The story line of this opera, the loving tender soul of composer Dvorak, the history of the region in which he created, all demand this aria emote vulnerability....the tender nuance and color that has always made Romanian soprano Ileana Cotrubas (and another Romanian, Angela Gheorghiu, whom Cotrubas mentors) my favorite sopranos. In this regard, Evans excels, indeed. I have created a setting of this lovely aria as a duet in which the prince sings in parallel. Can't wait to "test drive" it soon.
