Customer Reviews

Macbeth

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The set is worth having for the younG Gencer's first attempts at a FIENDISH role (she was only 31 at the time) that she would even perfect more from an interpretative/psychological point of view later on but with a less fresh voice (for instance Venice in 1968). Taddei and the rest of the cast are quite adequate companions to this overwhelming Lady and Gui's conducting a guarantee of a fine performance from everybody involved. Again, do not miss Leyla Gencer's Lady Macbeth in her vocal prime even if the sound is not to digital standards.

This is a hard recording to find these days; I got mine via OperaLovers in Quebec but it keeps re-appearing in various guises from time to time, mainly because, despite pretty indifferent sound quality, the performance is so stupendous. Gencer is a marvel of both nuance and excitement and Taddei presents Macbeth as a real human being, full of fear and weakness and very much dominated by his demonic wife. He uses word-painting in a manner which rivals his great Italian contemporary, Tito Gobbi. Gencer displays incredible agility and power; it wasn't so much a large, as an incisive, voice and she also colours it so variedly. Gui's direction is masterly of pace and the supporting cast is excellent. Stereo/studio sound it ain't, but the intensity of this performance is such that you soon forget the sonic limitations. I swear, too, that ocasionally you can hear a dog barking in the background - but that's probably motor noise and at least that shows that the 1960 tape picked up some good background detail! Don't buy this if you require studio sound; go to the famous Abbado or Leinsdorf sets. But if you want to hear a supreme - and neglected - dramatic soprano at her best in a great blood and fire performance of one of Verdi's most thrilling and approachable operas, go for Gencer in this live recording.