Buy Verdi Operas

Review by Angus W. Grant:

This is a very generously priced box, about the same price as the Rigoletto set alone cost me in 1993. That’s progress for you.

If you would like recordings of these great works that range from good to excellent, then it is hard to go past for value. I think it can most strongly be recommended to someone who is discovering these operas for the first time AND has access to all the librettos somehow. Listening without the texts is only half the fun and will prevent you from getting to know the works properly.

If you are a collector and are looking to add to versions you already own then the box starts to make less sense. Abbado’s Simon Boccanegra has always been considered one of the best Verdi recordings ever and the MacBeth is also a classic. The Aida is one of his least successful sets. The older sets offer many riches and points of interest but do not make it into the top five reccomendations for any of these operas.

It is great to have these recordings of the baritone Bastianini available (they don’t sing like that anymore), Fischer-Dieskau’s Rigoletto may polarise opinions but it is fascinating, Christoff’s Phillip II in Don Carlo is very moving, Bergonzi is style personified, as nearly always and there is some fine conducting.

But none of the early recordings are essentials. Antonia Stella and some of the tenors are more than servicable but less than memorable. These are not sets that people cry out to have rereleased, especially when there is so much excellent competition.

But at this price you can’t complain for what is a a great representation of singers of the 60′s to 70′s and a great overview of the master’s ouvre.

Now if Phillip’s were to release a Verdi box…..that would be something..

Review by Ravyn Mohlmann:

I can only add to Angus’ excellent review.

Though not explictly stated, the recordings have been digitally remastered, and the sound quality is excellent for their time period. A draw back is indeed the lack of librettos. For that reason alone I would not recommend this set to someone who doesn’t either know the operas, or have other recordings.

That said you get at least two recordings I would consider A recordings, Macbeth and Simon Boccanegra. The Aida is decent, so long as you ignore Ricciarelli who, in my opinion, should never have ventured into the role, on top of which was obviously having a really, really bad day. Her top is thin and approaches shrill at times. The other recordings are serviceable and worth having around, given the price.

If you’ve got , go for it. You won’t be sorry!

Review by Alejandra Vernon:

This 1989 Metropolitan production conducted by James Levine is visually stunning with its massive sets by Gianni Quaranta, in a palette of cream, gold and brown.
Domingo’s Rhadames is robust and masculine, and his performance is well acted and heartfelt, and Aprile Millo, beautiful in ebon makeup and with her marvelous profile, looks every inch the Ethiopian princess taken slave; her sound is rich, full of emotion, and with wonderful pianissimos. For me, her “O patria mia” is the highlight of this opera, and she shines in every scene she is in.I have a special fondness for Act One, Scene two, the “Temple of Vulcan”, with “Nume, custode e vindice” one of the loveliest of the opera’s melodies. Here it gets a stately treatment, and though it does not come close to the musical power of the Domingo/Ghiaurov/Muti CD, it is still good listening. Act Two, Scene Two, the Victory March, has some well behaved horses, a simple but pleasant ballet choreographed by Rodney Griffin with attractive dancers, and the entrance of the great Sherrill Milnes. Though well past his prime vocally, he looks fabulous, and is believable as the conquered King Amonasro. The cast is rounded out by Dolora Zajick as Amneris, Dimitri Kavrakos as the Egyptian King, and Paata Burchuladze as Ramfis.Though the stage direction is on occasion a little static, and the singing not always quite up to par, this is one of Verdi’s grandest operas, and makes for very enjoyable viewing, and every minute spent with Aprile, is time well spent.
The subtitles are legible and helpful, and it comes with a small booklet with the synopsis in English and French; total running time is 158 minutes.

Review by E. A. Lovitt:

Of all the ‘Aida’ productions I’ve witnessed, this version is my favorite. If you are searching for your first ‘Aida’ it should be this Metropolitan Opera production with its balance of great and good singers, and its grandiose Egyptian backdrops of sandstone, bronze, linen and gold. It has one of the better triumphal marches, too. No elephants (except for a few tusks), but scads of soldiers, dancers, Ethiopian prisoners, leopard skins, and gaily caparisoned horses.

Aprile Millo’s Aida sings well, especially her celestial pianissimos, but she is a cold princess-slave. She seems to be perpetually annoyed–perhaps because Amneris got the best costumes—but her tomb scene with Placido Domingo is to die for. It is only when she has to crank up the volume that she sounds a bit pinched.

Dolora Zajick’s Amneris is why you need to hear this production. She is a luscious, spoiled, intensely feminine, young Pharaoh’s daughter. She is also a true Verdian mezzo with a voice as rich and seductive as her appearance. This is one of those ‘Aidas’ where the Pharaoh’s daughter almost steals the show.

Paata Burchuladze sings a Slavic, wa-wa trombone of a Ramfis, lisping, loud, and satisfactorily menacing at the fore of his priestly chorus. I really enjoyed the stentorian booming of the priests, thundering away at the lower levels of ‘Ritorna Vincitor,’ demanding the deaths of the Ethiopian prisoners, and snarling out their ‘tradditores’ beneath Amneris’s frenzied pleading in the judgement scene.

Placidio Domingo is a soldierly Radamès and his ‘Celeste Aida’ is sung with a silken vigor that doesn’t require the interpolated, often-bleated high B flat at its climax. His nobility does make it difficult to believe his sudden decision to desert his soldiers and run away with Aida in the Nile scene, but make no mistake, this is a great tenor in his prime. If you don’t shed a tear during ‘O Terra Addio’ maybe you should be listening to something other than opera.

Greek bass, Dimitri Kavrakos is a suitably dignified pharaoh with slightly less wa-wa than his priestly colleague, but with enough volume to be heard in the crowd scenes.

Sherrill Milnes is a ferocious, glowering Amonasro, although his baritone has definitely begun to show signs of dryness. His scene with Aida is dramatic rather than beautifully sung.

There is one fairly serious problem with this production–I’ve played it on two different machines, so it isn’t my equipment: I can barely hear the male chorus at the beginning of the Temple of Vulcan scene. The priestess and the women’s chorus come through fine, but no matter how much I crank the volume, the men’s unaccompanied chorus is nothing but a distant muttering.

Even so, I think you’ll love this ‘Aida’, right down to the last ‘pace’ of Amneris, quietly grieving above the tomb.

Review by C. Scott Harrison:

I could not be happier. The performances are live and very well recorded. Big names and excellent in all aspect…in particular the reasonable price.

Review by Ed Beveridge:

This is probably the greatest recording of Nabucco available today, and stands alongside other classic operatic discs of recent times. There are certainly competitors – but for all Gobbi’s and Suliotis’ dramatic punch, their singing doesn’t quite match the demands Verdi makes. Sinopoli’s cast, however, sing up a storm and the opera is conducted with real verve. The sound quality achieves good balance, is perhaps on the “boxy” side but allows for excellent clarity, offsetting the intimate moments against the superbly sung choral scenes.Capuccilli’s Nabucco is suitably regal, but has real plangency to his tone when the king is reduced to a slave. Nesterenko’s inky bass and forthright delivery make Zaccaria much more than a cipher (and rightly so, for he has some of the best music), and the young Domingo is ideally cast as a virile, passionate Ismaele – a character who can otherwise seem one dimensional and irritating. As his beloved, Fenena, Valentini Terrani sounds perhaps uninvolved but sings Fenena’s prayer in the last scene with distinction. The small role of Anna is sung by a very young – but distinctive – Lucia Popp. But the set is probably most remarkable for Dimitrova’s Abigaille, which is sung with simply awesome power. Very, very few sopranos can get through the role, yet Dimitrova tackles every one of the two octave leaps, vertiginous scales, and below staff growls Verdi throws at her with tireless, gleaming, ample tone. Even the tender side of Abigaille is manifested with some beautiful soft singing; this is one of the most remarkabe accomplishments I have heard on disc.So – pending the release of the new Bruson-Guleghina recording that has made it into some of the shops, this really is the Nabucco to have. No other comes close for sheer quality and consistency across the performance.

Review by tmallon@pond.com:

Hard to believe this is but Verdi’s third opera. His first big hit, after almost throwing in the towel over the De Regno’s flop. In 1841 the shrewd Bartolomeo Merelli, then impresario of La Scala, got Verdi re-engaged for this composition. Thank goodness, or we wouldn’t have this great recording. Piero Cappuccilli heads the cast as a full voiced kick-ass Nabucco, only to have the show stolen by Ghena Dimitrova as an unbelievably powerful and dramatically convincing Abigaille. Evgeny Nesterenko is a first rate Zaccaria, High Priest of the Hebrews who almost scares off the King of Babylon (and me). Placid Domingo sounds youthful and strong as Ismaele (probably overcast in this lightweight role, but a nice bonus). Making it all work is the Opera of Berlin Orchestra and the wonderful conducting of Giuseppe Sinopoli. A more Verdi sounding score you will not find. Sinopoli subtle control of the brass accents the singers so well you want to listen to this recording again and again. This is in no small part due to the excellent sound engineering of Klaus Hiemann. All operas should be recorded this well, one that Verdi would purchase.

Review by GEORGE RANNIE:

I owned this recording on record about 30 years ago. In my full flush of youth, I could only find fault with Pavarotti, Milnes and especially Sutherland. Hearing it again on CD, I realize the stupidity of youth. This recording is thrilling in every way. Although it has been said that Bonynge is not a very dramatic conductor, he certainly contradicts that appraisal in this recording He truly rings every ounce of drama (along with tenderness) out of this wonderful opera.
The role of Rigoletto, I feel, was one of Milnes best-recorded portrayals. It is simply staggering to hear a truly dramatic and huge voice (as opposed to a lyric voice) sing this role. I’ve never heard Rigoletto sung any better.
Pavarotti is outstanding. When Luciano was singing in his prime, I rebelliously refussed to appreciate him. Now that his career is over and I listen to recordings from his prime, I realize what a treasure he really was–oh the foolishness of youth, on my part!
Joan Sutherland is another signer I’ve grown to appreciate more and more when listening to some of her old recordings. I grew up on Callas’ Gilda and refused to appreciate Dame Joan’s recording of the role. Now, I, once again, realize how silly one can be in one’s youth. Sutherland sings Gilda wonderfully hitting every optional high note that has ever been thought of for the role of Gilda. And hit them she does!!. It’s just thrilling! Her trills are fantastic, as is everything else that she does to and for the role of Gilda
Do yourself a favor and purchase this recording of Rigoletto. It doesn’t get any better than this. If this ain’t “Golden Age” singing, I don’t know what is!

Review by M. Ramos:

This is the best Rigoletto on records, without a doubt. The performance brings the drama and brilliance of Verdi’s opera to life. Sherril Milnes, in excellent voice, brings all the dimensions of the title role with both vocal splendor and dramatic instinct. Milnes’ “Cortigiani, vil razza dannata” and the final scene are particularily heartbreaking, while his duets with Gilda are very tender. Milnes’ high notes are superb; in his last phrase “La Maledizione!” the baritones even interpolates a higher ending than the one done by many Rigolettos. I cannot think of a better Duke of Mantua, vocally speaking, than Luciano Pavarotti. His golden sound, command of legato singing and brilliant high notes (up to D on this recording) makes his Duke a pleasure to hear, even when the character is so despicable. Joan Sutherland does not sound as youthful as we would like, and she does not sound much involved either. But she is great voice as always, with her perfect trill, brilliant high notes (up to E flat) and accurate cadenzas. Her duets with Milnes and Pavarotti are breathtakingly beautiful. The rest of the cast is very good. Richard Bonynge conducts with energy and balance between the singers and the orchestra. This performance is one of the great opera recordings of all time and a must for any music lover’s collection.

Review by Toni Bernhard:

In reviewing the Barcelona Opera DVD in which Maria Guleghina also appears as Lady Macbeth, I’ve already expressed my view (not shared by everyone here) that “Macbeth” is one of Verdi’s underappreciated operas. Forgive me if I quote what I said there rather than rewrite it: “Verdi took great source material and used it to compose an opera with choruses that range from spooky (the witches) to weary and heartbreaking (the people of Scotland); arias for Lady Macbeth with vocal leaps and pyrotechnics that are Mozartian in difficulty; a great marital spat duet in which Lady M’s diabolical hold over her husband is revealed; a final aria for the title character that garners sympathy for him, cold-blooded murderer though he is. The score is taut; not a wasted note.”

As in her Barcelona Opera performance, Guleghina’s intensity and utter commitment to the role go a long way to make up for her vocal difficulties. She struggles with the coloratura requirements of the role and is sometimes sloppy in her execution of the music, allowing her fiery acting to interfere with her singing. Verdi said he didn’t want a Lady Macbeth with a beautiful voice, but that didn’t mean he wanted one without discipline. (Listen to a Callas CD of Lady Macbeth’s arias to hear that perfect combination of “ugliness” and discipline that Verdi was looking for in Lady M’s voice.) But despite Guleghina’s vocal shortcomings, hers is a Lady Macbeth that will be seared in your memory long after the opera is over; such is the power of her stage presence.

Zeljko Lucic does a fine job as Macbeth, although his performance is not as good as that of Carlos Alvarez in the Barcelona Opera production. Alvarez has a deeply mature, burnished baritone voice and creates a more nuanced Macbeth. Lucic’s voice is rather generic and dry, although (as is the case with Guleghina) his vocal inadequacies are compensated for by strong acting. By the end of the opera, Lucic has turned Macbeth into a tragic figure.

John Relyea (who seems to be in almost every Met production these days) has a powerful deep bass-baritone voice. He excels in Banquo’s aria. He may be kept from starring roles due to his stiff demeanor onstage and an irritating tendency to sing out of the side of his mouth.

It’s a treat to see James Levine at the podium, conducting with great energy and precision right from the opening notes of the overture. The orchestra responds in kind, making Levine and his musicians one of the highlights of the production.

I liked the updated 20th Century setting, reflected in the sets and costumes. After all, Shakespeare’s play is still one of the best political thrillers ever written. It’s timeless: the masses suffer while the powerful plot and scheme.

If you love this early Verdi opera as I do, then I highly recommend this production despite its shortcomings.

Review by Ivor E. Zetler:

The main reason to acquire this DVD is for the superb orchestral conducting and the excellent singing. James Levine, one of the finest Verdi conductors active today, paces the performance perfectly and illustrates many of the felicities of the composer’s scoring of this attractive earlyish work.

Maria Gughelina is in excellent voice as Lady Macbeth, though I sympathize with the fact that she has to sing some difficult passages lying down. She also is lumbered with some dreadful frocks. Macbeth is well sung although there is some strain in the high notes.

The updated production is eccentric and tends to loose focus in the later acts. It does not however detract too much and the viewer gets a good idea of what Verdi is aiming at.

The sound and picture quality are very good. Warmly recommended with minor reservations.

Review by :

This video is not Rigoletto at Verona, it is the opera produced as a film in Mantua, the actual setting of the opera. The town, the river, and the splendid ducal palace are the settings for what is really a gorgeous and thrilling production. In addition to Pavarotti as the duke, the cast features Ingmar Wixell as a superb Rigoletto and Edita Gruberova as an ethereal and convincing Gilda. The horrors of the story are powerfully and movingly played out through tremendous singing and a terrific production job. Fabulous, and haunting.

Review by Rosomax:

Okay, first off, it’s a FILM version of the opera, so one can’t quite judge it by the standards of a recorded live opera. After being a devoted opera fan for over 20 years, I need to mention that ANYONE, not only “newbies” will enjoy it. What I immediately noticed was the fact that the opera score is here without omissions, a problem that haunts many attempts of making a good opera film. “Otello” or “La Traviata”, for instance, are superbly staged, but they suffer from many scene omissions, which can be upsetting to the fans. Not the case here, at least I could not find any without having to retrieve my copy of the score and compare it line by line.
The absolute revelation for me was Mr. Ingwar Wixell. I’ve heard his voice many times, particularly on early Verdi recordings brought to life by Lamberto Gardelli. Well, here he sounds even better, plus he proves himself as one of the best singing actors I’ve ever seen. At the first scene at Duke’s palace, Rigoletto is plain disgusting, no wonder that Monterone curses him. By the way, Monterone is played by Wixell as well, and I was surprised by the sonority and great low register that his baritone is able to produce. Later, he’s a obsessively loving father and a mischievous “vendicator”. Loved Feruccio Furlanetto’s Sparafucile! I could not believe it was he under all that makeup, but the pitch-black quality of his voice is unmistakable. Edita Gruberova has long been one of the world’s leading high coloratura sopranos. Indeed, to be able to accurately negotiate Gilda’s tessitura, one needs a spectacular high range. Sutherland also had that kind of high register, but Gruberova was a better choice cinematically, I suppose. Still, I wished for a subtler portrait of Gilda, but it had to do. Pavarotti’s Duke is, of course, why most folks will buy this DVD. Well, he definitely gives a dashing Duke. He sings up a storm on a soundtrack (including the impossible high ending of “possente amor”) and a tongue-in-chick “la donna e mobile”, his signature aria. He overplays a bit, but he’s a lot of fun to watch. Since he does not have to sing and move at the same time, he really bounces around quite a bit and looks very much at home throughout.
The film depicted the court of the Duke in the most accurate way. They’re quite like vultures, and appropriately dressed in black. Marullo is sang by none other than Bernd Weikl, but played (wonderfully) by an actor. Even Giovanna is cast luxuriously – it’s Fedora Barbieri who does not only provide a great voice, but also some much-needed comic relief in this fairly dark opera based on Hugo’s “The King Amuses Himself”. Riccardo Chailly conducts with gusto, but also with proper sensitivity.
Overall, it’s a well thought-out film, I could not think of a way of making it any better. Even the often messed-up abduction scene is quite believable here. The subtitles are not bad, and the picture on DVD is a LOT better than on VHS or LaserDisc.