Search - Gaetano Donizetti, Ileana Cotrubas, Plácido Domingo :: Donizetti - L'elisir d'amore / Cotrubas, Domingo, Wixell, Evans, Watson, ROH, Pritchard

What could have been but wasn't...

Annio | 10/26/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"A pity that such cast and means do not yield better results. Cotrubas is as always the lovely singer but Domingo is at his coarsest, the voice unbearably throaty and the vocal acting as false as a $3 bill. The rest of the cast and conducter give a routine performance, which is not worth their reputation."

A fresh approach

Joan Rogers | 04/29/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am writing about the other reviews of this recording. I have the original on disc so I can't speak of the CD quality. But I found this version to be a fresh interpretation, so different from all the other Elisirs. "Una furtima" lagrima is the only part of the opera that does not fit Domingo's (beautiful) voice. But there is much more to this opera than just that "coffee table" aria. He may not sound like anyone else in the role, but he sounds devastatingly rich and exciting. The duets are thrilling and Cotrubas is in magnificent and expressive voice. It's too bad that only past versions are used as benchmarks in reviewing a newer one. Domingo does not sound like Pavarotti (thank God !!!) and Cotrubas on this recording sounds the way she did in her best live performances. The recording (originally quadraphonic) is pristine (at least in the original disc) and it was recorded with care (in 1978). All in all, an unusual version of Elisir that HAD to be recorded."

Beautiful But Missing Something.....

Joan Rogers | 03/05/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"CAST: Placido Domingo, Ileana Contrubas, Ingvar Wixell, Gerard Evans, Lilian Watson - Royal Orchestra of Covent Garden, John Pritchard conductor.



This studio recording attempts to capture the beauty and liveliness of Donizetti's brilliant comic opera "The Elixir of Love" which deals with a peasant's consumption of a love potion to win the heart of a beautiful girl. To be fair, this recording is beautiful and good for what it is, but there are at least two recordings which surpass this one. Placido Domingo sings beautifully, of course, and his devotees will definately enjoy his performance as Nemorino. He has total command of the famous aria "Una Furtiva Lagrima", his Italian diction is faultless, his sense of the music is right, he sings with passion and sensitivity, coming a lot closer to singing it the way Enrico Caruso did in the turn of the century. But this bein said, everything else he sings prior to the final scenes are wrought with some difficulty. Early and mainstream Bel Canto was not Placido Domingo's forte, and definately not Donizetti (and God forbid Domingo sang Rossini). The art of bel canto is a tricky one. Bel canto tenor leads should sing with a mixuture of lyricism and even coloratura. Domingo's heroic/dramatic voice is no where near the way a bel canto tenor should sound like. Remember, Domingo has sung Puccini and even Wagner. He has problems with the high-flying portions of the music to the arias. He is, nevertheless, in character and acts the role of Nemorino quite well, even living it. He is wholly convincing as a young man in love, especially because Domingo's voice tends to exude passion. But if you want to hear Nemorino the way it should be sung, try the recording which features Luciano Pavarotti as Nemorino, in which he is paired with the Adina of Kathleen Battle, or try Jose Carreras singing opposite Katia Ricciarelli. Of the two, I prefer Carreras as Nemorino, for it is the most satisfying, really. Pavarotti has command of the bel canto repertoire (despite all his other successes his strongest repertoire was always Donizetti). This one's strictly for Domingo fans.



As for Ileana Cotrubas, she, too, has problems with the role of Adina. The role is definately a lyric-coloratura part, and although she can sound girlish and sweet, she is nevertheless in bad vocal shape. This repertoire is also not suited to her voice. This role was honey in the vocal chords of Joan Sutherland, Kathleen Battle and Katia Ricciarelli. In Miss Cotruba's chords the sound is affected and strained. She does however sing well with Domingo and their scenes together are magic. She is better as Gilda, as Violetta (both roles she sang opposite Domingo in recordings)and even as Micaela (another role she sang opposite Domingo in the Teresa Berganza Carmen). Again, you have to be a fan of Cotrubas to get this recording.



Ingvar Wixell sings wonderfully, and he is perhaps the best singer in this group. His voice is opulent, rich, grand and has a keen sense of musicianship. Sir Gerard Evans has a bass voice to die for, though it clearly lacks the luster that Wixell has. Perhaps this recording disappointed me because Sir John Pritchard is a conductor who conducts with an austere and mechanical British manner. This opera is of course innately Italian and should have more flavor, passion and liveliness."