Soprano
Vannina Santoni
, French despite all those final vowels, has been heard on several operas and recitals, but
Par amour
, a 2025 release on the
Alpha
label, is her debut solo album of operatic material. She catches one's attention immediately, not only with the heavily tattooed forearm but with a rich middle register in the opening "Giunge il treno" from the opera
Risurrezione
of
Franco Alfano
(who later completed
Puccini
's
Turandot
).
's "O mio babbino caro," from
Gianni Schicchi
, is here, but most of the pieces, both Italian and French, are less common and convey a wide range of romantic moods, some of which aren't going to be used on any Valentine's cards. The
Orchestre National de Lille
is playing above its usual level here under conductor
Jean-Marie Zeitouni
and is recognized by the inclusion of a couple of instrumental selections early in the program. Among the true highlights is the inclusion at the end of a piece in popular Corsican style, "O ciucciarella" by
Henri Tomasi
; such pieces from popular traditions aren't uncommon on operatic recordings, but
Santoni
's smoldering conclusion is a standout. The album showed up on classical best-seller lists early in 2025, and listeners who are just discovering this distinctive voice will not be disappointed. ~ James Manheim