Yes, it’s Traviata in Russian–unidiomatic but sincere, and clearly recorded as a showpiece for the three leading singers, in particular the tenor Ivan Kozlovsky, who may have been 47 or 54 when this was recorded (the dates are unclear) and sang into his early 80s. His “generous” use of rubato is wild; he slows down whenever he likes a particular note. His offstage interjections during Violetta’s “Sempre libera” (or whatever it’s called in Russian) suddenly wind up on-stage and an inch from the microphone, and contain an unwritten high C. He joins Violetta in her grand, climactic “Amami Alfredo” (yes, he sings along with her), thereby stealing her thunder. It’s almost a freak show, and as such it’s riveting, albeit in most of the wrong ways.
Yelizaveta Shumskaya’s Violetta is well thought out and well sung, and her almost vibrato-less voice is vaguely hypnotic–but she’s about 83rd on my list of favorite Violettas, and I suspect you’ll agree with me. However, the Germont of Pavel Lisitsian is ravishing, Russian or not–sensitive, beautifully phrased, and filled with a warm legato. Alexander Orlov leads briskly–too much so in the big Germont/Violetta duet, so it loses its rapturous, sad effect–and the orchestra plays efficiently, the chorus singing somewhat less so, especially in Act 1 (the chorus before “E strano” is omitted).
Lisitsian sings three Verdi arias as a bonus, as well as the Nile duet with Natalia Sokolova, and they’re all wonderful: “Il balen” is smooth as silk, his Renato is good and snarling, and he’s quite the Amonasro. You’ll know if you want this; forewarned is forearmed, but Lisitsian is wonderful and Kozlovsky’s work is museum-worthy.
