This set, recorded live in Trieste in December, 2000, uses the new critical edition from the University of Chicago Press; I offer this information simply because it’s there. I listened to another recording of this opera (an old “private” one from 1973 in Naples featuring Mario del Monaco) right before trying this one and could notice no real difference. Stiffelio was premiered in Trieste in 1850 and was a dismal failure. The plot concerns a Protestant minister (Stiffelio) who discovers his wife (Lina) has been unfaithful (with Raffaele) and who is therefore torn between jealousy/revenge and his desire to forgive. Lina’s father (Stankar) eventually kills Raffaele in a duel and Stiffelio forgives Lina in church, during a service. Of course, the Catholic church was horrified by this, and a few years later Verdi re-worked the opera and re-named it Aroldo (for a review of this opera, type Q4127 in Search Reviews). At any rate, for years Stiffelio was seen as a failure with few redeeming qualities, but in the last decade or so both Placido Domingo and José Carreras have performed the title role, and now we have this recording.
The work actually is very exciting despite some of Verdi’s middle-period, simple-minded writing: There are thrilling ensembles; the title role is a sort-of mini-Otello, with great demands made on the tenor’s middle voice and exclamatory abilities; and Lina and Stankar also have some excellent solos. If it all leaves you somewhat dissatisfied, well, that’s life: not everything has to be a masterpiece and no Verdi lover should be ignorant of this work.
To be sure, there’s something rough-and-ready about this performance, with tenor Mario Malagnini in the title role singing his heart out, often at the expense of tonal beauty but rarely lacking excitement. Much the same can be said of the Lina of Dimitra Theodossiou and Stankar of Marco Vratogna. Stankar has an aria at the start of Act 3 in which he sadly decides to commit suicide because his daughter has disgraced him–which turns into a revenge cabaletta the thrilling likes of which even Verdi never repeated. Orchestra and Chorus perform very well under Nicola Luisotti and the sound is far better than acceptable. I recommend this set, and even more, this opera: it has a ripeness and energy that you may just find irresistible.
