MARCIN Bronikowski, the young Polish baritone introduced by Barra O Tuanfa at the NCH on Saturday, is a find. His well schooled technique, which embraces ringing tone and a suave way with phrasing, was effective in duets from Don Giovanni and La Boheme, Rodrigo's death scene from Verdi's Don Carlo and Ah per sempre from Bellini's I puritani. More sparkle would have enhanced Dandini's entrance, and there was a lack of weight at the bottom of his range, but these will come with maturity.
Vibrancy is the quality most dominant in Anda Louise Bogza's voice. The Romanian soprano's all or nothing delivery was exciting at first, especially in a harrowing Sola perduta, abbandonata from Puccini's Man on Lescaut. But the lack of tonal variety, coupled with some sharpening on over stressed high notes, eventually resulted in aural weariness. When she relaxed, as she did in duets from La traviata and Don Giovanni, she was much more effective. Indeed, her supply phrased Zerlina in La ci darem la mano was one of the best things in the concert.
Chilean tenor Jose Azocar's baritonal colouring has deepened slightly, resulting in a noticeable gap between his burnished mid tones and his soft singing. But that's only a minor quibble considering the generous outpouring of warm lyrical sound on offer from this exciting singer. Ma se meforza perditi, from Verdi's Ballo, was his best contribution in a programme which included a limpid Una furtiva la grim a and ringing excerpts from Luisa Miller, La traviata, Tosca and La Boheme. Even in downward transposition, though, he hasn't yet got the heft for Manrico's Di quella pira.
In their operatic items, David Milne's Guinness Choir produced gentle choral tone that was out of scale with the stronger sounds coming from the soloists. In its own contributions, it was best heard in Mozart's 12 part canon V'amo di core teneramente. Accompanist Alistair Dawes was the latest in a list of the excellent pianists you always get in these O Tuama galas.