Mascagni: Cavalleria Rusticana / Herbert von Karajan [Import]

Pietro Mascagni (Composer), Herbert von Karajan (Conductor), La Scala Theater Orchestra (Orchestra), Adriana Martino (Performer), Carlo Bergonzi (Performer), Fiorenza Cossotto (Performer), Giangiacomo Guelfi (Performer), Maria Grazia Allegri (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Adriana Martino, Carlo Bergonzi, Fiorenza Cossotto, Giangiacomo Guelfi, Maria Grazia Allegri
• Orchestra: La Scala Theater Orchestra
• Conductor: Herbert von Karajan
• Composer: Pietro Mascagni
• Audio CD (January 11, 2000)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Dg Imports
• ASIN: B000031WYP
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #28,746 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "CAVALLERIA" WILL NEVER SOUND BETTER THAN THIS!, January 21, 2000

By 

"lesismore26" (Chicago, Illinois USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mascagni: Cavalleria Rusticana / Herbert von Karajan (Audio CD)

Mascagni's "Cavalleria Rusticana" has been recorded multitudes of times over the last fifty years ---- and to my ears, this 1965 effort is the best recorded performance of all of them. Herbert von Karajan has fashioned a reading of this much-heard opera that makes you feel that you are hearing it for the very first time. Orchestral color and "verismo" atmosphere abounds here as in no other "Cav" recording, and there are instruments in the orchestra that seem much more prominent than we are used to hearing in this particular opera ----- and the orchestral crescendos are more powerful than I have ever encountered them. Carlo Bergonzi, perhaps not the most creative and innovative artist, sings a Turridu with flow, beauty, and taste. Fiorenza Cossotto ----- probably the greatest Italian mezzo since Gulietta Simionato and Fedora Barbieri ---sings a smoldering and compelling Santuzza with a voice ideally suited to the violent emotions of the role. Giangiacomo Guelfi is a vocally solid and strong Alfio. Plainly, with von Karajan at the helm, and with the caliber of these great artists, "Cavalleria Rusticana" comes across on this recording with all of the violence and passion which Mascagni certainly must have intended. This one's a real winner ----- and it's companion performance of "Pagliacci", also conducted by von Karajan and starring Carlo Bergonzi as Canio ------- is every bit as great.Buy them both!

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A stunning recording of a brilliant work, April 2, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Mascagni: Cavalleria Rusticana / Herbert von Karajan (Audio CD)

"Cavalleria Rusticana" is one of the greatest operas of the verismo period - great orchestration, high drama and (above all) fantastic tunes all crammed together into eighty minutes. This 1965 Teatro alla Scala recording under Herbert von Karajan is, at least to me, unbeatable. Karajan may not seem like a first choice for verismo, but he is actually very well suited to this opera, with its drama and long, legato melodies. He directs a performance that realizes all the potential of both the music and the drama. The Orchestra of La Scala plays with red-blooded passion for the maestro, and the chorus also does its work well. Among the soloists, Fiorenza Cossotto (Santuzza) and Carlo Bergonzi (Turridù) are the standouts - as they should be. Bergonzi, whom I usually do not like, reduces his obtrusive vibrato well, so that in this recording he produces beautiful tone and gorgeous legato. His interpretation is not quite as fully realized as it could be, but it is definitely not bad. Cossotto, my favorite Italian mezzo, has a voice ideally suited to Santuzza's part, and she sings as beautifully as Bergonzi even in the taxing climaxes. Her voice, as well as being beautiful, is also huge - she can clearly be heard above the double chorus and large orchestra at the end of the Easter Hymn, and her final high C is thrilling. The supporting cast is excellent, especially Giangiacomo Guelfi as Alfio. This recording has been impressively remastered onto one compact disc (the playing time is over eighty minutes) for DG's Originals series. The sound is remarkably vivid and clear for 1965, and it is also at mid price. This, for me, is one of the best recordings in DG's magnificent series. A must-have for everyone!

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a cut above the rest, May 16, 2002

By 

Andrew Mayzak "audiophile" (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mascagni: Cavalleria Rusticana / Herbert von Karajan (Audio CD)

This recording is absolutely superb! The digital remastering is excellent and there is no static or overbalance in any portion of the entire opera. The recording also sounds distincly "live" as though one were sitting near the orchestra pit at an actual performance.

Although many people don't like Von Karajan, I think he did an exceptional job bringing to life music which we have all heard (the intermezzo).

Bergonzi, as usual, is perfect, his voice in top form and even from low to high. He brings a sense of angry passion to the stage and one cannot help but feel sorry for scorned Turridu. The same goes for Fiorenza Cossotto's Santuzza. She sings the role beautifully, never yelling or oversinging.

The rest of the cast compliments the story nicely, Martino's Lola sounding appropriately happy and cheery. Guelfi as Alfio is great and his voice eminates his jealousy very well. Mariagrazia Allegri's Mamma Lucia is very supportive and she sounds like an older, wiser woman throughout the entire opera.

This recording is great in every aspect including price. Some of the most beautiful music ever composed and the best spinto singing ever done.