This wonderful opera, composed just before Stiffelio and the breakthrough Rig-Trov-Trav trio, should be more popular. It abounds in great tunes, has juicy roles for soprano, tenor, baritone, and a pair of basses, and a lesser but still appealing spot for mezzo. Its melodrama is easy to follow and take, the emotions run high, and there are moments, such as the big ensemble near the close of Act 1 and almost all of Act 3, that are simply first-class Verdi. All of its few recordings have served it well, and this one is tied for first place with an RCA performance from 1965 that stars Anna Moffo, Carlo Bergonzi, and Cornell MacNeil (with Fausto Cleva conducting).
In the RCA recording, Moffo is a bit light; the three principals here have precisely the right vocal weight for their roles. Recorded in 1975 when all were at their peaks, it is for the most part a feast for the ears. My one reservation–and I feel like a heretic–is that Montserrat Caballé is not at her best: she smudges the runs in her opening aria (which is the lightest part of the role) and elsewhere the top notes are a bit nasty, if exciting. But she actually sounds involved and presents us a with a feeling, convincing Luisa.
Pavarotti is solid gold, singing with that bright, ravishing tone that made him famous in his pre-hanky days. On RCA, Bergonzi is his usual, aristocratic self and also is in excellent voice. Sherrill Milnes and Cornell MacNeil are both exactly right for Miller, the quintessential Verdi baritone role, and both take thrilling extra high notes. Occasionally Milnes flats slightly, but his beautiful tone makes up for that. Giorgio Tozzi (RCA) and Bonaldo Giaiotti are equals as the upper-crust nasty, Count Walter, but Richard van Allen outsings and out-creeps his competition as the very evil Wurm. Anna Reynolds is good in the mezzo role of Federica, but Shirley Verret (RCA) makes the role seem important. Peter Maag and Cleva both understand and work well within this type of Verdian melodrama, but Maag’s orchestra and chorus–and the set’s sonics–win the day. It’s your choice–but since this new one is now a bargain, you can’t go wrong with it. [5/14/2003]
