Search - Vincenzo Bellini, Beverly Sills :: Bellini - I Puritani

The finest complete recording of I Puritani

The Cultural Observer | 01/07/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It is popular for opera lovers to say that Joan Sutherland, due in large part to her magnificent instrument, sang the best Elvira preserved on records. While I agree that Sutherland had a magnificent dramatic coloratura voice (perhaps the only one besides Maria Callas), I would say that there were several aspects of her singing where some singers achieved or even bettered her. If one were to take Mariella Devia, one of today's greatest bel canto sopranos, as an example, one could find the several places where Sutherland could have improved her singing. Diction and drama were one of Sutherland's pitfalls, and although the coloratura was impeccable, her sense of drama nowhere achieved the ideal balance that say...Maria Callas did in her renditions of the roles. Montserrat Caballe, another golden age soprano, did not possess the coloratura facility to undertake Elvira, and her timbre sounded quite old for the youthful Elvira. Maria Callas is perhaps the greatest soprano to tackle the part, unleashing much of the pathos and passion that most sopranos fail to convey in their singing, but she was supported by a cast that failed to rise to her excellent standards. Sutherland's second recording had nice names in the parts of Arturo, Giorgio, and Riccardo, but their singing was somewhat unidiomatic in the bel canto style, especially Ghiaurov and Cappuccilli in the lower males.



Which leaves us to this recording. Beverly Sills was one of the most underrated sopranos of the 60's and 70's. While it was true that she didn't have the voice of Sutherland (but then again, who did?), she exuded a charisma onstage that often escaped the Australian songbird. She also had a great sense of drama and a youthful voice and a coloratura skill that matched Sutherland's note for note, and to add to that, her embellishments were often well suited to the musical writing. Although I love Maria Callas' Elvira in the sense that her mad scenes have never been approached by any soprano in terms of pathos and gravitas, Beverly Sills imbues them with a sense of drama that is different from Callas but keeping with Italian melodramma. If you listen to her opening lines to the Polonaise to her first mad scene and then the second mad scene and the closing scene, you will find several vocal lines that sound perfect for Elvira's taxing music. I find her to be an ideal Elvira, and if Bellini were alive today, he would probably find Sills to be an ideal interpreter beside Giulia Grisi and Maria Callas. She is girlish, innocent, naive, playful, sad, and mad--everything that the role asks for.



Her Arturo is Nicolai Gedda. Although he doesn't have the dulcet voice of Pavarotti, I find him more involved with the text than the great Italian tenor. He certainly sings all of Bellini's music with a grace and style that Pavarotti did not have, even if he did have the more ideal instrument. Gedda also was more passionate and charismatic, and was a perfect foil to Sills' Elvira than Pavarotti was in the live recording the two singers had together. He sings the high F in full voice, a feat thought to be impossible, but he did it anyways. It sounds strange, but then again, how many male singers have you heard doing that note without sounding like a girl? Even I have not heard Juan Diego Florez attempt that note before (I'm sure it's fabulous), and the one I heard from Pavarotti and William Matteuzzi sounded strange too! Imagine di Stefano doing a high F!



Louis Quilico was one of the greatest baritones of the 60's and 70's who failed to achieve the fame of baritones in his repertoire. He appeared in a recording of Manon with Cotrubas and his singing there was pure heaven! Here, in this recording, he sings with much grace in the part of Riccardo, keeping in with the bel canto line without straying away from the beauty of the drama. A truly wonderful interpretation, and one that I prefer to Gobbi's viper or Cappuccilli's (wow, that man has so many letters doubled in his name!) cobra. A gentleman of an interpretation, if I should say so myself.



Paul Plishka...marvelous Giorgio. This artist did not dominate the world scene like Ghiaurov did, but what a bass he was! He was a great singer, and he did much of his work with Levine and the New Yorkers, although he did work occasionally with Muti and in some parts of Italy. A truly formidable yet understanding, compassionate Giorgio. The two singers are able to bring much of the grandeur to the duet "Suoni la tromba!". A truly magnicent supporting cast!



Julius Rudel is one of the greatest bel canto conductors I've ever heard, and this recording makes me wonder why he never achieved the fame that a second-rate conductor like Bonynge did. Bonynge was probably famous only because he was the husband of Dame Joan, and his performances were often affected with LAAANGUIIIID tempi. His Norma literally bores me, and although I adore the singing, the conducting is abysmal. Rudel brings much life to the music, and we can here this same treatment of the music from his Anna Bolena and Manon with Sills from the same label. This truly is a great recording, and I would place this Puritani on top of the list if you were to buy one."

An Outstanding "Puritani"!

Thomas H. Moody | Nobleboro, ME United States | 12/14/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I find it fruitless for reviewers who dislike the quality of certain voices to trash their recordings. One may not care for Sills'voice, but that doesn't mean that they can't write a constuctive review rather than writing something silly like "Beverly Shrill".



I've never been a big fan of Callas, but I don't trash her recordings. In fact I find great artistry in them even thought I may not care for the voice.



That being said, I find this recording of "I Puritani" to be possibly the best committed to vinyl (and now CD). Sills handles the coloratura better than any of her counterparts and she gets to the root of the role of Elvira playing her as the unstable creature that she is. She gives dimension to a character that is very easy for a singer to give no dimension to. She OWNS the mad scene!



Gedda is fantastic here. He was often overshadowed by other tenors (i.e. Pav). He doesn't always get his just reward in the history of recorded music, as the case here. But he holds his own against Pav and perhaps even outshines him.



The overlooked Paul Plishka is another delight on this recording.



Julius Rudel conducts the opera at a rapid, yet clean pace - unlike the second Sutherland recording led by Bongynge which is deathly slow. Chorus and ochestra here are in fine shape too.



This is the "Puritani" to judge all other by - whether you like Sills' voice or not!



"

The Best Bel Canto Beverly Sills Ever Recorded

Rudy Avila | Lennox, Ca United States | 08/10/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The loveable American anti-diva Beverly Sills recorded Bellini's Il Puritani twice- one opposite Pavoratti and this one opposite Nicolai Gedda. This recording is the superior version, since Nicolai Gedda blended well in duets with Beverly Sills and there was a harmonic balance between the two, whereas Pavoratti would try to outshine the co-singer by singing fortississimo and grab all the glory, typical! This is well-recorded without any sound problems and the talents of the lower men's voices- Louis Quilico and Robert Lloyd are in excellent condition. Nicolai Gedda has the better bel canto voice, with a souave sophistication that matches with Beverly Sill's own lyric elegance. In the famous Mad Scene (or semi- Mad since Elvira returns to sanity) Sills delivers sparkling coloratura. She was an experienced bel canto specialists and other works that are sure to knock your socks off include- Roberto Devereaux (recorded 1969) Lucia (1970) Maria Stuarda (1972) and Anna Bolena (1974). In 1975, she recorded Norma under James Levine's conducting. But this recording is sadly neglected and has not seen the light of digital remastering for reissue. This is a fine opera and Sills is impressive in her delivery and dramatic. Other Elviras of great success include Joan Sutherland, different technique- more into beauty of tone and ornamentation and Maria Callas, heavier voice than the two and more emphasis on drama."