Selections from some earlier and lesser known works of Verdi follow, a beautiful aria from Ernani and a romanza from I Due Foscari, which was the first time I'd heard it, and I was amazed by how well Hampson pulled it off. Hampson doesn't disappoint with the start (and finish) of the album: two arias from Macbeth with which he displays his vocal talents and also his ability to insert his acting into his singing-anger, remorse, sadness, delusion, and vendetta. Though he may not be the perfect example of what a dramatic baritone should be, I think that you'll be pleasantly surprised here. What you WILL find, though, is a different way of seeing (hearing) some of the arias you're used to, a different perspective-remember, Hampson is one of the most sought after singers on stage today, so he knows how to put emotion and gusto into his music. So if you're looking for something truer to the dramatic style, then go for a Hvorostovsky, Bruson, Merrill, Milnes, Alvarez, Warren, Chernov, or even Cappuccilli.

As the other reviews noted, Thomas Hampson is NOT a dramatic baritone, he is a lyric baritone. Mostly known for his lieder, art song, and lyric roles, on this CD the American ventures into the lower and arguably more difficult registers of the dramatic baritone. This is a collection of Verdi arias sung by the world-renown and ever talented baritone, Thomas Hampson.

Verdi opera aria