by John Bush
After her 1994 performance of La Traviata at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden introduced her to opera fans around the world. Angela Gheorghiu returned several years later for a more diverse program, encompassing the music of Handel, Mozart, Puccini, and Bellini, among others. Accompanied by the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, under the baton of Ion Marin, Gheorghiu proves that her startling ascendance in opera circles was no fluke; she tackles tough material but carries it all off, highlighted by her performances of Porgi, Amor from Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro and Un Bel Di, Vedremo from Puccini's Madama Butterfly.