The 19th century Brazilian composer Carlos Gomes, best known (only known, if truth be told) for his opera Il Guarany (a decent recording of which is available on Sony, with Placido Domingo), sounds vaguely like a second-rate, late-19th century Italian composer–not really a terrible fate. All nine of his operas have recently been released on a label called Master Class in performances taped live in Brazil during the 1970s, when some sort of revival must have been attempted. This opera, debuted at La Scala in 1879, is really a typical Italian work of its period. There are plenty of rousing arias, duets, and ensembles, and you get the feeling that Donizetti could have done both the plot (Mary Tudor’s lover, Fabiano Fabiani, has seduced Giovanna, who is engaged to Gilberto–jealousy and beheadings ensue) and the musical setting proud. Gomes’ score lacks truly strong melodies but allows its singers to be noticed–a mixed blessing here.
The sound on this 1978 taping is dreadful but we get the picture nonetheless. All the singers are passionately involved: Giovanna is sung by a mezzo-ish Adriana Cantelli with big, if not always reliable tone, and much the same can be said of tenor Alvares’ Fabiani, who attempts, and often fails at, subtlety. Mabel Veleris sounds as if she might have been a thrilling verismo soprano–the voice is a bit nasty, but she’s definitely a presence to reckon with. The label has shot itself in the foot by including absolutely no information whatsoever in English (I had to research in Grove’s). This (and its sister recordings) have an inherent interest; would that everything about them had been better.
