Kaleidoscope

by Fatma Said

Overview

Kaleidoscopic is not quite a strong enough word to describe this collection of pieces sung by young phenomenon Fatma Said. This is Said's second album; the first, 2020's El Nour, was an exploration of the Arab influence in European music, daring enough for a debut. Here, she goes perhaps even further, offering vocal pieces in six languages (French, English, Spanish, German, Italian, and Arabic) ranging from opera to zarzuela to Whitney Houston's I Wanna Dance with Somebody Who Loves Me. There are moments when centrifugal force threats to break the program apart, but Said has the talent to hold it together. The voice remains truly remarkable, for one thing; it is a sparkling, startlingly clear soprano in which the listener can luxuriate, and Said has obviously picked material that resonates for her. The operatic selections from the first half of the program may be common enough recital items for a young singer, but the aria Yo soy Maria, from Astor Piazzolla's "tango-operita" Maria de Buenos Aires, is not, and she brings this off with flair. If there is a chink in Said's linguistic armor, it is that she does not seem perfectly at ease in the rhythms of colloquial American English, although there is something to enjoy in each of her popular song renditions here. This is true as well in the Whitney Houston finale, given a full classical treatment. It is diva-ish in the best way, and one comes away from the whole thing convinced that Said has thought through her career three or four steps in advance of what is here. She is well supported by the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte Carlo under Sascha Goetzel and by a variety of other ensembles. Said is a major phenomenon, and one can only watch breathlessly to see what comes next. ~ James Manheim

Product Details

Release Date:	09/29/2023
Label:	Warner Classics
UPC:	5054197167607
Rank:	54324

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Fatma Said   Primary Artist