Search - Lorin Maazel, Giovanni Foiani, Silvio Maionica :: Giuseppe Verdi: La Traviata

A Forgotten Gem

Paul A. Dunphy | Bogota, New Jersey USA | 07/09/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Recordings of "La Traviata" are never in short supply and this recording has been somewhat "lost in the shuffle". There is much to recommend it - first and foremost, the rarely recorded artistry of the late Pilar Lorengar. Though her fluttery vibrato may put some listeners off (as well as some odd Italian pronunciation), her fragile interpretation takes a fresh look at Verdi's tragic courtesan. Giacomo Aragall was at his peak at this point in his career. Lorin Maazel conducts the score with great sensitivity. The big drawback: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau is dreadfully miscast as Germont. He sings wonderfully but his interpretation of the role is too severe without the change of heart which makes this character so very human. Perhaps this is not the first choice for a "Traviata" recording but you could do a lot worse."

Historic La Traviata

Alexei | Paris, France | 01/09/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a rare gem. The score is conducted with exquisite sensitivity and great passion and the tempi are as masterful as the score itself (I don't say this lightly, as I have heard and attended many a performance of this opera over the years). Both leads, Lorengar and Aragall, portray with great depth the poignant situations in which they find themselves. Aragall is outstanding and you will be hard pressed to find a more vocally seductive Alfredo: he sings with great abandon, yet great precision. Most importantly, the essence of this tragedy is powerfully conveyed by the ensemble, including Fischer Dieskau whose artistry is so wide ranging that he gives empathy to the difficult character of Germont. Add this to your library for a historic yet utterly modern Traviata."

A glorious dark horse Traviata winner

Warmgoy | 06/26/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Talk about something whose whole is greater than the sum of its parts. This recording is something of an odd paradox. It has tended to be rather overlooked by distributors, somewhat dismissed by critics - and adored by music lovers. The recording was made while this cast was in the midst of of a run of performances in Berlin - and it shows. Though a studio set, an immediacy and frisson of live performance crackles throughout. Lorengar's fluttery vibrato is not to all tastes, DFD is not, in the eyes of many, a Verdi singer. But somehow, Lord, this all just works, and works beautifully. The baritone's timbre reeks of patrician elegance, which, as contrasted with Lorengar's earthy timbre, makes the class conflict of the second act achingly true. Her Violetta is heartfelt and heartbreaking and Aragall's dark, manly timbre makes for a deeply satisfying Alfredo. The comprimari are delightful. The conducting is propulsive, alive, and dramatically resonant throughout. One can point to all sorts of deficits (with validity) to each vocal and instrumental contribution, however although individual elements are not each in of themselves the best out there the end result here is, oddly, what is possibly the most enjoyable overall of the many recordings of the opera. Certainly one can point to a number of other classic sets, with more idiomatic casts. One can adore Callas, Scotto, Sills, Cotrubas, Zeani (and I do, all of them) or the superior leadership offered by the Serafins, Mutis, Karajans and Kleibers of the world; but if I had to grab one Traviata as I ran from a burning building, it just might be this one. An excellent set and one of my top favorite opera recordings."