| Giuseppe Verdi: Un Ballo in Maschera A review from Gramophone,
May 1994
The most cogent reason for
acquiring this set is Pavarotti's Riccardo, a
superior reading to that on his later performance
with Solti and catching him at the very height of
his powers. It is a portrait to match that of
Bergonzi for Leinsdorf and, even further back,
Bjorling in the historic Metropolitan/Panizza
performance-high praise indeed. Nobody else is in
the same class, though Milnes is a sound, if
conventional, Renato. Tebaldi is caught here late
in her career in a role she doesn't appear to
have sung on stage. The grand spinto manner is
still there, of course, and that is worth
much-especially in the Prayer, where she isn't
under pressure-but the voice itself is no longer
quite what it was and betrays signs of wear.
Still, she and Pavarotti generate a deal of
passion and squillo excitement in the love duet.
Resnik is also past her prime and an
uncomfortable Ulrica.
Bartoletti conducts a safe,
four-square reading, one that lacks the brio and
theatrical excitement of Muti's, the most
recommendable of mid-price, indeed, perhaps any
performances bar the historic ones, headed by the
Panizza and Callas/Votto (though the latter
should now be made available at less than full
price). The Decca sounds studio-bound with much
added reverberation fashionable then in Decca
circles.
AB
|
|
Tilaa
Amelia: Renata
Tebaldi
Riccardo: Luciano Pavarottii
Renato: Sherrill Milnes
Oscar: Helen Donath
Ulrica: Regina Resnik
Sam: Leonardo Monreale
Tom: Nicolai Christov
Silvano: Jose van Dam
Judge: Pier Francesco Poli
Servant: Mario Alessandrini
Chorus and
Orchestra of
the Santa Cecilia Academy, Rome
Bruno Bartoletti
Decca 440 042-2 or
460 762-2 (Double Decca)
|
