Piotr Beczala – The French Collection

On his new album “The French Collection” Piotr Beczała breathes new life into arias from the French opera repertoire with the silvery shimmer of his voice. With subtlety and elegance he presents excerpts from works by Hector Berlioz, Charles Gounod, Georges Bizet, Jules Massenet, François-Adrien Boiëldieu, Giuseppe Verdi and Gaetano Donizetti.

Piotr Beczała achieves the almost impossible on “The French Collection”. For the French language may sound elegant when spoken from the mouth of a Frenchman: To sing it as a non-Frenchman is an enormous challenge. Especially for the tenor, French is not easy, but enjoyable, says Beczała. Enjoyment because different frequencies are produced than in other languages. Moreover, French music is rich in nuanced timbres. All in all, it’s an almost tricky task.

Unlike in Italian bel canto, in French opera a clear pronunciation was more important than the quality of the sound. Piotr Beczała the French nasal sounds are probably easier to pronounce than other singers thanks to his native Polish. He has also studied sources to find out how his compatriot and famous historical predecessor – Jean de Reszke – once sang parts in French operas.

The interpretations on “The French Collection” make sense from the first to the last note and are sensual, without exaggeration. Piotr Beczała immerses himself completely in the French sound. As his voice is bright and without baritonal coloration, he masters the ‘voix mixte’ perfectly. The emotions are subtly coordinated with the orchestra’s interpretation and reveal a well thought-out tightrope walk between restraint and drama.