Recorded in tubby sound at the 1960 Glyndebourne Festival, this release is notable for the Donna Anna of Joan Sutherland. To be sure there are other recordings of Sutherland in the role–one on EMI and one on Decca–but it is good to hear her on stage so early in her career. Indeed, she is close to magnificent: the voice is large and secure, diction better than remembered, pitch unfailing, involvement impressive. She doesn’t let it all out in her first aria, as I’d prefer, but it’s beautifully sung. Oddly, she gets lost near the end of “Non mi dir” and drops out for a few lines, but otherwise she certainly lives up to her reputation.
Ernest Blanc is a smooth Don Giovanni, invariably seductive and self-satisfied; one finds no cruel snarling here. He dispatches “Finch’an del vino” in no time flat, and in impeccable rhythm. Sesto Bruscantini’s Leporello is as entertaining as you might guess it would be, with the voice in fine fettle. Leonardo Monreale is a good Masetto, without any mugging, but Marco Stefanoni is a weak, unmenacing Commendatore, live or statuesque.
Ilva Ligabue, a fine under-recorded soprano, is an impressive Elvira, singing with purpose and in long breaths, coming up short only in the loony department and due to a sharpish edge in her upper register. Mirella Freni’s Zerlina is delicious. Richard Lewis as Ottavio, who for some reason is given “Dalla sua pace” after his first-act duet with Anna (before Elvira shows up), is brilliant in the part, singing with the strength that comes from controlled subtlety.
Conductor John Pritchard, aside from his placement of “Dalla sua pace”, leads with assurance, intelligence, and mostly quick tempos. Sonics, as suggested, are sub-standard but acceptable. Not a first choice, but a good Don Giovanni, and Sutherland fans won’t say no.
