British soprano Dame Felicity Lott and her frequent partner, the pianist Graham Johnson, have collaborated on a new recital disc for Champs Hill Records, “Call Me Flott.”  Do we really have to?

The program of twenty-seven songs, all in English, from composers ranging from Gounod to Irving Berlin, is a perfectly pleasant 75 minutes, occasionally diverting, frequently amusing, but ultimately unsatisfying. 

This disc strikes me as a recital in search of a raison d’etre. Ms. Lott sings well in the mostly light selections, but she never seems to put her own stamp on any of the songs. Her approach seems to be consistently straightforward, without an attempt at a unique or surprising interpretation. I kept waiting to hear a real, personal connection to a particular song, but it never seemed to happen. The approach to every song seemed generically “charming.”

At age 62, the soprano has maintained her voice very well indeed. The middle register is potent, creamy, and wobble-free. The higher-flying range, however, is becoming an adventure, occasionally turning shrill and pinched. This disc’s selections fit nicely into her current vocal estate, though they are generally unchallenging. There is far too much preciousness in many of the selections, lots of “Hey nonny no” and “Polly the milkmaid” stuff, which, happily, occasionally gives way to intelligent lyrics and some emotional depth.

Lott and Johnson are at their best in the songs of Noel Coward (a very affecting “If Love Were All”), Cole Porter (an understated but moving “Miss Otis Regrets”), and in the songs that seem designed for her, particularly a hilarious “A word on my ear”, a depiction of an out-of-tune diva and her long suffering accompanist. I was also quite impressed with her renditions of the Britten and Poulenc versions of “Tell me where is fancy bred”, remarkably different interpretations.

The weakest parts of the disc are the jazzier pieces, Berlin’s “I Love a Piano” and Ivor Novello’s “Bees are buzzin”, both of which seem completely out of Ms. Lott’s element; I couldn’t help wishing for Barbara Cook’s light touch. Much of the singing struck me as a bit too careful and much too classical in approach for many of the feather-light pieces.

I’m sure that particular fans of Ms. Lott will find much to enjoy in this disc. This listener found it attractive but lacking in empathy for the emotional content of the material. This isn’t a disc that I would return to with any frequency.