Search - Giuseppe Verdi, Wiener Philharmoniker, Carlo Maria Giulini :: Verdi: Rigoletto / Cappuccilli, Cotrubas, Domingo, Ghiaurov, Obraztsova, Moll; Giulini

Riveting yet refined

cdsullivan@massed.net | Cambridge, MA USA | 02/18/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is not one of the most famous recordings of Verdi's warhorse, but in my opinion it is the best. The great Italian conductor Carlo Maria Giulini stays away from the melodramatic caricature of opera that this can easily turn into, and brings out the dark, brooding colors of the drama and of the music. He combines lyricism with the greatest dramatic power, at speeds which feel exactly right, even though they are slower than most. And not only does he have a superb individual view of the piece, he is a sensitive accompanist, too, giving the excellent Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra its full dominance without drowning out the singers. And what singers! The velvety, golden voice of Piero Cappuccilli, used with unfailing intelligence and musicality; the warm, gorgeous voice of Plácido Domingo; and perhaps most stunning of all, the bewitching lyric soprano of Ileana Cotrubas, the best Gilda I have ever heard. These singers may not hit the stratospheric unwritten high notes on the Bonynge recording with Pavarotti, Milnes and Sutherland, but they do offer consistently refined, thoughtful and beautiful singing. Cotrubas' radiant singing alone is worth the modest price of this set. The great Bulgarian bass Nicolai Ghiaurov makes a riveting, dark-toned Sparafucile; Elena Obraztsova sings Maddalena perfectly well, though not on the level of her colleagues. Kurt Moll is cast luxuriously as Monterone. At mid-price, with full libretto and translation and with excellent work from the VPO and chorus, this is a Rigoletto that must be in all Verdi collections."

A Solid Recording of a Beloved Opera

Timothy Kearney | Hull, MA United States | 09/10/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"If you wonder what you get when you take a lecherous petty noble, an insulting court jester, an angry father who is not afraid to use curses at the drop of a hat, a group of kidnappers and assassins, and add an innocent young girl who is taken advantage of by the powers that be, the result is the opera RIGOLETTO. This musical story of a curse that causes the death of a young woman and shows what comes around goes around has been a favorite since its premiere. The addicting music combined with recordings that include some of the greatest singers in history assure that it will be a favorite for years to come



This recording is a technically perfect RIGOLETTO. The conductor Carlo Maria Giulini brings Verdi's score to life exactly as it's written, but somehow this literal reading is missing something. There are no flourishes here. Gilda's "Caro Nome" sung beautifully by Ileana Cotrubas does not have the vocal acrobatics that have become the signature of other sopranos. Rigoletto does not go into convulsions when his daughter is kidnapped. There are no high notes at the end of the quartet "Bella figla dell'amore." My guess is that they are not written in the score, so Guilini excludes them. The only problem, we are so used to them something is missing, and I would argue that since Verdi had such a great instinct for what worked on stage, he'd want whatever worked in the theatre. It's not surprising that this is the case in some of Guilini's recordings of opera. While he loved opera, he hated opera houses and in later years refused to conduct live productions of opera. This probably gave him a greater appreciation of the music, but not the greatest understanding of the listener.



While this recording may be somewhat lackluster at times, it still has many merits. Giulini keeps the pace moving in this recording (which is not the case in IL TROVATORE) and the orchestra and chorus are excellent. The overall singing is good, and Domingo's interpretation of the Duke which is not buffoonish, makes him believable to the listener. Since it is now released in the mid-price category, it's a bargain as well.



Enjoy!!!

"

Outstanding!

Timothy Kearney | 07/17/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Piero Cappuccilli portrays the title jester perfectly, capturing his two immense facets: the cruel, detestable clown and the vengeful, loving father. His voice contrasts between lyric beauty and dramatic ferocity. His rendition of "Cortigiani, vil razza dannata" begins with electrifying violence and soon melts into pathetic sorrow. His smooth bel canto also blends well with Cotrubas during their beautiful duet in Act I ("Gia da tre lune son qui venuta").
Placido Domingo is also perfect here as the Duke of Mantua and presents the unscrupulous noble's principle arias - "Questa o quella", "Parmi veder le lagrime", "La donne e mobile" - with ease, lust, and sensuous style and control.
Ileana Cotrubas gives an angelic performance as Gilda, both in the lyric beauty of her delicate voice and her dramatic sense of the character. Her interpretation of "Caro nome" - comparable only to that of Sutherland - contributes to making this recording the true gem it is. She is equally moving with the mournful "Tutte le feste al tempio" and during the tragic duet with Cappuccilli at the opera's finale ("V'ho ingannato...colpevole fui").
The supporting roles are handled with the same genius. Nicolai Ghiaurov is magnificent as Sparafucile; his cavernous voice suits the role of the vile assassin, one of Verdi's most malignant musical creations. Elena Obraztsova - whose deep voice I have always liked and found suitable for such roles as Maddalena, Amneris, and Dalila - excels here as the former. She is both licentious and tempting as the villainess Maddalena, especially during the trio with Ghiaurov and Cotrubas in Act III ("E amabile invero cotal giovinotto"). Hanna Schwarz shines here, too, as Gilda's maid Giovanna, a small but impressionable role, which the skilled mezzo-soprano presents the style.
Kurt Moll - in a masterful bit of casting - provides a fierce performance as the Count of Monterone. His thunderous entrance in Act I and equally wild exit during the finale of Act II ("Poiche fosti invano da me maledetto") are some of the most dazzling moments of this recording.
Carlo Maria Giulini and the Vienna Philharmonic shine here most of all in an equally gentle and thunderous recording of Rigoletto. Giulini handles the opera's tranquil moments with care and sensitivity and also excels during the thunderous moments. It is no exaggeration to consider this one of the greatest achievements of his illustrious career."