Un Ballo in Maschera in Paris
Musical America
Polenzani’s Riccardo—a role debut, remember—was on another plane.
“Polenzani’s Riccardo—a role debut, remember—was on another plane. Long renowned for plangent lyricism, his voice in Ballo retained its full youthful allure but with the extra heft and a broader palette of maturity. As an actor, Polenzani was in his element. Vocally, he was in the zone, rendering Riccardo’s innate ebullience and generosity as well as his statesmanlike gravitas and hard-won moral victory in eloquent song.”
“…Matthew Polenzani’s tenor which, over time, has gained body and a more dramatic thrust. His Riccardo was remarkably human, evolving in turn from a political powerhouse into a youthful and buoyant sailor in disguise, an ardent lover and, ultimately, a stoic dreamer, heedless of death threats and intent on making things right with Renato. Netrebko and Polenzani filled the second act duet, ‘Teco io sto…oh, qual soave brivido’, which many consider to be Verdi’s finest love duet, with the requisite ardor and glorious sound.”
“…elle la partage dans la meilleure entente avec un Matthew Polenzani en constante progression au cours des représentations.”