Recital Review

“Thursday’s third and final Intermezzi series event featured three lead singers from this year’s production of Louise (our only opera this time ‘round) in recital. But significant changes were made from the festival’s program guide: the only singer listed who actually performed was Stefania Dovhan, who handled the opera’s title role beautifully. The listed tenor was Sergey Kunaev, Louise’s male lead — but we heard tenor David Cangelosi (Louise’s Noctambulist/Pope of Fools) instead (and I’m glad we did). Mr. Cangelosi started off with “Pecche,” a lovelorn Neapolitan song that showcased his rich, emotion-laden tenor. His next offerings were art-songs: “Sonntag,” a giddy number by Brahms — and Faure’s “Lydia,” a tender piece that revealed his more pastel vocal colors. And he floated some ravishing, high head-tones in “Vainement, ma bien aimee,” from Edouard Lalo’s Le Roi d’Ys. His final number was “Nothing more than this,” from Leonard Bernstein’s Candide — and he gave it a passionate and ringing rendition that brought the house down.”

“Cangelosi set the standard high when he opened with Pennino’s “Pecche” (“Why?”) sung in the Neapolitan style. His big, bold, passionate tenor was even more effective when matched with his dramatic style. When he sang two art songs, a Brahms and a Faure, he displayed excellent diction in both German and French. What a lovely falsetto in “Vainement, ma bien-aimee” from Edouard Lalo’s opera “Le Roi d’Ys.” After Cangelosi’s closing piece, “Nothing More Than This” from Leonard Bernstein’s “Candide,” I thought the audience was never going to let him leave.”

“Even without the famed “Golden Horseshoe” box seats, Ligon Chapel at Huntingdon College had a sense of the Metropolitan Opera. David Cangelosi, one of the Met’s principal tenors, was at the college…singing opera arias, a few art songs, and songs from musical theatre. Cangelosi used his ringing, robust tenor voice very expressively, especially for the Neapolitan songs of Pennino and di Capua that were rich with characteristic Italian passion. Throughout the program his singing was intense and dramatic, befitting his voice and the style of the music. But he gave his best performance in two tender songs, Faure’s “Lydia” and Schonberg’s “Bring Him Home.” Both of those songs were moving without sentimentality and had his best vocal purity and control.”