Search - Mozart, Jurinac, Sciutti :: Marriage of Figaro

Reissue doesn't do it justice

Virginia Opera Fan | Falls Church, VA USA | 09/07/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I heard this recording many years ago on a mid to late 1950s RCA issue. That four LP version was absolutely complete, including the fourth act arias for Marcellina and Basilio. It is a shame that EMI decided to alter Gui's concept in the re-issue. I guess they felt this venerable recording couldn't compete as a budget 3 disc issue. Torso though it is, the recording is worth acquiring for Jurinac's Countess alone."

The first ... and still the best

Classic Music Lover | Maryland, USA | 03/04/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When it was first issued in 1956, this was the first stereo recording of the complete Figaro opera. It remains the best today. Vittorio Gui conducts an ensemble that mixes freshness and lightness with complete professionalism. Sena Jurinac and Rise Stevens are well-nigh perfect in their respective roles. (How the heck did Met Opera star and New Yorker Stevens get into this European cast I wonder? No matter, picking her was a good move on the part of the producers.) It may be true that a few minutes of the original recording have been cut to fit everything onto two CDs, but that's no reason to pass up such a great performance, beautifully recorded in realistic three-channel sound that stands up well after 50+ years."