In the Peter Pears Award of 1990 the most lovely singing of all came in a Bellini aria in which we heard a young soprano with a light, clear voice, a charming style and bright promise for the future. Since then she has been constantly in demand, and on record has been heard most notably as Mary in Hugh the Drover (Hyperion, 10/94) and Belinda in Dido and Aeneas (Chandos, 1/96). Now she has her first solo recital on disc, and it starts with songs by Bellini. That in itself is welcome and appropriate, but it prompts, in this listener at least, a mild twinge of apprehension as it can so often mean that here is a whole programme devoted to a limited and limiting repertoire. The special feature of this one, however, is that the songs by Bellini and Verdi are followed by a group by Respighi, and those of Rossini and Donizetti by some Wolf-Ferrari. It more than doubles the interest, and proportionately enlarges the opportunities for both singer and pianist.
Respighi’s songs deserve a wider currency. They appeal to the romantic in us that loves an idealized Italy of sunshine and song, antique graces and eternal passions: they are also good to sing. Rebecca Evans compensates for any lack of Italianate richness in her voice by a heartfelt response to words and music, particularly delightful in the contrasting sections of Tanto bella and the authentic morbidezza of Storia breve as it changes mood in the second half. In Wolf-Ferrari’s Rispetti she follows understandingly the composer’s careful markings (the progressive softening of the three “amore”s, for instance), and appreciates the mock-heroic vein of the final presto.
From time to time a suspicion of wear on a loud high note, or too syllabic a style of production (as in Bellini’s “Bella Nice”) slightly clouds the enjoyment. Comparison of the two Verdi songs with recordings by Dame Margaret Price (DG, 7/87 – nla) reinforces the conviction that a singer’s prize possession is sheer beauty of tone (for a soprano of Evans’s type it is vital to preserve freshness throughout the range). Another comparison, with Eva Mei (RCA, 1/96) in two of the Donizettis, simply shows, once more, what an excellent artist the young Welsh soprano is – her humour and lightness of touch in A mezzanote find no counterpart in the other’s performance, and she works as one with her admirable accompanist, Michael Pollock.
The record fully deserves its place in EMI’s new Debut Series, and we must hope for more of its kind.'