Gasparo Spontini is best known for his neo-Classical opera La Vestale, a favorite of Ponselle and Callas. A far more Romantic work, with bigger melodies and just-as-grand climaxes, is Fernando Cortez, which was first produced, in French, in Paris in 1909. It became (in)famous for its on-stage cavalry charge, but no less a critic than Berlioz greatly admired it, and it’s easy to hear why. This is a live performance of the Italian version of the opera given in Naples in 1951. It is cut by about 20 minutes, and the sound is bad enough so that the niceties of orchestration that Berlioz so admired have to be taken on faith; but it’s great fun–a thrill a minute.
The major reason for the release of this decades-old set is the presence of Renata Tebaldi as the Mexican princess, Amazily, and it’s worth every cent to hear her. This is probably the freshest I’ve ever encountered Tebaldi’s voice–the luscious sound is present, of course, but with it comes an ease and evenness of production from top to bottom and a wonderful urgency in delivering the text. In other major roles we also luck out: The usually excruciatingly dull Aldo Protti is in fine shape as Telasco, Italo Tajo lends majesty and a rolling bass to Montezuma, and in the title role (with less to do than the other principals!) is tenor Gino Penno, who rises to the occasion. Gabriele Santini conducts as if the opera were a masterpiece and a good time is had by all. There’s a more complete, better sounding, and pretty good performance of this opera on Arkadia CDs, but if you want Tebaldi–and you should–this is for you.
