By MC112852
20-Jan-2011

Robert Ilosfalvy -- A Voice for the Ages!  

I consider myself a connoisseur of operatic tenors, starting with Caruso, extending through the rest of the 20th century, and including the most recent newcomers of the modern era. At one time I could identify up to 30 different tenors in three notes or less — and possibly more.

So, imagine my delight when I discovered Robert Ilosfalvy, one of the greatest of all Hungarian tenors but one I had somehow missed until the last few weeks of 2010, after he passed away. Ilosfalvy had a marvelous voice and a faultless technique. Virtually everything in the lyrico-spinto repertoire seemed to fit him perfectly, but like so many other famous tenors he was especially well-suited for opera and operetta in his native language. No one could possibly sing those parts with more panache.

Passionate, expressive, precise, and most of all just plain gorgeous — these are only a few of the adjectives I would use to describe Ilosfalvy’s sound. It’s a voice for the ages and perhaps one for the record books as well, for he was still singing beautifully at a time when most tenors have long since retired.

I heartily recommend this album, along with anything else he’s recorded that you can get your hands on. Much of Ilosfalvy’s work now commands a high premium, because true talent never remains anonymous forever. And based on what I’ve seen so far, the years ahead might very well usher in his ultimate moment of discovery.
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