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Tarja: Act 1 - Live in Rosario (CD)

Symphonic/Operatic/Melodic Metal

4.0/5.0

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Armoury Records/earMusic
by Craig Hartranft,  08.22.2012

Since leaving Nightwish, Tarja Turunen has accomplished much, not the least of which is several well-received solo albums. Now she embarks on something rather ambitious, a live concert CD/DVD. Act 1 was recorded and filmed in Rosario, Argentina in full high definition using 10 cameras in the beautiful Teatro El Círculo. You can get a taste of the video recording by visiting her website.

Tarja Turunen: lively and thankful.

Having not received the DVD, I'll be speaking, briefly, about the audio recording. Having seen the video excerpts, including the video for the previously unreleased Into the Sun, the DVD should be the point of interest, and the CD side pales in comparison.

Nevertheless, the CD recording is well-produced and mixed, putting Ms. Turunen clearly at the front. Tarja's lyric soprano style and three octave range is truly amazing, and the symphonic metal only propels her forward.

The selection of songs is largely from her most recent solo albums. Choice cuts include My Little Phoenix, Falling Awake, and Die Alive to name but a few. But she does do a few Nightwish songs including Nemo and Over The Hills And Far Away, which is actually a cover of a Gary Moore song. Other covers include Whitesnake's Still of the Night, which sounds strangely odd put in an operatic metal arrangement. In a medley, Turunen also performs Belinda Carlisle's (Go-Go's) Heaven Is a Place on Earth and Bon Jovi's Livin' On a Prayer, neither of which are entirely impressive. Honestly, this is when I least enjoy Turunen, placing popular rock songs in her operatic style.

Otherwise, this is a solid performance and a very good live recording. Ultimately, while the CD is nice, the true grandeur will be found on the DVD.

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

Speaking only to the audio side of this live recording, it's very good presentation of Tarja's tremendous vocal performance. However, for the complete concert effect, the DVD will be your best bet.

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