Cuban-American soprano Lisette Oropesa has had a stellar career in the last five years, making a name for herself as a hugely accomplished lyric coloratura soprano both in the States and abroad. Called “Ombra Compagna”, this is her first solo album, and it’s comprised of Mozart concert arias in what seems like a natural move given her success in this repertoire. Unfortunately, it’s not the easy triumph that her fans would have expected.

Though her basic sound is undeniably beautiful, with a flickering, glowing quality, Oropesa’s high notes on this album are frequently wiry and nasal, most evident in Vorrei spiegarvi and Alcandro lo confesso. Surprisingly, she seems unable to explode into the stratosphere with the facility that Mozart’s vocal writing often demands, and that her live appearances have often demonstrated.

What’s more, most of her interpretations feel straitjacketed and small. There’s little sense of grandeur or ferocity, the effect one of modest sameness. For instance, Ah! se in ciel sees the heroine plead for pity, declaring “either take my life or leave my...