The authentic “Italian-ness” of this live performance from La Scala in 1962 makes you realize how un-Italianate most of our current Verdi and Puccini singers–and conductors–are. Despite a bit of roughness in ensemble work (and the orchestra), this group brings out all the meatiness and excitement in Verdi’s thrilling middle-period score. Meatiest, of course, is tenor Franco Corelli, then at his prime, who offers a full-throated, red-blooded, unsubtle Manrico, with his unique, dark, handsome low and mid-range and those amazing, bright-as-steel, secure high notes. He transposes “Di quella pira” down a half tone, but in exchange for the high-C we get an endless, show-stopping high-B. He even does some tender singing in “Ah si, ben mio” and in the final act’s duet with Azucena.
His Leonora is Antonietta Stella, a perfectly good, or better than good, soprano who had the misfortune to have a career in Italy that coincided with those of Tebaldi and Callas; she was neither as lovely or loved as the former nor as exciting and insightful as the latter. But it would be grand to have her around today. Azucena is Fiorenza Cossotto, and here, relatively early in her career, she doesn’t quite exhilarate with a gigantic sound–but in a way she’s all the better for the lack of showiness. Ettore Bastianini sings with a Verdian legato and luxurious tone as di Luna, and Ivo Vinco’s Ferrando is as good as anyone could want. The sound is good enough. If you don’t own the performance on Gala with Corelli, Price, Bastianini, and Simionato, led by Karajan, and you can’t find it, this will be a great choice.
