Album Notes

A deep voice of beautiful timbre pouring down powerfully and with inspiration: artistic intuition and virtuosi technique permit Paata Burchuladze to create vivid vocal images. These qualities were of major importance to the jury during Burchuladze's performance at the 7th International Tchaikovsky Competition in 1982, where the young singer received first prize and a gold medal. He is in perfect command of the principles of the Russian vocal school, with emotional artisism and an ability for transformation. The reviewers of the singer's concerts in England called him "a genuinely Russian bass".
The plasticity of his musical phrases let the listener vividly imagine: Ivan Susanin, wise, devotedly in love with his Motherland; Aleko, torn by doubts, seized with passion; and jealously noble Prince Gremin.
After hearing Burchuladze in "Boris Godunov" the outstanding conductor Herbert von Karajan exclaimed: "He is a second Shalyapin!"
A Georgian singer, Paata Burchuladze addresses himself to Russian song. Together with the Yurlov Choir, he recorded songs which by right belong to the "treasury" of the musical culture of the Russian people. He is a real master of his art.
Pavoratti said of Burchuladze in an interview given on TV "During my professional career, I have never before met a young bass singer of such talent. I have no doubt that he will enter the opera art history as one of the outstanding vocalists of all time."

Paata Burchuladze, bass
arias from operas, Russian folk songs

P. Tchaikovsky
1. Gremin's Aria ("Eugene Onegin", Act III) - 5:38
S. Rachmaninov
2. Aleko's Cavatina ("Aleko") - 5:51
M. Mussorgsky
3. Boris' Recitative and Aria ("Boris Godunov", Act II) - 5:54
M. Glinka
4. Susanin's Aria ("Ivan Susanin", Act IV) - 5:34

The USSR Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra
Conductor, Mark Ermler

Russian Folk Songs
5. Oh, You Night - 4:45
6. Twelve Highwaymen - 7:50
7. Steppe All Around - 4:25
8. Farewell, My Dead - 3:39
9. Sacred Baikal - 5:16
10. Bludgeon - 5:11

The Yurlov Russian Choir
Artistic Director, Stanislav Gusev

Total time - 54:25