Another rave for Castronovo

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful 5.0 out of 5 stars Finding the Heart and Soul of Neapolitan Songs, December 13, 2012 By Grady Harp (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER) (VINE VOICE) (TOP 50 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME) This review is from: Charles Castronovo: Dolce Napoli: The Neapolitan Songs (Audio CD) Ah, Napoli! How many areas have produced so many heartfelt folk songs as this region of Italy? Once the prevue of popular singers Vic Damone, Dean Martin, and Mario Lanza these passionate songs have been embraced by opera singers for some time now but few can deliver them with the honest beauty as American tenor Charles Castronovo does on this immensely successful collection. And in addition to his perfectly shaped and sensitive tenor voice he adds the soul of these ballads - in both the original Italian and in new, excellent translations by the gifted composer/all around musician Glen Roven. The warm yet sophisticated arrangements maintain the Neapolitan spirit while introducing the English text, making this music both enjoyable and accessible to those experiencing them for the first time. These are the folk songs, music hall songs, and pop songs of ages ranging from the 1830s through the mid-20th century. They sing of the same topics as nearly any songs-love won, love lost, jealousy, and even the occasional song that is not about love! In the manner in which these songs are presented they retain their Neopolitan spirit but now become international favorites, thanks to the collaboration of Castronovo and Glen Roven. And to make sure that nothing is lost in the sense of heart on the sleeve, the accompaniment is provided by Sweet Nectar five young musicians who play the instruments meant for Neapolitan music - accordion, guitar, mandolin, percussion and bass. Having had the pleasure of seeing and hearing the handsome young Castronovo at the LA Opera production of `Il Postino' where he share the stage with Placido Domingo, it is even more a pleasure to see that this very fine operatic tenor can enter this avenue of music so comfortably. Castronovo was born to a Sicilian father and an Ecuadorian mother in Queens, New York but grew up in Southern California. He attended California State University, Fullerton for undergraduate studies in classical voice. He began his professional career as a resident artist with the Los Angeles Opera, as a participant in San Francisco Opera's prestigious Merola opera program, and later joined the Metropolitan Opera's Lindemann Young Artist Development Program. Now he has performed major roles at the Metropolitan Opera, Royal Opera Covent Garden, Staatsoper Berlin, Vienna State Opera, San Francisco Opera, Salzburg Festival and Santa Fe Opera. He is clearly on the move. On this CD Castronovo celebrates his bloodlines with his album of Neapolitan Songs. Accompanied by Sweet Nectar, Castronovo performs some of the best known and most beloved Canzone Napoletana including, Maria Mari, Santa Lucia, Malafemmena, Catari, Scetate, Come Faccette Mammetta: some of the songs are also sung in new English translations by Glen Roven. That's what makes this album with Charles Castronovo so special. He captures the perfect spirit of Naples in English and Italian, introducing these songs to new audiences in the same manner as the great Italian-American singers of the last generation but with a beautiful operatic voice that does them justice. This album is a complete success and only serves to whet our appetites for more. Grady Harp, December 12