Customer Reviews

Leoncavallo: Pagliacci

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Leoncavallo was inspired to write his two-act verismo opera Pagliacci by the phenomenal success of Mascagni's one act verismo opera Cavelleria Rusticana. While Pagliacci is not quite as seemlessly beautiful from beginning to end as its almost-perfect predecessor, it has nevertheless established a solid place for itself in the repertoire of most-popular operas. Pagliacci begins with a beautiful prologue sung by the clown Tonio who informs us that we are about to see (or, in the case of this recording, hear) a play which reveals that even clowns have deep emotions. On this recording the prologue -- and the role of Tonio -- are gorgeously sung by Sherill Milnes, one of the finest baritones of the past half century. The tenor role of the clown Canio is sung by the great Placido Domingo at the top of his form. Canio's unfaithful wife Nedda is quite capably sung by soprano Montserrat Caballe. Although I am not normally a fan of Caballe, this is one of the finest performances I've heard her give. The conducting by Nello Santi is outstanding. Pagliacci is not one of my favorite operas, but this recording of it has won me over thoroughly. I recommend it highly.

This is a very fine recording of Leoncavallo's "Pagliacci." There aren't too many negatives to note concerning it, but there are enough to merit a four-star rating instead of a five.

For a brief synopsis: Leoncavallo wrote this one act opera about clowns and the real story behind the stories they perform, as the previous reviewer mentioned, in contrast to the mindblowing success of Mascagni's one acter, "Cavalleria Rusticana." For those who aren't too familiar with opera, these two are easily two of the most famous one act operas, and are frequently performed together in place of a full length opera with intermissions representing the end and beginning of the new opera as opposed to the new act.

There are several themes to this opera, which I'll lightly touch on. Canio (Domingo) is the jealous husband of Nedda (Caballe), who is secretly admired by Canio's fellow on-stage deformed clown, Tonio (Milnes). Trouble ensues.

Domingo and Milnes are and were very famous for their tenor/baritone combination in many operas, and show that excellence in this recording of Pagliacci. Milnes' Prologue is outstanding, his high notes ringing clearly yet with soft power. Throughout, he shows versatility and power, yet enough softness when dealing with Nedda for the part (apparently not enough, though..). Domingo's voice is perfect for this role, his "Vesti la giubba" (recently made famous in that annoying car commercial) is outstanding. I've had the privilege to see him on stage on several occasions, and his acting is incredible, as opposed to say, a Pavarotti---he carries that over here as well, you can feel him getting into the role (he even does the crying at the end of "Vesti). The repeated "il nome" is more screamed than sung by Domingo, which was an interesting touch, I thought, denoting the rage of a betrayed husband instead of the refined calmness. Caballe is an above average Nedda, but not perfect. Her aria is sung well, and her duet with Silvio (McDaniel), Nedda's secret lover, is beautiful. The chorus is another slight disappointment---they are often times weak and even mispronounce words on several occasions (one would think that if they had been louder, no one would have noticed), but they get the job done.

Physically, this is a pretty nice set. At $10.99, this is easily a bargain---look at any other operas and you'll be paying upwards of $45 for three cd's, here you are paying less than a third of that for one. It comes in an attractive case, with, as I mentioned, just the one CD. Again, the price is very good, you get a little over 75 minutes of music (very clear, by the way) on one CD for $11, whereas you might pay $18 for another with, say, 50 minutes. The enclosed booklet isn't too shabby---it's got the complete libretto with English translation in a nice typeface on glossy paper, and isn't some libretto that has been copied on from another piece of paper. It provides a summary in several languages, but no introduction or other commentary.

Overall, this is a great price for a great recording of "Pagliacci," so buy it. Enjoy.

By far Leoncavallo's most famous opera, "Pagliacci" may not be the most subtle and refined of all verismo operas, but when a world-class cast comes together, as in this recording, the result is highly satisfying. Domingo may not be the best Canio ever (Caruso seems to be pretty unbeatable) but he is by far the best one on a modern set. His loud, high notes (of which there are many) are thrilling and he portrays Canio's agony successfully. Caballé, not a singer you would immediately think of in a role like Nedda, offers an excellent performance, in wonderful voice and bringing some much-needed charm into this opera. Milnes is a really superb Tonio, especially in the famous Prologue, which really keeps you ready for the drama to come. McDaniel is adequate as Silvio. The chorus is good, not quite up to their usual standard in this RCA series, but they aren't bad. Nello Santi, however, provides excellent support for the singers and drives home the power of this opera in a magnetic reading. The packaging must be noted, too. Even though this is a single-CD set, it still comes in a slip-case with a libretto booklet. RCA has done an excellent job remastering this, and it can be recommended with confidence to all listeners.

My Mom just got a CD Player installed in her car and since she's an opera fan, I thought I would break in the new player by getting her this inexpensive gift. Of course I had heard Vesti la giubba before and I've heard Fleming do the soprano aria, but I really didn't know the story abd hadn't really heard any of the opera before.

Well, my Mom loved this CD! So I got her a good present. I listened to it myself while in the car with her and I couldn't believe how good it really was! The last scene is really where the greatness of this CD lies. Domingo is fabulous! And his scene partner, Caballé, does him worlds of justice; as does Milnes. Domingo has this fiery fury towards Nedda for lying to him this whole time. I really wonder if this was not a staged performance -- with interaction and acting and everything. I feel like maybe there was an audience. There is just such a raw drama. This is the stuff excellent operas are made of!

Montserrat is a world class actress. She shows in that last scene Nedda's nervousness and forced composure. As I remember this is my mind, I can't believe I was listening to another language. That's how real this was! And the chorus is involved to! I mean, I really felt that I was listening to a live performance! And the price is right too.

Now, I have yet to hear the Pavarotti/Freni or the Bjorling versions, but I can't imagine they'd be much better.

This is a sound buy. I highly recommend it.

Right from the opening, this recording of Pagliacci demands the listener's attention. Sherrill Milnes delivers a superb performance of the Prologueand sets the tone of greatness for the entire opera. Montserrat Caballe is astonishing in her role as Nedda. Normally, I find her voice quite irritating, but she pulls off a striking performance here along with Placido Domingo. Both Domingo's singing and acting are in top form especially in "Recitar." The orchestra is fine while the chorus could use a little help in delivering a bit more impassioned performance. Nello Santi's conducting is flawless as usual. Striking opera with a striking cast.

This is by far the most outstanding Pagliacci recording I have ever heard. A young Domingo offers a beautifully sung and dramatically intense Canio. Caballe pairs well with Domingo here, and while her Nedda is a little limp dramatically the singing is gorgeous. I can't say enough about Sherrill Milnes' Tonio. This role provides a good vehicle for his gorgeous dramatic baritone (you must hear the prologue). The only drawback is a stagnat and limp chorus, which in this opera, where the chorus is present so much, leaves rather a pointed whole in this great recording.

I have long loved this recording; it represents the standard dream team of the early 70's with the three finest singers available to RCA for recordings at that time. Caballe plays Nedda with more delicacy than some but thereby manages to suggest a youthful vulnerability which sometimes eluded her, as her voice could sound matronly. Her pianissimi in the famous ballatella are simply gorgeous and she also characterises very convincingly, playing the humorous business in the play with a light touch and using subtle inflections to convey how hard she is finding it to hold the performance together as her husband's digressions become increasingly manic. Domingo is in finest youthful voice, with a ringing top and the ability to suggest mounting hysteria, even if he doesn't erase memories of Di Stefano's visceral performance with Callas. Milnes is a leering, brutal Tonio with absurdly showy but thrilling top notes; Leo Goeke as Arlecchino sings a lovely ballad. The chorus is lusty, the LSO in finest form.

I like Santi's direction; wise and experienced he paces it all beautifully and I do not find him lacking in any sense of drama. Now already forty years old, I think this recording has withstood the test of time.

In 1890, Pietro Mascagni's one-act verismo opera, Cavalleria Rusticana, became an instant success. A few years later, Ruggiero Leoncavallo made the decision to write his own opera in the same vein. It has been argued that Pagliacci is inspired by a true event during the composer's childhood, though there are still many doubts. But whether it's true or not, it was still highly successful, and is still a major part of the opera repertoire. Because it's also an opera that lasts for one act, it has been paired up with Cavalleria Rusticana in single productions for many years (Cav goes first, while Pag is saved for last). However, it's not very similar to Cavalleria. While it's the same length and same genre, it's a completely different story. Pagliacci deals with local performers who are caught in heartbreak and vengeance. It's a powerfully tragic love story that might not be for the faint of heart. As with many other Italian operas, the music is just beautiful. The lyrical orchestrations and the dramatic colors that this theatrical composition displays are nothing short of amazing. And the vocal melodies would put Rossini and Donizetti to shame, if they were still alive today. Many of you are probably wondering which one-act opera is better. Well, I'd say that both are equally enthralling to listen to, and I would bet that it would be a much better experience if performed live.

This particular recording from RCA Victor, Red Seal, does real justice to this operatic masterpiece. The highly-respected conductor Nello Santi never gives in to bombastic tendencies. He reads the score with excellent conceptions, and keeps the tension high while avoiding the state of excess during musically dramatic moments. Credits should also go to the London Symphony Orchestra. While not my favorite orchestra at the moment, the players perform with hardly any flaws. The strings are wonderful, the winds are spectacular, and even the percussion can sound beautiful even if it's not intended to be. A majority of listeners have fairly criticized the John Alldis Choir for not doing a great job. While it's true the choir is not an excellent one (due to mushy echoing and wooden acting), they still stay true to the material, and they have plenty to offer. And of course, the soloists complete this fabulous experience. Montserrat Caballe, Sherrill Milnes, Placido Domingo, Barry McDaniel, and Leo Goeke play their parts extraordinarily well. Domingo, especially, is perfect for the role of Canio. I think this is one of his greatest roles yet.

One thing I can't understand is why RCA didn't put Cavalleria and Pagliacci together in a 2-CD set. That way, there would be a bit more space for a growing library of CD's. But I guess they wanted these both to be very distinctive in their own ways despite their equal lengths. Still, I recommend this recording to anyone who are fascinated with Italian opera, or just opera in general.

Grade: A

I can see that every other reviewer here has praised this Pagliacci without reservation. I certainly share that feeling so far as Domingo goes. He made a contemporary Cavelleria rusticana that displayed his total involvement in verismo style, and over the years he has returned to the role of Canio often. His voice is glemaing and passionate, his intensity undeniable. If that were all a complete opera recording needs this would easily be a great recording. But despite the fine cast, Caballe isn't earthy enough or strong enough in her chest tones to make Nedda feel completely right fro her (Callas gave a lesson is how the role should be sung), and the veteran Met conductor Nello Santi offers little excitment or passion. It's too bad that James Levine and Renata Scotto, who helped make the Cavalleria reccording such a huge success, didn't come back for this Pagliacci.

I would say this is a fine CD that I recommend to any
person who likes Opera. The singers are fabulous. The
quality of the recording is superb and the price is
reasonable.