Spiritual twin to earlier "Dalla Terra" album by Mina, where great Italian singer recorded music with religious material from centuries ago, this one focuses on classical composers and opera repertoire. In fact, Giacomo Puccini is represented with five songs so it was almost "Mina canta Puccini" and it makes one wonder why she didn't simply focus on what is obviously her favorite classical composer.
The cellophane is excellent - orchestration, arrangements and backing musicians are very tastefully done, everything lead by maestro Gianni Ferrio who approaches this music with sensitivity and respect, without ever sliding into easy-listening. And the idea is not half bad, if you take it as concept that arias from opera could also be sung as a melancholic ballads instead of full blown showpieces they were originally written as. Black-and-white video clips from 1960s are testimony that way back, several decades ago, Mina used to sing Puccini this way as a part of her now-classic TV shows, she would sing aria of Mimi from "La bohème" not as operatic coloratura but as a slowed-down sentimental ballad and it worked, since she was young singer in a full control of strong voice.
Unfortunately this album came a little too late. At this point Mina was 69 and even if the spirit is here, the voice is not anymore. I understand the age eventually ravages every instrument but her voice is now a shadow of its previous glory and its impossible to listen this (frankly, very brave and ambitious) recording without noticing that sheer will, charisma and focus can not hide the fact it all sounds seriously lifeless. She still holds impossibly long notes in "Mi parlavi adagio" (famous as instrumental piece by Albinoni) and even somehow manages "Nessun dorma" but the effect is depressing since behind all this pretty music and angelic orchestration, it is the sad, shaky voice that once used to be glorious. As always, she choses some English language bits (always the oddest, most eccentric and unsuccessful parts of her discography) and her take on Gershwin brothers is well, one of my least favorites ever. This is a rare example of the whole album where the cover picture and backing musicians/arrangements are actually best part of the package, lady herself was obviously brave enough to attempt this but she should understand that it actually doesn't sound good anymore. Album like this should have been recorded several decades ago, not as a sad farewell. The cover suggest ever-young diva but it all suggest Norma Desmond to me.
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