Customer Reviews

Giacomo Puccini: Il trittico (Il tabarro - Suor Angelica - Gianni Schicchi)

5 star:		(3)
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2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

These recordings of Il Trittico are absolutely top notch. Gobbi and De Los Angeles are wonderful in Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi. De Los Angeles moves one to tears in the story of the nun who had a child that died. This is what I call Italian catholicism. It has much, much emotion attached, and that's what Victoria gives us. Gobbi's comedy in Gianni Schicchi is totally droll! The weakest link in the series in Il Tabarro, and it even manages to be scary and threatening! Overall, an amazing set of recordings, well worth being on the top shelf!

None of these recordings are new and, unfortunately, two of them were recorded before the advent of stereo. Thus, "Il Tabarro" and "Suor Angelica" lack the richness, depth and sense of perspective that a good stereo production would have provided. Nevertheless, all three of these performances are wonderful interpretations, each with at least one contribution that moves it into the inspired category.

"Il Tabarro" is a well conducted performance that is well sung by almost all of the participants. There is a sense of drama that is riveting and missing from most of the competing versions. The singers here cannot provide the richness of sound provided by Decca's Tebaldi/del Monaco or RCA's Price/Domingo but neither Merrill or Milnes can match EMI's Tito Gobbi. This is the kind of role in which the baritone made the most impact, characters not entirely sympathetic but with a streak of pathos that move the heart. Listen to his recording of Rigoletto for an apt comparison. ]

In "Suor Angelica" the great Victoria de los Angeles gave one of her finest performances. From her first entrance which she presents with limpid tone and secure intonation to her truly harrowing account of her character's last moments, she is totally in command of every nuance and emtional shift. Listen to the abrupt changes in mood she offers in the duet with her aunt. This is truly great singing/acting. She is partnered in the latter scene by Fedora Barbieri who provides all the chill and coldness called for but without the somewhat vulgar booming of, say, Marilyn Horne in the Scotto version. All of the comprimari are varied and characterful.

"Gianni Schichi" is a romp with vibrant singing from de los Angeles, a rich and humorfilled characterization from Gobbi and a host of Italian character singers who sound like their having the time of their lives. This is probably the oldest of the stereo versions of this score but it remains the most theatrical and enjoyable. One stipulation: the sound is a might shallow and "blasts" or distorts during some of the complex ensembles. Otherwise, the sound is adequate.

To say that a particular artist is a great singing actor or actress often sounds like a dubious compliment, as if the reviewer is saying that the singer has compensated for inadequate vocal resourses by vocal acting. But Victoria de los Angeles was a great singing actress in the truest sense of the word.

Her Suor Angelica is outstanding, one of the most fragile, tender accounts of an operatic heroine ever recorded. The beautiful sheen of that voice could suggest vulnerability, pathos, pain, grief, loss--you name it--like no other. Whether the emotions were striking contrasts or subtle shades of the same hue, she had the vocal palette and acting skill to clearly differentiate them all.

Consider for a moment her vocal peers among sopranos: Tebaldi, Callas, Price, Nilsson, Caballe, Moffo, Sutherland, Sills, just to name a few. One phrase of one aria by any of them, and you'd never mistake them for anyone else on earth. That they were able to distinguish themselves among such distinguished company is further evidence of both their individual and collective greatness.

While striving for something profoundly human in her Angelica, in the end de los Angeles achieves something profoundly spiritual and transcendent, and the glowing sound of her voice alone is its own kind of benediction, its own kind of halo over this poor, tortured soul.

Should have been prepared more for the fact that this was a 50's recording. More disappointing: I failed to note that no libretto was included, a big problem if you want to really study this fascinating triptych. Had to search the internet and found 2 of three. Still, it was of some help preparing for attending Patricia Racette's magnificent performance in San Francisco,