Search - Giuseppe Verdi, Lorenzo Molajoli, Orchestra & Chorus La Scala :: Verdi: La Traviata

Capsir and Molajoli- Exquisite Verdi

Peter Hilliard | Roslyn, PA United States | 03/06/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is a great Traviata, not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but absolutely worthy of inclusion in a serious Verdi collection. Capsir is a terrific Violetta, navigating the rigors of the part with the surety of a master singer. Her 'Sempre libera' is quite astonishing, and her 'Addio, del passato' is worthy of comparison to any other version I know of. I am partial to Stracciari's 'Di Provenza', but Carlo Galeffi's version here is admirably well sung, with a long line and beautiful tone. I'm not terribly impressed with Lionello Cecil's Alfredo, although I can't remember the last time I was thrilled by anybody singing the role. (he's something of a foil for her the whole piece)It's nice to hear a younger Salvatore Baccaloni singing the doctor in the third act. The sound restoration is better than you'd ever expect from the 20's, and with any imagination at all, you can picture how it might have sounded live. It must have been magnificent. My only complaint is the skimpy, inaccurate liner notes provided here. I suppose anyone buying this is probably on their third or fourth Traviata, but a synopsis alone might not do it for you. In addition, the notes claim that Capsir began teaching at the Barcelona Conservatory 19 years after her death, which is a feat even Callas probably couldn't have pulled off. Don't miss the extra solo recordings at the end. No living soprano could outsing Mercedes Capsir.For the price- unbeatable!"