I reviewed the album Songs from Inside by IMPRESARIO, on Gashouse Radio - the alter ego of Buffalo’s own opera superstar Valerian Ruminski.
Excerpt: “Whatever we can say about Impresario, he really means everything he sings. The passion and sincerity are the first hook that draws you in. The album art shows us a Closed Road, but Impresario takes small personal moments experienced during a home lock-down and paints them in a universal way. Is Whatsoever You Do about supporting BLM and decrying police brutality? Yes. Is it also an intimate statement about disappointment in personal relationships? Yes.
The album ends with The Coat Aria (Vecchia Zimarra). Surprise! Bet you didn’t know Impresario is a world-famous opera singer? This aria from Giacomo Puccini’s opera La Bohème presents Colline pawning his favorite coat to aid a friend dying of cold and consumption. This seems like a strange addition to the album, but it’s offered in the same spirit as the other songs. Here is a small snippet of life, one person sacrificing for another, that can be extrapolated to the entire COVID Pandemic, and global protests to protect Black Lives and dismantle institutionalized racism. It may be a small gesture, but it’s a damn warm coat.”