Search - Amilcare Ponchielli, Silvano Frontalini, Orchestra dell'Opera Nazionale Ucraina di Dniepropetrovsk :: Ponchielli: I Promessi Sposi

Important release...but could have been better

B. Cathey | Wendell, NC United States | 07/08/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Other than his LA GIOCONDA, Ponchielli's operas are almost unknown. A RAI air check of I LITUANI exists, offering an idea of its felicities; a recent French recording of MARION DELORME, much better sung, is also available on the Accord label. So, the issuance by Bongiovanni of this earlier Ponchielli work, I PROMESSI SPOSI, is of great importance. Although nicely recorded, the forces assembled are not in the top echelons of world class performers...the Ukrainian orchestra group sounds thin at times, but the young soloists sound very committed, and they offer a good idea of the opera....in particular the lead tenor, Berdoni (if I remember correctly), has a fine voice and comes across quite well. His female counterpart, Natalya Margarit, has a fluid voice, capable of great range, but her diction is not that impressive.

Nevertheless, except for a few excerpts recorded about 25 years ago and extremely hard to find, this is the only show in town for this underrated and neglected Ponchielli opera. It would be nice if a major company were to record this (and some of Ponchielli's other operas) with world class singers...."