Anna Netrebko Russian Album is a Hit

Opera diva, Anna Netrebko, recently released her Russian Album on the Deuttsche Gramophone label, on Tuesday, 1/9, and it’s a hot seller. Fans of this attractive and stunning soprano have been eagerly awaiting this CD that exclusively displays her skill with Russian repertoire. Her previous recordings have been a mix of more popular repertoire, mostly in Italian and French. Now, the 35-year-young superstar can go back to her roots.

Netrebko’s career began with Russia’s prestigious Kirov Opera. Her performance in War and Peace catapulted her to international stardom. Russian opera is primarily a 19th century phenomenon that emerged in 1836 with A Life for the Tsar by Mikhail Glinka. Virtually all the major Russian operas were composed within the Romantic era that spanned from 1820 to about 1900. Romantic music evoked more passion while continuing to focus on advancing melody and rhythm.

Considering the breadth of Russian art, literature, and theater, opera was certainly a welcome challenge that extended the country’s esteemed cultural reputation. Leading composers included Alexander Borodin, Serge Prokofiev, Peter Tchaikovsky, Modest Mussorgsky, and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. In many cases, like France, Russian opera included scene where ballet scores were added. For example, the music of the Polovetsian Dances in Borodin’s Prince Igor was actually used to score Kismet, a Broadway musical in the 1950’s.

Netrebko’s Russian Album contains 12 tracks including arias by Tchaikovsky, Glinka, Rachmaninoff, and Rimsky-Korsakov. It is probably the best collection of Russian opera arias available. All sung by the inimitable Anna Netrebko.

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