Product Description Diana Damrau, lauded by the New York Times for her "lustrous agile coloratura soprano voice and charisma galore," and by Opera News for her "exuberant glamour and emotional authenticity", has made her name in such demanding operatic roles as Mozart's Queen of the Night, Strauss' Zerbinetta, Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor and Verdi's Violetta. But with her new album Forever, she turns to music from operetta, musicals and the movies, including Die Fledermaus, Die lustige Witwe (The Merry Widow), South Pacific, My Fair Lady, West Side Story, The Phantom of the Opera, The Wizard of Oz and three Disney classics: Snow White, Mary Poppins and The Little Mermaid."This music shows a side of me that many people don't know yet," says Diana Damrau. "Every life has its own soundtrack and these are numbers that have had an impact on my life, and no doubt on other people's lives too. I have tried to gather together my own memories and the collective memories of my generation. I'm a child of my time ... and I'd also like to show the world that opera singers are not confined to one genre."The soprano points out that she has sung many of the numbers on Forever to her young sons Alexander and Colyn. "I've been able to tell that they like them too, that the music is timeless and not tied to any particular generation. These tunes are great art, because they are associated with unforgettable moments in everyone's lives." Review Damrau's wild imagination and vivacious personality are all over this CD --Judith Malafronte, Opera News, June 2014
R**K
What a great artist Diana Damrau is
What a great artist Diana Damrau is.................We are fortunate she stars in many of the Live from the Metropolitan Opera series and if you can get the DVD of "Rigoletto" with the opera set (wait for it)in Las Vegas - It really works in the context of the opera and her co-stars equal her gloriously sung Gilda. This CD is a crossover to more popular music and works amazingly well - The selection is generous (just over 77 minutes) and ranges from Kilar, Lehar, Loewe and Sondheim to name a few composers - The singing is just glorious and when Ms. Damrau sings her voice magically captures the style of operetta and musicals with ease. David Charles Abell directs The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra in this vocal feast from one of the great soprano's of our time................Don't miss this CD whatever you do.
R**S
Fraulein Damrau Proves as Adept with Musical Theater as Opera
In her latest recorded venture, the honey-voiced German soprano takes on the repertoire of the Viennese operetta, Broadway, Hollywood, London's West End, and Disney, all with the same verve and gusto for which she has become established on the world's operatic stages. Fraulein Damrau follows in the illustrious footsteps of Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Mary Martin, Judy Garland, Marni Nixon, Beverly Sills, Julie Andrews, and Sarah Brightman, with the very competent David Charles Abell and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic accompanying her (mostly in the original orchestrations by such legends as Hans Spialek, Robert Russell Bennett, Philip J. Lang, Irwin Kostal, Jonathan Tunick, and David Cullen). She displays equal facility in both English and her native tongue, in which she sings several Broadway and Disney classics in addition to the Viennese repertoire. I was drawn to Forever when I heard Fraulein Damrau's very Mary Martin-like interpretation of "I'm In Love with a Wonderful Guy" fromSouth Pacific (in which the soprano said she starred early in her career) during a recent radio interview, and the remainder of the album has also captured me.
J**D
Simply gorgeous
Not only does Ms. Damrau have an absolutely gorgeous voice, but her grasp of Broadway styles and American/English accents is impressive. Too often, opera singers don't quite sound right when they essay Broadway numbers, but in addition to her polished vocal qualities. Ms. Damrau seamlessly captures accents from the British ("Feed the Birds") to the American Midwest ("A Wonderful Guy"). This is a fun album that, as a fan of both opera and Broadway, I can whole-heartedly recommend.
P**X
FOREVER SONGS
Although I read a negative review about her singing outside her expertise since no singer is good at everything, I still want to give it a try. Besides, this is the only way to know how far she can go. I am no expert in this field. I am just a music lover and opera is fairly new to me. After listening to a few songs, I know I did not throw away my money. There are a lot of them I have heard of before but never know where it comes from. I am thrilled Diana includes "Meine Lippen, sie kussen so helb" in this CD. Anna Netrebko sang this song in one of the BBC Prom few years back but somehow I prefer this version of Diana Damrau. Her voice is much more powerful. The other one I would like to mention is "My fair lady - I could have danced all night". It brings me back to the time I watched this movie. Although her singing is a bit faster than that of Marni Nixon, I just like the way she sings. Since there is no listing of this CD available from Amazon, for the sake of other buyers to consider, this is it.1.Kilar: the Ninth Gate 2.Kalman: Grafin Mariza 3.Kunneke: Der Vetter aus Dingsda 4.Lehar: Giuditta: Meine Lippen, Sie Kussensohelb 5. Lehar : Die lustige Witwe 6. Strauss ll : Die Fledermaus: Mein Herr Marquis 7. Strauss II: Die Fledermaus: Czardas. 8. Loewe: My fair lady- Ware det nich wundaschen 9. Loewe : My fair lady- I could have danced all night. 10. Sondhein: Grunfink und Nachtigall 11. Gershwin : summertime. 12. Rogers : I'm in love with a wonderful guy 13. Webber : Phantom of the opera/Wishing you were somehow here again. 14. Bernstein: I feel pretty. 15. Arlen : over the rainbow. 16: Fain: All in the golden afternoon. 17.Menken - Ein Mensch zu sein. 18. Churchill : Someday my prince will come. 19. Sherman : Feed the birds. 20. Blake : Walking in the air. 21. Chaslin: Cathy's Vocalise.
E**A
Five Stars
GREAT
K**I
Five Stars
definitely an angelic voice....
C**N
Beautiful
Diana Damrau is one of the top sopranos in the world today. She sings in both German and English on this CD. Her luminous voice makes classics such as "I could've danced all night" and " I feel pretty" seem fresh and new. When she sings in english her accent barely registers and her crystalline diction makes the songs soar.
