication of the text make listening to Simoneau a rare and refreshing experience. This CD combines selections from two albums Simoneau recorded for Deutsche Grammophon, the second of which featured his wife, soprano Pierrette Alarie. The light, bright quality of her voice well matches her husband’s in “Il se fait tard, adieu” from Faust, and “J’ai marqué l’heure du départ” from Manon (although, I did find their squeaky-clean “O’souave fanciulla” from La Boheme to be a bit unmoving). DG’s engineers wisely put some space between the singers and the microphones, allowing Simoneau’s voice to bloom out into the hall and make its stunning impact. Even the mono selections have satisfying dynamic range. Don’t miss this one.
