VICTORIA DE LOS ANGELES—PROFILE IN MUSIC • Victoria de los Angeles, (sop); Gerald Moore (pn);1 Georges Prêtre, cond;2 Royal PO;2 Patrick Harvey (pn);2 Felix Zanetti (pn);3 Federico Mompou (pn)4 • EMI DVD 3102039 (66:45) Live: London 9/1/1957;1 London 5/31/1962;2 Besançon, 11/14/1957;3 Barcelona 1/21/19714

SCHUBERT1 Whoin? An die Musik. BRAHMS1 Vergebliches Ständchen. FALLA1 Jota. VIVES1 El retrado de Isabela. FALLA2 La vida breve: Vivan los que ríen! ROSSINI2 Il barbiere di Svigilia: Una voce poco fa. NIN2 Paño murciano. WAGNER2 Tannhäuser: Dich, teure Halle. PUCCINI2 Madama Butterfly: Con onor muore. GRANADOS3 El majo timido. De aquel majo amante. El tralalá y el puteado. VIVES3 El amor y los ojos. El retrato de Isabella. MONTSALVATGE3 Canción de cura para dormir a un negrito. MOMPOU4 Damunt de tu només les flors

The artistry of Victoria de los Angeles is well evidenced on this DVD, and it is a tribute to her versatility. Whether she sings German Lieder, Spanish songs, or operatic arias as diverse as those of Rossini, Wagner, and Puccini, the beauty of her voice is always evident, and the interpretations are always excellent. In the opening section filmed in London in 1957, she is accompanied by the great Gerald Moore. The format is black and white and the picture quality is good. De Los Angeles’s charm is evident in the close-ups.

The second section “Profile in Music” is a TV program presented by the BBC in London on May 31, 1962. Each musical section is followed by an interview of de Los Angeles by John Freeman who asks about her career and personal opinions. The operatic scenes are staged in costume, and again her charm and versatility are strongly in evidence. The format is also black and white, and the picture quality is excellent. She is well supported by Georges Prêtre’s conducting, and in the Nin song the pianist is Patrick Harvey.

The third section is a concert, live from the Festival de Besançon on November 14, 1967. She is, of course, completely at home in the genre of Spanish song. Interestingly, she repeats the Vives song, El retrato de Isabella, which she sings in the opening section. The pianist is Felix Zanetti, and again the format is black and white, while in the final bonus selection, where she sings the Mompou song accompanied by the composer, the format is in color.

Subtitles are available, and the format of the DVD with its excellent menu allows one to play any of the selections in whatever order one wishes. No notes are given. De Los Angeles fans should rush to buy this DVD, and it is strongly recommended.

FANFARE: Bob Rose