Search - Donizetti, Pavarotti :: Elisir D'Amore (Highlights)

Caveat Emptor: A great performance ruined!

madamemusico | Cincinnati, Ohio USA | 06/02/2002

(1 out of 5 stars)

"I am one of those people who always searches for the "best" recording of any given opera, though in some cases I own two of some, and I am particularly fussy regarding comic operas because I demand that they sound funny and have sparkle. Of the complete recordings of "L'Elisir," the best overall is the Battle-Pavarotti-Levine version, though Leo Nucci leaves much to be desired as Sgt. Belcore. As a result, I bought and listened to the Hamari-Carreras-Pritchard performance, which is beautifully sung but has little life except for the Dulcamara of Sir Geraint Evans.As a bonus on that CD, however, were a few tracks from this "L'Elisir," a 1969 live performance from San Francisco. Immediately, I was stunned by the exuberance, freshness and ring of Pavarotti's voice--he has not been able to sing like this since at least 1983--as well as the bright, incisive Adina of Reri Grist and the breathlessly funny Italian patter of Sesto Bruscantini as Dulcamara. Now, THIS was an "L'Elisir" worth getting!!!Sadly, however, this single disc of highlights (all that is available) was ruined by faulty engineering. In addition to adding superfluous echo to spruce up the old broadcast sound, the engineers accidentally transferred all of these selections a little more than a half-tone flat, with the result that Pavarotti sounds like a baritone and Reri Grist has a fluttery wobble in the voice. My sugestion, then, is to get the Carreras "L'Elisir" for some excellent singing AND good transfers of these 1969 Grist-Pavarotti highlights."