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2012/2013 season in reviews

Don Carlo, Metropolitan Opera, February

“There, in a revival of Verdi’s “Don Carlo” that opened on Friday, the great bass Ferruccio Furlanetto is giving a spellbinding master class on the adage. As the tyrannical, isolated King Philip II of Spain, one of Verdi’s deepest creations, Mr. Furlanetto creates a chilling portrait of authority rotting from its core. Whether in his stentorian public declarations in the auto-da-fé scene or in the private outpouring “Ella giammai m’amo” (“She never loved me”), his Filippo is exhausted by his power yet frantic to keep it. Mr. Furlanetto meets Verdi’s demanding, wrenching music with commanding power and moving vulnerability in both voice and gesture.”

Zachary Woolfe New York Times

“The Filippo II of Ferruccio Furlanetto is a wonder of this or any other operatic age. He seems to doze during the first part of Ella giammai m’amò, his voice growing weary and wan, his misery stalking him even as he sinks towards the sleep that finally eludes him. His every word tellingly weighed and sculpted, his imposing but fragile mien telling of emotional need so overpowering that it threatens to shatter his austere facade, Furlanetto in Verdi’s most inspired scenes—those transcendent encounters with Rodrigo and the Grand Inquisitor—musters a level of greatness that inspires awe.”

Marion Lignana Rosenberg, The Classical Review

“Furlanetto was moving in his "Ella giammai m'amo!" and his confrontation with Halfvarson, who portrayed the angry, 90-year-old blind inquisitor. Furlanetto's hoarse reminder to Rodrigo "Guarda dal Grande Inquisitor!" was chilling.”

Ronald Blum, Associated Press

“But the loudest bravos for this revival belong to Furlanetto, who delivers a majestic performance as King Philip II, especially in the grand fourth act aria "Ella giammai m'amo," an anguished and pensive contemplation on love, power, and death that goes to the soul of Verdi's opera. This solo segues into the great bass duet between Philip and the Grand Inquisitor, also brilliantly rendered by Eric Halfvarson.”

Wilborn Hampton, The Hafflington Post

“Ferruccio Furlanetto jolted the opera to life with a gripping performance of his great monologue “Ella giammai m’amò” the king’s lament that the queen has never loved him”.

James Jorden, New York Post

“Ferruccio Furlanetto sang the towering role of Filippo when the production opened two years ago and was an authoritative presence throughout the night both vocally and physically. He walked about with a regal gait that made him seem like a true monarch. During Act 4 monologue, the destroyed King hobbled about; there was no sign of the imposing presence. During the Act 4 quartet, Furlanetto held his unconscious wife with such tenderness that his unrequited love was felt more powerfully. His voice only added to these characteristics. His first utterances in the work are brief, but Furlanetto's booming voice made sure to steal everyone's attention. During the famous monologue, the voluminous quality gave way to light vocalizing that drew the listener in. The delicate phrasing suggested contained sobbing that was heart-wrenching. During the final "Amor per me no ha," Furlanetto let all the pent up frustration out with one passionate burst of vocal power and emotion; a truly cathartic display.”

David Salazar, Latinos Post

Boris Godunov, Bolshoi Theater, November, 29, December 1

“His Boris is becoming crazy, obsessed by the idea that he is a killer and in the same moment he is the tsar keeping his dignity to the very last moment… His velvet lyrical timbre are especially notable in the scenes with children and in the moment when his soul is addressing to God”

Nezavisimaja Gazeta

Recital, Winterreise, Fazzioli Concert Hall, Sacile, November, 21

“Scalda i cuori del pubblico e li accompagna senza patetismi lungo il travagliato viaggio di un eroe romantico che, non corrisposto, prende la via del suicidio. Merito di Ferruccio Furlanetto, basso lirico internazionale che (…) è tornato a esibirsi nella sua Sacile. (…) La voce di Furlanetto è profonda e ricca di colore, onesta e umile narratrice della tragica disperazione, che mai cede a facili patetismi o eccessi emotivi.”

V. Silvestrini

Simon Boccanegra, Chicago Lyric Opera, October, 15 - November, 9

“The most powerful performance came from Furlanetto, today's reigning Fiesco. As Amelia's grandfather and Boccanegra's political nemesis, he held the stage with his big, imposing bass – rock-sold down to the low F sharp in his aria "Il lacerato spirito" – and a portrayal that balanced dignity with an implacable thirst for vengeance.”

John von Rhein, Chicago Tribune.

“Furlanetto alone invests so much humanity into his part — not to mention strength and warmth throughout its wide range — that the idea that Verdi is only about blood vengeance is pushed far out of mind. Furlanetto’s performance as he handles the old man’s many changing moods and encounters is like a great master class.”

Andrew Patner, Chicago Sun Times.

“Following up his memorable company debut as Boris Godunov last season, Ferruccio Furlanetto etched yet another incisive portrait as Boccanegra’s enemy, Fiesco. The Italian bass brought a natural ease of production, saturnine tone and glorious dark vocalism to the character. Fiesco could easily become just another Verdi bad-guy bass role, but Furlanetto brought a striking depth to the wealthy patrician, conveying the volatile anger, filial devotion and misplaced justice, particularly his forgiveness of Boccanegra in the final scene.”

Lawrence A. Johnson, Chicago Classical Review

“Already in the prologue, Furlanetto sets the precedence for an evening of enchantment. He doesn’t mislead!”

Chicago Theater beat

“the real star of the evening - Italian bass Ferruccio Furlanetto who brought a vocal purity and tonal beauty as well as dramatic intensity and tenderness when needed to the role of Fiesco that, even taken alone, makes seeing this production well worth while.”

Newcitystage.com

“Our first encounter with Fiesco occurs in the prologue as he mourns the death of his daughter Maria with the heartbreaking and beautiful aria Il lacerto spirito. Furlanetto’s emotional and pitch-perfect portrayal is marvelous.”

Chicagostagereview.com

“At the entrance of Fiesco Mr. Furlanetto establishes his character immediately by denouncing in a curse laden with vocal tremor Simone as the “vile seduttore” [“wretched seducer”] of his daughter Maria, who has now died. Fiesco’s noted aria, “Il lacerato spirito” [“The tormented spirit”] is sung by Furlanetto with palpable feeling and a fine sense of Verdi’s line. His repeated bass notes on “Prega, Maria, per me” [“Maria, pray for me”] at the close of the aria seems to come with Fiesco’s last breath of emotional control. …”

Salvatore Calomino, Opera Today

Fiesco, played by a heart-breaking Ferruccio Furlanetto, whose voice reaches heavenly foghorn range in his aria, “Il Lacerato Spirito.”

Stageandcinema.com

the outstanding bass Ferruccio Furlanetto

Chicagocritic.com

“As Boccanegra’s enemy Fiesco, bass Feruccio Furlanetto gave a compelling performance. The prayer at the death of Fiesco’s daughter “Il lacerato spirito” boasted exquisite phrasing and delivery. Furlanetto’s even, full sound was impressive, with the lowest pitches resonating superbly. Such mastery was evident throughout, especially in the duet with Hampson near the conclusion.”

Seen and Heard International

“The blending of voices is striking in this production. Ferruccio Furlanetto is familiar in his wonderful bass growl, which has a purity to which he adds a rich and moving vibrato as he moves up registers. His low G flat in "Il lacerto spirtu" thrilled. The transition from one texture to another is seamless, as Furlanetto channels Verdi. He captures the arc of his character, from the vicious beginnings as villain to his redemptive moments comforting Boccanegra, father to father, at the end”.

Susan Hall ConcertoNet.com

Boris Godunov, Vienna State Opera, September, 9

“Auf der Bühne dominiert – mit eine der schönsten Bassstimmen der Gegenwart – Ferruccio Furlanetto, der auch in seiner schauspielerischen Gestaltung einer der erschütterndsten und leiden-schaftlichsten Verteter der schwierigen. Rolle des schuldbewussten Yaren ist, der durch Mord auf den Thron gelang ist.“

Volkmar Parschalk,”Krone Zeitung”

“Boris Godunov” mit sensationellem Furlanetto

Ferruccio Furlanetto ist ein sensationeller Boris Godunow. Gesanglich wie darstellerisch perfect, von mitreßender Intensität. Nicht yu vergessen: Sein angenehmes Timbre, in allen Stimmlagen makellos und nicht nur von der Rampe aus bestens vernehmbar. Das Publikum dankte Montag in der Wiener Staatsoper mit Ovationen.

Luise Hahn, Kurier

I Vespri Siciliani, Vienna State Opera, September, 9

“Star des Abends ist einmal mehr Ferruccio Furlanetto , der den Procida schon bei der Premiere vor 14 Jahren sang und mit dem „O mein Palermo“ den Hauptschlager der Vespri vortragen darf.“

Peter Dusek, Der Neue Merker, 10.09.2012

“Ferruccio Furlanetto beeindruckt als Giovanni da Procida mit mächtigem Bass und singt das berühmte “O tu Palermo“ exzellent.“

GeKo, Kurier 11.09.12

“Den Procida, den Medicus als Revolutionär, hat Ferruccio Furlanetto schon bei der Premiere der Wernicke-Inszenierung vor 14 Jahren gesungen, und er tat es am Sonntag mutmaßlich um keinen Deut weniger eindrucksvoll als damals. Eine Klasse für sich schon das differenzierte Spiel des Routiniers; eine Klasse für sich selbstredend auch seine vokale Leistung: diese noble Schwärze, diese gefasste Macht seines Organs. Sein Bass erinnerte an ein mit Samt ausgeschlagenes Kellergewölbe mit tiefem Fundament und umfassendem Volumen.“

Stefan Ender, Der Standard, 11.09.2012

“O tu Palermo“, den einzingen echten Schlager der Oper, servierte Ferruccio Furlanetto als Giovanni da Procida. Er hat die Rolle bereits bei der Premiere verkörpert, sein Bass ist inywischen noch dunkler und mächtiger geworden. Dabei schafft es dieser Wiener „Vesper“ ß Routinier, seinem Procida zwischen den vielen Stiegen auch ein solide geyeichnetes Rollenprofil zu geben. Seine neuen Kollegen scheinen sich auf der siyilianischen Treppe dagegen noch nicht gany eingelebt zu haben“

Von Stefan Musil, Die Presse

2011/2012 season in reviews

Attila, San Francisco Opera, June, 12

“Bass Ferruccio Furlanetto gave a magnetic and authoritative performance in the title role, singing with muscular clarity and a darkly heroic demeanor”

Joshua Kosman, San Francisco Chronicle

“This year, Italian bass Ferruccio Furlanetto has inherited the Attila mantle, and he inhabited it with tremendous verve. The voice is big, firm-toned and resonant, and Furlanetto deployed it with clarity and fervor. ”

Georgia Rowe, Mercurynews.com

Don Quichotte, Easter Festival, Moscow, May, 3

“…Ferruccio Furlanetto did even more for the dramatic truth and adequacy of what was going on stage…. It was expected because Don Quichotte is one of the gems in his crown, and all nuances of the vocal and acting he is overcoming with ease… His Knight is natural, noble without any pose and masterfully done…”

Sergey Hodnev, Commersant

“The concert performance of “Don Qiochotte” with the famous Italian bass Ferruccio Furlanetto in the title part can’t passed unnoticed. Written in it’s time especially for Chalyapin this part became “difficult to crack nut” for the basses, because demands not only vocal show, but pure breed of the voice, noble artistry, ability to turn declamation inty the hymn for the beauty of human soul. And this is the most difficult in the art. This is almost miracle which was shown by Ferruccio Furlanetto to Moscow public. ”

Irina Muravieva, Rossijskaya Gazeta

Boris Godunov, Vienna Staatsoper, April

“Ferruccio Furlanetto stellt als Titelheld die Falllinie von kraftstrotzender Macht über Schmerz, Verzweiflung bis hin zum Wahn mitreißend dar...”

Der Standard

“Ein Eindruck, der diesmal durch eine exyeptionelle Wiedergabe noch verstärkt wird. Im Yentrum steht wie vor fünf Jahren Ferruccio Furlanetto. Er ist seither in die Titelpartie hinein und an ihr empogewachsen: Meinte man damals zuweilen noch König Philipp anstatt des Yaren Boris yu vernehmen, so erlebt und erleidet er jetyt dessen Qualen mit geradeyu beklemmender Wahrhaftigkeit, stimmliche Ausdrucksgewalt und ergreifende Intensität der Darstellung fleißen dabei in eins zusamen.”

Krone

“Umso wichtiger ist die Bühnenpräsenz der Figur des Zaren selbst Ferruccio Furlanetto heute weltweit wohl einer der fasyinierendsten Boris Dartsteller, gibt seinen Szenen der Krönung, mit der Kindern Fjodor und Xenia im Terem des Kreml, vor der Basilius Kathedrale und im der Todesszene Kreft, aber auch eine feine Zeichnung psychisher Qualen, die ihn in den Taumel der Wachnbilder führen. Furlanetto macht den Zweispalt Täter und Opfer! Stimmlich und im Ausdruck beklemmend spürbar.”

Wiener Zeitung

“Der Fürst der Bässe Ferruccio Furlanetto singt wieder den Boris Souverän, mit schallmächtiger Riesenstimme und auch schauspielreerisch in der Todesszene ein Erlebnis.”

E.Hirchmann, „Österreich”

Boris Godunov, Teatro Massimo di Palermo, March

“Furlanetto è un grande “Boris” ... Del cast sterminato, svettava Ferruccio Furlanetto che con la sua voce così timbrata e potente sa restituire tutta la malia della dimensione cantabile di Boris che attorialmente interpreta con una sensibilità teatrale molto moderna.”

Piero ViolanteLa Repubblica

“Boris e l’indiscusso Ferruccio Furlanetto, al quale il pubblico dedica una vera ovazione a fine recita. La sua performance risulta impeccabile, supportata da una rara capacita attoriale.”

Walter Vitale La Sicilia CT

“Il Boris è comunque piaciuto, sopratutto per lo “zar” Ferruccio Furlanetto e l’allestimento.”

Simonetta Trovato

"...ottimo Furlanetto. Boris qui si staglia eroe magnetco, assoluto, grazie al basso fortemente teatrale di Ferruccio Furlanetto: soave coi due figli, feroce in pubblico, delirante quando è solo. Ha cantato il ruolo cento volte, ma quando sente freddo sul trono, quando stamazza al suolo morendo, è come se fosse la prima."

Carla Moreni, Il Sole 24 ore

“Il “Boris” di Ferruccio Furlanetto

Boris Godunov è un ruolo maschile complesso da tutti i punti di vista, scenicamente, vocalmente e drammaturgicamente parlando, che richiede all’interprete una particolare maturità e un’intensa concentrazione. ...Il Boris di Ferruccio Furlanetto sembra darci una risposta positiva, divorato dal senso di colpa e dal rimorso, dalla spaventosa visione del “fanciullo coperto di sangue”, che nitidamente anticipa i temi novecenteschi. Furlanetto si immedesima in maniera formidabile, sin dall’inizio è teso e tormentato, ma solo col tempo la sua ossessione diventa insofferente sfiorando quiasi la follia. Il suo Boris è un padre amorevole e un sovrano fermo e determinato... Ciò nonostante l’interpretazione è risultata coinvolgente ed espressiva, sopratutto nella scena della morte in cui, tra la raccomandazione al figlio di salvaguardare la patria e le preghiere rivolte a Dio di proteggere i figli, Furlanetto trova la chiave giusta per esprimere quell’orgoglio e quella forza di carattere tipica del popolo russo, e pervasa da un profondo senso religioso”.

Monica Prusak Il Corriere Musicale

“Ferruccio Furlanetto e uno dei piu noti Boris viventi”

Ilsussidiario.net

“Sin dall’entrata Ferruccio Furlanetto conferma la fama di massimo interprete del ruolo... rivelando le fragialità di un personaggio veramente unico nella storia del teatro musicale. Il sospetto che si tratasse di qualcosa di voluto è ricomparso. Il secondo Atto è stato un vero e propro capolavoro di interpretazione da parte di Furlanetto. Nei lunghi monologhi il basso friulano ha tirato fuori il tormento vocale di Boris, rivestendolo di un’opacità che non lasciava trapelare il benchè minimo raggio di luce. Nel confronto con Suiskij (interpretato da un valido Jan Vacik) spiccava invece la forza imperiosa del timbro e lo spessore del fraseggio.

Punto culminante, la meravigliosa scena delle allucinazioni che nella rotazione dei pannelli e nel raffinato dosaggio delle sfumature blu ha colpito nel segno, creando “una specie di grande ‘carillon’, un orologio che allude all’ossessione che incombe sul protagonista” (De Ana)”

Ilaria Grippaudo GBOPERA

Simon Boccanegra, Vienna Staatsoper, March, 5 - 13 2012

“An seiner Siete Ferruccio Furlanetto als adelsstolzer Fiesco mit bis in die tiefsten Lagen voluminösem Bass.”

M. Eigl, Kurier

"Ferruccio Furlanetto, als einziger von der Premiere an dabei, ist und bleibt ein mächtig-imposanter Drahtzeiher, singt dabei durchwegs ebenso elegant und ohne Kraftmeierei wie die diesmal versammelte Kollegenschaft"

Von Wilhelm Sinkovicz, Die Presse

“Immer noch fulminant ist Ferruccio Furlanetto (Fiesco)“ ”

Daniel Ender, Der Standard

Ernani, Metropolitan Opera, February, 2

“Mr. Furlanetto’s strong, dark, textured voice filled Verdi’s lines with burnished sound and arching lyricism.”

Anthony Tommasini, New York Times

"The only singer who achieved an ideal combination of vocal heft and dramatic commitment was bass Ferruccio Furlanetto"

James Jorden, New York Post

“Furlanetto was the one principal singer who combined voice and acting. … he gave dignity and pain to Silva”

Ronald Blum, Associated Press

“Ferruccio Furlanetto, a masterful Silva in seasons past, showed again why he is today’s greatest interpreter of Verdi’s bass roles. His inky, hate-filled tone in the opera’s final scene (Ecco il pegno) chilled the blood, though almost any of his utterances could be singled out for musical and dramatic mastery.”

Marion Lignana Rosenberg, The Classical Review

Il Barbiere di Seviglia, Metropolitan Opera, February 2012

“Ferruccio Furlanetto was a marvelously theatrical Don Basilio .”

Greg Moomjy, Opera Today

Faust, Metropolitan Opera, January, 13

Furlanetto, sporting a Van Dyke beard that made him resemble a silent movie villain, brought a dark, menacing sound to the role .... His mocking serenade to Marguerite had a nasty bite to it, and his powerful outbursts in the church scene sounded, well, downright diabolical."

Mike Silverman, San Francisco Cronicle

Boris Godunov, Lyric Opera of Chicago, November, 7

“On Monday, Lyric revived its austerely handsome 1994-95 production of the opera, and at its center is Italian bass Ferruccio Furlanetto, a stellar artist making a shockingly late Lyric debut. On opening night, Furlanetto’s Boris was a riveting combination of commanding authority and heart-wrenching despair.

…Furlanetto’s Boris was a towering yet all-too-human character. The czar consumed by guilt over the murder that brought him to Russia’s throne in 1598 is one of the Italian bass’ signature roles. Cutting a handsome figure with his wild mane of graying hair and flowing, fur-rimmed robes, Furlanetto has honed it to a complex psychological profile. On Monday we were drawn to Boris by the all-enveloping warmth and flexibility of Furlanetto’s singing. Yes, he was a supreme ruler. As he grappled with a scheming courtier (the wonderfully sinister Slovakian tenor Stefan Margita), we didn’t doubt that he would happily murder the man in a minute.

But Furlanetto was equally believable in tender scenes with his beloved children. Warmly hugging his teenage daughter, Xenia, smiling at the chatter of his bright young heir, Fyodor, he was a loving papa. And when Boris’ diseased mind began to destroy his body, Furlanetto’s blend of powerful voice and broken spirit was chilling.”

Wynne Delacoma, Chicago Sun-Times

"The performance, dominated by Italian bass Ferruccio Furlanetto's formidable assumption of the title role, in his belated Lyric debut, drove home with compelling force Mussorgsky's meditation on assassination, conscience, intrigue and the corrupting effect of absolute power. …

And Furlanetto has made this touchstone bass role his own. The qualities that make him a superb Verdi singer also make him a superb interpreter of the complex and contradictory anti-hero. He was the first Italian to sing the title role in St. Petersburg, Russia, and his portrayal has also graced the theaters of Milan, Venice and Vienna. His formidable voice – full, even, effortlessly powerful, blessed with varied colorations -- combined with his skills as a singing actor to convey the czar's torment and downfall with stunning immediacy.

The rolling vocal authority he lavished on the czar's "public" scenes was achieved without bluster, just as the domestic scenes between Boris and his two beloved children, Fyodor (Emily Fons) and Xenia (Emily Birsan), were a triumph of finely sculpted legato phrases.

Such touches as the half-mad ruler's wrapping himself in a giant map of Russia at the end of the Hallucination Scene were bone-chilling. The final scene, in which the dying czar urged his son (and heir-apparent), to guard Russia's borders, seek justice and preserve the faith, also packed great vocal and dramatic punch. …

For Furlanetto's magnificent performance alone, this "Boris Godunov" is well worth catching.”

John von Rhein, Chicago Tribune

… Ferruccio Furlanetto in a searing, majestic performance as the haunted title czar. From the time of Chaliapin, the role of the doomed Boris Godunov has been a showcase for the greatest basses of the past century, three of whom — Boris Christoff, Nicolai Ghiaurov and Samuel Ramey — have tackled the role in Chicago.

Fine as those artists were, it was hard not to think Monday night that, in his belated company debut, Furlanetto was providing the most memorable performance of this demanding role that Chicago audiences have ever heard.

The Italian bass has clearly honed the role of the conflicted czar to a fine and nuanced dramatic point. Mussorgsky’s Boris is a humane ruler, haunted by guilt over a single murderous act of ambition, which leads to his downfall — a fitting symbol of a great yet tragic country that cannot ever seem to escape from its own revered and hated past. From his entrance as a reluctant ascendant to the throne, Furlanetto brought commanding presence and complete authority, vocally and dramatically.

His voice remains in remarkably strong and flexible estate. In the long narration of Part Two (“I have achieved supreme power”) Furlanetto brought great dramatic force and startling intensity to his long soliloquy. So too he charted Boris’s mental decline with almost clinical detail. One can go a long time without experiencing the kind of complete vocal acting Furlanetto brought to Boris’s death scene — conveying the czar’s filial love, guilt, regret, and defiance — in a performance that was beautifully sung, compelling, and heart-breaking. ”

Lawrence A. Johnson, chicagoclassicalreview.com

Simon Boccanegra, Wiener Staatsoper, September, 3

“Ideal sind auch Domingos Partner: Ferruccio Furlanetto, er war shon bei der Premiere 2002 in der Rolle des Fiesco zu hören, ist eine düster-geplagte Gestalt, den die Trauer um die tote Tochter Maria – Boccanegras große Liebe – zum Rächer macht, am Ende (beim Erkennen der Enkelin Amelia) aber echte Erschütterung zeit. Furlanetto setzt dabei Seine Stimme behutsam ein, forceiert nicht, überzeugt mit Ausdruck und Persönlichkeit."

Von Thomas Gabler, Kronen Zeitung

“Inszenierung von Peter Stein herrschte durch den und mit dem alles bestimmenden Dogen auch darstellerisch Hochspannung, vor allem in Gestalt des Fiesco: Ferruccio Furlanetto brachte als Simons Gegenspieler Bitterkeit und Schwärze ebenso ein wie versöhnliche Milde."

Daniel Ender, Der Standard

“Da ist Ferruccio Furlanetto schon aus anderem Holz geschnitzt, der den Fiesco auch stimmlich wieder auf grollender Zurückhaltung und berechnend abwartender Rachsucht fußen ließ."

Von Walter Weidringen, Die Presse

2010/2011 season in reviews

Verdi Requiem, BBC Proms London, July, 24

“Ferruccio Furlanetto, who also sings in Bychkov’s recording of the Requiem, was as implacable as Fiesco, or Philip II, in the Confutatis; rock solid in Mors stupebit. He even displayed a decent trill in the Hostias section of the Offertory. His intoning of ‘Requiem aeternum’ in the Lux aeterna had sepulchral gravity. There is no finer Italian bass around today."

Opera_Britannia

“The most emotionally fraught voice on stage belonged to the Italian bass Ferruccio Furlanetto, who seemed to bring the wisdom of ages to his words. His line “Salve me, fons pietatis” – save me, thou fount of pity – provided the most profound moment of the entire evening."

Ivan Hewett The Telegraph

“Furlanetto sounded suitably oracular in his prophecies of catastrophe."

Tim Ashley The Guardian

“In Furlanetto’s singing of Oro supplex et acclinis, you could hear the fear of the supplicant believer, in absolute terror of the appalling afterlife that he had been led to believe could be in store for him."

Andrew Benson-Wilson Bachtrack.com

“Ferruccio Furlanetto did full justice to the score and demonstrated why he is one of the most sought-after, celebrated classic singers of our time. His warm, beautiful and sonorous bass filled up the hall, soaring above the orchestra, impeccably projecting the power of the music and the words. Of the four soloists, he was the one who felt obviously “at home” in this work, probably because he has sung it many times and recorded it twice before: In 1994 under the baton of Daniel Barenboim and in 2007 with the evening’s conductor, Semyon Bychkov."

Margarida Mota-Bull Seenandheard-International.com

“The four soloists were superb and managed with consummate ease the way Verdi flirts with characterisation. Never have the middle sections of the ‘Dies irae’ sounded so much like plea-bargaining with the Almighty, and the end of the ‘Lachrymosa’ caught that closing of the door on temporal existence with chilling inevitability. Ferruccio Furlanetto invested ‘Mors stupebit’ with an almost existential bleakness and was, to great effect, not shy with some very Italianate operatic sobs."

Peter Reed The Classical Source

Scenes from "Boris Godunov" with Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin, June

“Und der fulminante Bass Ferruccio Furlanetto – der als erster Italiener den Boris bereits am St. Petersburger Mariinskij-Theater gestalrete – vermochte in der Sterbeszene mit uberwaltigenen Stimmfarben und Besturzendem Ausdruck ein diffeernziertes Bild der seelischen Zerrutung des Zaren zu zeichnen."

Dietrich Bretz Die Nueu Merker

"Ernani", Teatro Comunale di Bologna, May

“As for the musical aspect, our admiration for Ferruccio Furlanetto as Don Ruy De Silva lasts until now…of the whole company of singing he has seemed to us the single one with vocal weight fit and with deep sense of the theatre. A very variegated depiction and subtlety in the phrasing made him the triumpher of the evening.

GBopera.it

"Ferruccio Furlanetto is a Don Ruy of Silva of great physical and vocal authoritativeness; the darkest voice comes off cleanly and finds the just accents that move the public in the moments of greater intensity"

Teatro.org

“Ferruccio Furlanetto sang the role of Silva and triumphed. … he was the only member of the cast with a strong personal idea of what his music should express. He is one of those singers who do not let a single word go to waste and find the right colour and accent for each phrase. His delivery of the Act II Moderato “Ah, io l’amo ..al vecchio misero” was truly but tersely heartbreaking. It was the second time in a few months in my reviewing experience that the Italian bass turned out to be the saving element of a production. He stole the show in Don Carlo at the Metropolitan Opera in the Fall and now the Bologna audience also bestowed upon him the longest (and only, I should add) ovation, crowning him the real king of the evening."

Opera Britannia

"Simon Boccanegra", Metropolitan Opera, January, 20

“formidable Italian bass Ferruccio Furlanetto, as Fiesco, gave a master class in Verdi singing...

Mr. Furlanetto was superb as the grandfather, Fiesco. In the true Italian manner, his voice is even, full and effortlessly powerful from bottom to top."

Antonio Tommasini. New York Times

«bass Ferruccio Furlanetto brought a dark majesty to his portrayal of Jacopo Fiesco.»

Mike Silverman. Associated Press

"Another gripping performance, but one that was confidently expected, came from Ferruccio Furlanetto, who, as Boccanegra’s antagonist Fiesco, was the only leading principal to have sung his or her role previously at the Met. Fiesco can be a stern, implacable figure, but Furlanetto’s powerful bass voice was often tinged with emotion even before Fiesco’s moving duet of reconciliation with Boccangra in the final act."

George Loomis. TheClassicalReview.com

"Not surprising anyone in the audience but wowing them all, Ferruccio Furlanetto gave full voice and full acting chops to Fiesco, whose gripe with Simon starts early and lasts until just before final curtain."

David Finkle. The Haffington Post

“It is well-known how Verdi wished, for the role of Fiesco, “a deep voice, with something inexorable, prophetic and sepulchral in it”: all qualities that resounded in the big and sonorous timbre of Ferruccio Furlanetto, with the added bonus of an aristocratic velvet that allowed him magnificent effects in the duet with Gabriele and in “Il lacerato spirito.” And when the patrician was on stage, his accent splendidly conformed itself to the various situations in perfect harmony with the instrumental frame: his final address to the crowd drew the opera to a close with an unforgettable charge of austere emotion. A singer with “a tear in his voice”, he made Fiesco’s internal laceration truly heartbreaking in his prologue aria"

... his instrument is virtually intact; a secure big top is matched by cavernous thunderous low notes, such as the long and impressive F natural at the end with his first duet with Simone. .... As a matter of fact the Italian bass stole the show and dominated the stage both in this Simon Boccanegra as well as the recent Don Carlo."

Nicola Lischi. Opera Britannia

"Don Carlo", Metropolitan Opera, November, 22 - December, 18, 2010

“The member of the cast who best exemplified the Italianate Verdi style was the bass Ferruccio Furlanetto, as Philip. The king is the opera’s most psychologically complex character. Marrying Elisabeth is not just a political maneuver but the rash act of an older man who feels threatened by his dreamy, idealistic son. Philip is understandably paranoid, since the real power in his realm is the ruthless Grand Inquisitor.

Mr. Furlanetto brought aching expressivity and stentorian sound to the scene in which Philip, in his lonely study at night, is overcome with anguish as he confronts the reality of his life: a young wife who never loved him; a rebellious, contemptuous son; subjects who fear him”.

Antonio Tommasini. New York Times

«Furlanetto was just as dominating and had the evening's best vocal performance when the brooding king laments on his unloving wife in "Ella giammai m'amo! (She never loved me!)" the great bass aria».

Ronald Blum. Associated Press

"Ferruccio Furlanetto dominates proceedings triumphantly as Filippo II. … enriches the cantilena with an endless stream of deep, dark, rolling tone, always fresh and equally resonant at both range extremes. ....he conveys the king’s anguish with compelling dignity and authority."

Martin Bernheimer. The Financial Times

"Furlanetto not only gives his bass a plangent quality, but his acting, particularly in the ruminative fourth-act soliloquy, is superb -- revealing a tyrant who is three-dimensionally human."

David Finkle. The Theater Mania

"It's always hard to know how much inspiration comes from a director and how much from the singer: Ferruccio Furlanetto, who has become one of the great portrayers of King Philip, had some of the same tender, telling touches on Monday that he showed in the live broadcast of La Scala's opening night in 2008. After accusing his wife, Elisabetta, of adultery, he grabs her fainted body and cradles her head, pouring out all the affection he can't figure out how to give her when she's conscious.

Vocally, the evening was sustained by Furlanetto and Roberto Alagna….

…the ability to keep still onstage conveys a kind of authority and strength that excessive gestures seldom achieve - as Furlanetto's King Philip demonstrated in his magisterial Act 2 duet with Keenlyside's shifting Posa."

Anne Midgette. The Washington Post

"Ferruccio Furlanetto was an intensely human King Philip."

Patrick Stearns. The Philadelphia Inquirer

"Ferruccio Furlanetto offered a searing performance as Philip II. His voice is evenly round and majestic across the register and his heart-wrenching Ella giammai m’amo brought a prolonged storm of applause. The moving portrayal of the tyrant’s private grief was marred only by the presence of a gilded reliquary in the corner with a garish image of a saint peering out like a jack-in-the-box. ...Furlanetto’s vocal reign."

Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim. The Classical Review

"Impressive was Ferrucio Furlanetto’s conflicted King Philip. The Italian bass still commands a vast range and thundering vocal power."

James Jorden. New York Post

"Ferruccio Furlanetto made Philip’s monologue flow with sorrowful beauty. "

Manuela Hoelterhoff. Bloomberg

"The star of the evening was Ferruccio Furlanetto, as the conflicted tyrant Philip II. Rich-voiced and eloquent, Mr. Furlanetto portrayed the king as both aggressive and fragile, an aging monarch making the slow transition from the youthful idealism of Rodrigo and Carlo to the decrepit, faceless evil of the Grand Inquisitor. "

Zachary Woolfe. NY Observer

"The musical and dramatic high point of the show was Ferruccio Furlanetto’s rendition of the King’s great aria “Ella Giammai M’amo.” It would take an entire review in itself to explore the rich detail, the sonority and variety of vocal and expressive color Furlanetto was able to bring to this aria, perhaps the greatest aria for bass ever written by Verdi. The arching phrase “Amor per me non ha,” greatly feared by basses, is repeated twice. In the first of two repetitions, this great artist succeeded in slimming his large voice into a slender, yet ringing, stream of sound. He did not allow himself to be rushed by the conductor, taking all the time he needed to properly breathe and prepare for each, ever more challenge phrase, but in no way diminishing the intensifying drama of this scena. In the reprise of the difficult phrase mentioned above, he opened up with a massive, engulfing sound that was overwhelming in its emotional intensity, as the King, possessing all the political might of the world, mourns his wife’s lack of love and his solitude. "

GBOPERA

“Best of the opening-night cast was Ferruccio Furlanetto, in voice, manner and mien a magnificent Filippo”

F. Paul Driscoll. Opera News

“One of the most powerful scenes in the production was their Act II meeting, in which the splendid bass Ferrucio Furlanetto, as the harsh, intimidating Philip, slowly dropped his guard enough to offer Posa friendship and a glimpse of his own fears. That same slight hint of vulnerability also made Philip's famous Act IV aria, in which he bemoans the fact that his wife doesn't love him and he cannot read human hearts, more effective than an all-out wail.”

Heidi Waleson. The Wall Street Journal

“The cast assembled by the Met was very strong, but top vocal honors clearly go to Ferruccio Furlanetto – the King Philip of our time. He utterly inhabited the role of the all-powerful ruler who was curiously powerless to hold onto what was dearest to his heart – his wife, his son and his only friend, Posa. The musical highlight of the evening, Furlanetto's "Ella giammai m'amo", the aria that opens Act IV, distilled the entire character into a gorgeously sung lament. His deep, round, resonant voice, with its unforced power and capacity for dynamic nuance, literally stopped the show. Dramatically, Furlanetto's performance was full of marvelously telling gestures which illuminated Philip’s emotional state. Unable to articulate his love for Elisabeth, he is limited to expressions of jealousy and anger at her perceived betrayal. When she faints, he gathers her up in his arms and caresses her, gently stroking her hair, showering affection on the young wife who – conscious or not – is utterly unresponsive to him.”

Arlene Judith Klotzko. ConcertoNet.com

“Bass Ferruccio Furlanetto was excellent as King Philip in November and now he was even better. He whispered some of his words, like "guarda," as he warned Rodrigo to beware of the Grand Inquisitor, and throughout much of "Ella giammai m'amo" ("She never loved me") as he talked to himself while half asleep. The quiet interplay in this aria between Furlanetto and the orchestra's cellist was breathtaking. The Italian bass brought out the vulnerability and pathos of his character, with commanding Verdian style.”

Steve Cohen. TheOperaCritic.com

“… great Mr. Furlanetto had set a high standard for this role”

Antonio Tommassini, NY Times, 20.12.2010

Richard Tucker Foundation Gala, November,14 2010

"Don Quichotte", Teatro Massimo, October 2010

"La Forza del Destino", Vienna Staatsoper, September 2010

"Songs and Dances of Death", Salzburg festival, August 2010

"Norma", Salzburg festival, August 2010

Season 2009/2010 in Reviews

Simon Boccanegra at Teatro Real Madrid, July, 2010

Ferrucio Furlanetto gave a performance that could be described as superb. His rich, rolling bass voice filled the house and his acting, particularly in the reconciliation and death scenes, was a match for Domingo's own.

Arlene Judith Klotzko ConcertoNet

"Simon Boccanegra", Prom3 (Royal Albert Hall) 18.07.2010

Most moving of all was the reconciliation between Domingos dying Doge and his former enemy Fiesco, sung by that wonderful basso profondo Ferruccio Furlanetto. A standing ovation at the end by the whole house marked a truly great Prom.

Clare Colvin EXPRESS 25.07.2010

For me, one of the highlights, and the climax of this performance, was Boccanegra's final duet with Fiesco. The tenderness of the reconciliation between the two men, mixed with the bitterness of Boccanegra's deathly fate, was brought to life by the singers' vocal and dramatic interpretation. In his portrayal, Ferruccio Furlanetto gave life to the many bitter sides of Fiesco's character, who is at once a prominent public figure in Genoa, Boccanegra's political enemy, and the father of the doge's late lover.

Marina Romani. MusicalCritisism.com 21.07.2010

These are great moments of truth, and ones where Domingos presence drew the entire Royal Albert Hall audience into the drama, aided by the rich bass of Ferruccio Furlanetto as Fiesco, and abetted by the idiomatic and far-sighted conducting of Antonio Pappano.

David Fanning Telegraph 19.07.2010

Ferruccio Furlanetto's powerhouse Fiesco embodied patrician rigidity

Tim Aschley The Guardian 19.07.2010

"Simon Boccanegra", Royal Opera House, opening night (29.06.2010)

But the curtain rises on a prologue which belongs less to Domingo than to the Italian bass Ferruccio Furlanetto, who incarnates Boccanegra's sworn enemy Fiesco. Stalking each other through the opera, these titanic antagonists must be a match both vocally and dramatically, and in Furlanetto Domingo has his ideal foil. The first moment Domingo gets to make his mark comes with the aria "Del mar sul lido", in which he recounts the loss of his child. Here he brings grief rather than the usual wistfulness, and vis a vis Furlanetto's awesome basso profundo he still comes across as a tenor, with his old gilded expressiveness and nobility of tone.

Michael Church The Independent 30 June 2010

Ferruccio Furlanetto is a luxuriously velvety Fiesco

Erica Jeal Guardian 30 June 2010

Ferruccio Furlanetto is solid and secure as Boccanegras implacable enemy, Fiesco.

George Hall The Stage 30 June 2010

Whether a tenor or a baritone, Domingo has an absolutely dominating stage presence, but on this occasion he was matched by a superb cast. Marina Poplavskaya as Boccanegra's daughter, Joseph Calleja as her lover, and Ferruccio Furlanetto and Jonathan Summers as Boccanegro's sworn enemiers were particularly impressive, but there was no weak link in the entire cast.

William Hartston EXPRESS.co.uk 30 June 2010

The sepulchral bass of Ferruccio Furlanetto as Fiesco and the baleful baritone of Jonathan Summers as Paolo throw Domingos crossover register into relief.

Barry Millington, Evening Standard 30.06.10

If one was ruthlessly marking on points, one might judge him (Domingo) outclassed vocally by Ferruccio Furlanettos imposing Fiesco

Rupert Christiansen Telegraph 1.07.2010

Ferruccio Furlanetto reprised his sonorous, sometimes terrifying Fiesco.

Melanie Eskenazi Music OMH 1.07.2010

At moments in the duet with Ferruccio Furlanettos majestic Fiesco (Domingos equal in artistry), there were traces of the Domingo of old.

Andrew Clark Financial Times 1.07.2010

Ferruccio Furlanetto's Fiesco was as excellent as ever

MusicalCriticism.com