Charles Castronovo: Dolce Napoli
The Italian Songs
Internationally celebrated tenor, Charles Castronovo celebrates his bloodlines with his album of Neapolitan Songs. Accompanied by his band Sweet Nectar, Castronovo performs some of the best known and most beloved Canzone Napoletana including, Maria Mari, Santa Lucia, Malafemmena, Catari, Scetate and Come Faccette Mametta. Castronovo captures the spirit of Naples in English and Italian, introducing these songs to new audiences in the same manner as the great Italian-American singers of the last generation, but with a beautiful operatic voice that does them justice.
At the beach
At the Opera
Charles Castronovo
Malafemmena Music Video
I believe his debut album of Neapolitan songs is a perfect match to his warm and
poignant voice. From the first song you can hear that this music is in Charlie's
blood and deep in his heart. The arrangements and the intimate approach
to these songs is new and yet nostalgic at the same time. And, as it is
almost like a rite of passage for tenors to sing these wonderful Neapolitan songs,
I can say that Charlie will easily take his place with
other great interpreters of this incredible music and tradition.
Bravo Charlie!
Placido Domingo
In recent years Charles Castronovo has risen from obscurity to the ranks of singers at the very best
opera houses in the world, including the Metropolitan Opera, Berlin State Opera,
Bavarian State Opera, Royal Opera House Covent Garden, and more.
It's no surprise with his beautiful singing and good looks. I will freely
admit that Neapolitan songs are not my area of expertise, but I can say
without hesitation that young Charlie, as he insists in the
liner notes we call him, sings these songs with consistently beautiful tone
and deep feeling. It is clear songs like these are part of his upbringing,
and that he loves the genre and the culture.
This is a beautiful CD. I've had it on random repeat play for hours at a time
recently while working at home, and never tired of it.
I would recommend it for afficionados of Neapolitan songs and lovers of good singing.
David Browning, Taminophile
Grady Harp, Amazon
How many areas have produced so many heartfelt folk songs as this region of Italy?
Once the prevue of popular singers Vic Damone, Dean Martin, and Mario Lanza
these passionate songs have been embraced by opera singers for some time
now but few can deliver them with the honest beauty as
American tenor Charles Castronovo does on this immensely successful collection.
And in addition to his perfectly shaped and sensitive tenor voice
he adds the soul of these ballads - in both the original Italian and in new,
excellent translations by the gifted composer/all around musician Glen Roven.
In the manner in which these songs are presented they retain their
Neopolitan spirit but now become international favorites, thanks to the collaboration of Castronovo and Glen Roven.
Having had the pleasure of seeing and hearing the handsome young
Castronovo at the LA Opera production of `Il Postino' where he share the stage with Placido Domingo,
it is even more a pleasure to see that this very fine operatic tenor can enter this avenue of music so comfortably.
them justice. This album is a complete success.
Comme facette mámmeta