«The mesmerising baritone is entirely convincing in Elijah Moshinsky’s revival of Verdi’s broodingly intense portrait of a man haunted by his past (…)a superbly accomplished performance by Carlos Álvarez as the Genoese Doge (…) Singing with burnished warmth of tone and an impeccable sense of line, Álvarez is entirely convincing both as the private man and the public figure, carefully contrasting the impulsive sensualist of the prologue with the careworn, principled statesman of the later acts. At the close of the recognition scene with Hrachuhi Bassenz’s Amelia, the simplest phrases suggest a whole world of joy, wonder and bewilderment. Faced with feuding factions in his council chamber, he hurls out “Plebe, patrizi, popolo” with tremendous dignity and command. A subtle actor, he is extraordinarily moving at the close, as Paolo’s poison slowly destroys his body, even as he is finally reconciled with Ferruccio Furlanetto’s implacable Fiesco. (..)»
«(…) His focused vocalism and nuanced acting flesh out the central role of the corsair who becomes the Doge of Genoa and then develops into a wise leader determined upon reconciliation: it’s a magnificent interpretation from the Spanish baritone. (..)»