Customer Reviews

Rossini - La Cenerentola / Bartoli, Dara, Matteuzzi, Corbelli, Pertusi, Chailly

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Rossini composed comic operas of the bel canto repertoire, which were very popular in the first half of the 19th century. Rossini's music was sparkling, inventive, Mozartian, and the vocal lines of his operas were showcases for tenors and sopranos of the day. Rossini popularized comedy in opera. It was his Barber Of Seville that began a tradition that is still strong to this very day. In the first half of the 19th century, tenor Manuel Garcia and his daughters, both of them acclaimed mezzo sopranos, delivered masterful performances of Rossini's operas. They helped spread the opera into America, which was still developing before the Civil War. Of his many comic, bubbly, light comedies, Rossini's La Cenerentola, "Cinderella" is his most mature comedy. It becomes romantic. Worth noting is the music, with its measure of witty tunes and sophisticated melodrama. The reviewers who claim this opera is a disappointment, that this particular recording is overrated, I beg to differ. In her performance as Cinderella, famed mezzo soprano Cecilia Bartoli has acted and sung her greatest role. This is truly a showcase for her talents and it is a lasting reminder of Rossini's otherworldly charm.

The opera begins with Cinderella and her stepsisters talking about the ball the prince is having in which he is to find a suitable wife. Cinderella sings her opening aria "Un volto di un re" which comically presents her as a daydreaming, naive, young woman, whose hope is she will find true love with the prince, despite the obvious class differences. After her transformation into a beautiful young woman, Cinderella attends the ball and captures he admiration of the prince. In this element, Cinderella becomes a romantic heroine of bel canto opera- strong, independent, forgiving, loving. She forgives her stepsisters for their cruelty and marries the Prince in a happy ceremony. The ending is one of Rossini's most dynamic. Cecilia Bartoli begins with the aria "Non piu mesta" at a slow pace, displaying her easy mezzo stylings of which she is most known for, accompanied by the chorus. But then the aria and chorus begins with a more exciting, faster beat, and Bartoli's mezzo-coloratura fireworks are showcased. Cecilia Bartoli's greatest role. The music is dazzling and the cast is superb. The familiar fairy tale has a romantic, comic twist, entertaining and engaging as drama. If anything, you should purchase this cd to be acquainted with Cecilia Bartoli's talents. This is a perfect introduction to her. She is at her best and most prolific in the Rossini operas, of which she has sung countless times. Bartoli's voice is still in fresh condition and if she continues to polish and maintain her instrument, she will be classified as the greatest mezzo soprano of the century.

I'm going to base this review just in a comparison between this recording and the Abbado 1972 one, because these are the rec. i've entirely listened. I've found that the Chailly recording is stronger than the Abbado's one in nearly all points, becuase the singers are better. The 1972 has three reasons to be purchased: Berganza (who has a sweeter voice than the Bartoli's one), Abbado, and the London Symphony Orch. In the Chailly rec. all shines like the sun: Dara
catch the Rossini spirit, Corbelli shows why he is the best Dandini of our times, and Pertusi sings the hard and short role of Alidoro. Besides, in this recording you will listen the best "Sia qualunque delle figlie", the most difficult "aria buffa" in the universal repertoire, because Dara can pronounce all the words with a such rapidity that you will want go back to listen him again. In the Abbado rec. Alva, Trama and Capecchi disappointed, the first, using falsetes, the second breaking his voive in the Alidoro's baritonal aria and Capecchi, mistaking the Dandini role, forgiving the staccato parts. I wanted to imagine a recording with Berganza, Benelli, Bruscantini and Dara, conducted by Abbado. But i've have the Chailly rec., which satisfy almost all my expectations: only I don't like the small sound from the orchestra, in moments like the finales and strettas. PD: I have both recordin and i interested in Sony rec.
In three words: buy THIS CD. I forgot Matteuzzi: he knock out the weak Alva, i don't know if he does it to Araiza.

Cecilia Bartoli is perhaps the best Rossini mezzo of the 90's, but 20 years ago there were finer Rossini singers. For the best available Cenerentola turn of course, to Teresa Berganza's recording with Claudio Abbado. Berganza's voice is more even than Bartoli's and the coloratura is more smoothly articulated, but more important, Berganza brings a more sincere interpretation, far less mannered than Bartoli

[...]The essence of what makes a quality operatic recording was summed up beautifully in one sentence: "A great opera recording should revolve around it's orchestra". Nowhere is this more true than with the operas of Gioacchino Rossini, which all display an uncompromising emphasis on continuous, highly expressive and virtuosic orchestral accompaniment. Chailly is one of the few conductors that truly understands this, which is why he is consistently one of Rossini's finest interpreters.

One of the few dogmatic statements that Rossini ever put forth was concerning the purpose and intent of a good singer, that he or she "should only be the conscientious interpreter of the composer's ideas, endeavouring to express them as effectively as possible and to present them as clearly as they can be presented." The singers in this recording appear to be infused by this; every number sparkles with an inspired vitality and precision rarely heard on any full operatic recording. The singers all perform as if motivated by one another; not a single passage is expressed inappropriately. Excesses are carefully avoided as each singer endeavors to support, rather than outdo, one another. The difficult ensemble numbers are executed with a skill that may baffle the listener as to how any singer could learn to perform in such a manner.

All of this is supported by an orchestral performance of equal prowess, as the musicians themselves all seem to be driven forward by this same spirit of perfection. Many of the louder, more vigorous orchestral passages have an almost electrical quality; there is a palpable energy that can be clearly perceived, provided that it is delivered through an adequate sound system. Chailly's orchestra acts as a single, living musical entity, producing what must surely be the sounds that were meant to be heard from this opera. Only the performance of the overture seems to lack total inspiration while, by contrast, every chord of the rest of the opera is played and sung to perfection from beginning to end.

Chailly's and Bartoli's greatness as performers is not the presiding issue here. Of concern is the quality of their collaboration on this recording. These two artists, along with every other performer and technician on this project, just happened to gather at the right moment in time. This recording seems to transcend all involved; together they have produced a work of art to be enjoyed by generations to come.

There is something really special about Ms. Bartoli, I find it almost impossible to believe that she was only in her 20's when this was recorded. Her voice, although slightly thick in places (this must be some sort of 'characterization' I'm afraid), has an almost unlimited flexibility and very little of the steely edge in the upper registers evident in later recordings. Often (but not always ) she is convincingly sweet in her tone, but she has such presence, intelligence, and love for the music that one cannot help but feel for her in both the deleriously happy, and the profoundly dark moments of her portrayal here.

Enzo Dara, as her scheming, drunk, bankrupt stepfather is simply a marvel. His tone is perfect, characterizations fantastic, sense of fun unparalleled, and his vocal acting a 'sight to behold' as it were. His appearance here is a real coup, something no opera lover should miss, Especially memorable are his comic timing and ability to make his character come alive.

Matteuzzi as the Prince is generally good, although I find his voice tiresome at times, especially when he clearly has to push to get notes out when they're a little high for his range. However, his coluratura is wonderful and when he tries, his voice has a lovely honey quality to it that is hard to beat among recent rivals.

Corbelli really doesn't have real coluratura ability, but he keeps the music moving, delivers the notes steadily, and in no way detracts from the overall quality of the opera. This is high praise these days, where perhaps 1-in-50 bass/baritones have the necessary flexibility to pull of a performance as clean as his.

In some ways, Pertusi is the real hero of this set. He sings some very difficult music with control and grace. Although his arias are not as spectacular or showy as Dara's, he has the harder work of maintinaing a clean line while navigating shifting notes underneath. His portamento and declamation compel praise, and although Alidoro is something of a bore, he is a delight to hear when sung this way.

A final note: Chailly makes a terrifically sparkling performance come alive with his expert harnessing of the forces working under him. Especially noteworthy is his control over and use of the "Rossini Crecendo" to highlight a dramatic or comic point. The orchestra rises to the challange and has a special place in my heart.

Everyone knows that Rossini is notoriously hard on singers, but this recording is a brilliant example of what Rossini should sound like. Bartoli performs with her usual panache, but the real nugget I discovered in this cd was William Matteuzzi, playing Prince Ramiro. Finally a tenor singing Rossini who is not afraid to sing like a Rossini tenor! All in all, this is a marvelous, fun opera, don't make the mistake of not reading the libretto along with it, it really does enhance the music, the diologue and the music are equally witty.

Surveying recordings of LA CENERENTOLA made in recent times, there are two which stand out: the present recording, and the one on the Teldec label conducted by Carlo Rizzi. Both feature some of the greatest Rossini specialists of the 1990's. What makes this recording so special, besides having an idiomatic all-Italian cast, is that it was made on stage at the Teatro Comunale di Bologna; thus even though it is not a live performance, it has the feel of live theater. This is exemplified by the recitatives, here given an utterly delightful accompaniment of fortepiano and cello. Instead of merely plunking down chords, the accompanists become real participants in the dialogue, underlining the rhetoric with little frills and asides, or surrounding it in a magical gauze.

The casting of the three bass roles is one of the strong points of this recording. Alessandro Corbelli was for many years the definitive Dandini (he has since moved on to the role of Don Magnifico, which he sings on the Teldec set); he was at his vocal peak in these years, and he displays absolute comic and musical mastery of the role. Veteran buffo Enzo Dara was almost sixty years old at the time of this recording, but his voice was still quite impressive, and he delivers a vivid characterization of Don Magnifico as well as mesmerizing patter in his third aria. By contrast, Michele Pertusi's Alidoro doesn't sound at all geriatric (Pertusi was 28 at the time, in fact); he gives a vocally rock-solid account of his taxing aria, and brings humanity to what can seem like a stock character. Concerning tenor William Matteuzzi I differ from most of the other reviewers here: I find him the weak link in the cast, making Prince Ramiro (a character who should be all virtue and nobility) sound like a nasal twerp. So strong is this recording in other respects, however, that not even the presence of a less-than-ideal tenor ruins the show.

In general I am not a Cecilia Bartoli fan; I do not enjoy her chirpy coloratura and her manner of attacking high notes. Yet her voice sounds lustrous here in the role of Angiolina, and there are moments - the cabaletta of her final scene, for instance - where she captures just the right tone of humility and wonder. Perhaps you will prefer Jennifer Larmore's creamier-toned, more inward performance on Teldec, as I do. Bartoli (along with the other singers) ornaments her part freely and imaginatively, and this is another aspect of this recording that adds to the sense of authentic Rossinian style.

Riccardo Chailly's conducting wins over that of Rizzi on Teldec. Rizzi goes for a generic fleet-footed, airy sound; Chailly emphasizes the character of the music and the meaning of the text, and brings altogether more depth to the score. (I think in particular of a lovely moment in the Ramiro/Angiolina duet when the orchestra's dynamics perfectly illustrate the action of striding forward and shyly pulling back.) Also, Chailly keeps an elegant, sparkling tone without pushing his cast to absurdly fast tempos, as Rizzi occasionally does.

So there you have it; both Decca and Teldec have their points, and choosing between them is difficult. The decision may come down to which great Rossini mezzo you prefer - Bartoli or Larmore.

This recording has met with almost universal praise ever since it was released, mainly in the reaction to the singing of Cecilia Bartoli. I can't understand why. Bartoli is the most irritating 'singer', whose myriad vocal mannerisms become wearing within a very short space of time. She seems quite incapable of producing a legato line with consistent tone colour - instead the timbre of her voice constantly alters from contralto to a sort of sickly, breathy soprano. In fact, she seems deliberately to choose breathy tone on a number of occasions as some sort of 'interpretive' substitute for genuine pathos. And as for her coloratura! Every note is separated by a maddening intrusive 'h', with no variation in articulation at any point, whilst under pressure the voice develops a sort of squeaky, cartoon character quality. Just about every mezzo recorded in this opera does it better. All in all I find Bartoli an insurmountable blot on the set.

The rest of the cast are good, though Matteuzzi's voice is rather too metallic to evoke the requisite charm for his role. The recording is typical of Decca's over-the-top style, recorded at too high a level, and often manipulative in terms of the balance between voices and orchestra.

Absolutely _not_ a definitive recording of the piece.

Matteuzzi, Dara and Bartoli all give excellent performances. The supporting cast is fine. I like Chailly's handling of the material, and on the whole, I'm glad I have this disc.

The other recording I listen to is a von Stade/Araiza/Abbado DVD Rossini - La Cenerentola / Frederica von Stade, Francisco Araiza, Paolo Montarsolo, Claudio Desderi, Laura Zannini, Claudio Abbado so my standard of comparison is high.

While I prefer von Stade's more restrained interpretations to Bartoli's more expansive ones, I wouldn't know that if I hadn't listened to both recordings. Bartoli's performance is excellent, and she is in fabulous voice. Frankly, my choice is a matter of taste.

Mateuzzi's "Si, ritrovarla" uses, but does not overuse passion. That allows him to sing it very beautifully indeed, hitting high notes effortlessly. (For example the first syllable of the final 'o' in the third 'ritrovero' from the end in the first section, just before the bracelet bit is almost transparent in its clarity without losing volume. He also does some fabulous dimenduendos.

In the package, you'll find a nice libretto with program notes for Italian and English. The libretto does not translate into French or German.

I didn't hear an off note anywhere on either of the two discs, and I'm glad to have this as my only voice recording.

This recording must go down as the most over rated opera release of the 90's. Uninspired and totally utilitarian performances are had by all. Nothing is bad but nothing is great. The only thing of merit in this recording is the sound engineering of James Lock and Jonathan Stokes. Bartoli is wonderfully suited for this role but no one in this performance (including Chailly) seems to be in love with her. The secret to a successful performance of Cinders is a strong Don Magnifico. The Baron father is the sounding board for all the other roles. His strong lower register acts as a trampoline for the female voices (Rossini at his best). This takes a great basso with dramatic/comedic skills, and Enzo Dara, that `ain't' you! The Philip's recording, under the baton of Neville Marriner, remains the model performance. On that recording Agnes Baltsa is a model lead with Ruggero Raimondi as the yet unequaled Don Magnifico (a tough challenge to future recordings). Again, it is a Philips recording, so the sound is great. You will, however, have to search around on the Web to get this out of Europe, since it is no longer available within the trendy U.S. market. I look forward to a future release with the wonderful Ms. Bartoli.