Customer Reviews

Rossini - Tancredi / Podles, Jo, Olsen, Spagnoli, di Micco, Lendi, Zedda

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Rossini-lovers, take note--here is the biggest bargain you'll find in CD sets of full operas. Recorded on the budget label, Naxos, this set is less than the usual cost of a single disk. Yet here is a group of people who obviously know their way around Rossini's music. From the crisp, energetic little period orchestra to the utter joy of Sumi Jo's pure coloratura soprano voice, this is a really fine performance. Polish "mezzo" (I would say she's actually a contralto with an unusually large range and some pretty amazing coloratura) Ewa Podles gives a beautifully- sung and noble interpretation of the character of Tancredi. Her vocal style, somewhat reminiscent of Marilyn Horne, is smooth, natural, and free. American tenor Stanford Olsen does his usual wonderful Rossini work. The arias, duets, and choral comments are to die for. Wow! How did Naxos afford to pay this cast on such a low selling price?? The one drawback--the libretto is in Italian only (no English translation.) In spite of a very good synopsis that proceeds by track by track, the plot is rather complex and might be a bit hard to follow unless you are already familiar with this opera and Rossini's music, and you are accustomed to listening to Italian. But even the inexperienced opera-listener who enjoys classical vocal music might love this just for the beauty of the score and the excellence of the performance. A truly great recording.

This was the release that suggested Naxos was more than just a churner of necessary bargains for the impecunious; that the label could produce quality work comparable with the established companies. This recording was considered far superior to its 'major label' competitor. Alberto Zedda's alternately vigorous and sensitive conducting; the clarity of the playing, bringing out the rich nuances of Rossini's orchestral writing usually overlooked by discs that emphasise only his exuberance; and the extraordinary cast, including the now-legendary Sumi Jo as the heroine Amenaide, and the mezza-soprano Ewa Podles in the (male) title role, affecting the sound of a coutertenor; all contribute to a major achievement. Whereas most opera recordings are inhumanly airbrushed in the search for studio perfection, this set leaves the rough scratchy edges in - it feels like a high-quality bootleg (compliment!), giving the listener the illusion that s/he is in the teeming pit of the Teatro del Fenice, 1813.

The opera itself dates from the same period as Rossini's first masterpiece, 'L'Italiana d'Algieri'. If it's not the equal of that infectious comedy, 'Tancredi' is an enjoyable melodrama in its own right. There are few of the accumulative ensembles and choruses, or violent musical snowballing that have become synonymous with the composer - all is melodious and restrained, which is just as well, as the halting and repetitive plot (after Voltaire, but with the ending changed), is not the most dramatic Rossini ever had to work with. Like his great successor Verdi, Rossini was primarily interested in the interplay between the private and the public, individual desires and communal needs, and how relationships might or might not mediate between the two. The start of the opera is a brilliant demonstration of this - the opening urban pomp as two major clans join in reconciliation introduces the heroine who accepts public acclaim, but worries privately. This is followed by the arrival of the hero, with beautifully lyrical music evocative of love and nature. A more urgent example sees Amenaide fretting in prison while her former lover fights off stage - private anxiety becomes public exultation as we hear the rising cheers of victory.

This great recording gives the listener the opportunity to appreciate a work of Rossini that is a rarity today but it was one of his first succeses on the operatic stage. Even with the implausible plot, Rossini gives the characters excellent music to sing. In this performance by Naxos, the singers are uniformily excellent, specially Podles, Jo and Olsen. Ewa Podles, the Tancredi, has a miraculous contralto voice capable of handling the most difficult passages. On this recording, her range go from a dark, solid low F up to two ringing high Cs during her last solo. At the same she is very expressive and involved. Sumi Jo as Amenaide brings an excellent contrast to Podles. Her Amenaide is youthful, feminine, and cristal-clear accurate, with great dominion of legato singing. The beautiful duets are handled by Podles and Jo with both emotion and vocal brilliance, their voices blend beautifully. Stanford Olsen is spectacular as Algirio. He sounds as if he is not having any difficulty with this fiendishly florid role, going up to a high C sharp. Alberto Zedda not only is the expert conductor but he also made the ornamentations and cadenzas. Before this recording, I did not see Naxos as an important company. Now I see that great musical performances are not necessarily related to expensive albums. I hope the Naxos company produce more belcanto operas with Podles, Jo and Olsen.

A world class cast and first rate digital recording of a complete opera (2CD's) (...) including a libretto (unfortunately in Italian only). For Rossini fans this is a must have just for Ewa Podles contralto in the title role. She possesses one of the most unique voices of today. Her voice may not be as other worldly as the legendary contralto Kathleen Ferrier, but what a voice it is. The coloratura soprano Sumi Jo does a great job as Amenaide. The rest of the cast is strong especially the tenor Stanford Olsen. Fine conducting from Alberto Zedda and fresh period instrument playing from the Collegium Instrumentale Brugense. Thanks again to Naxos for bringing real value to lovers of classical recordings.

Tancredi is a real masterpiece and is Rossini through and through with beautiful melodies and intertwined choruses, solos, snd ensembles. This version of Tancredi was recorded Jan 26 through 31 1994 at the Poissy Theatre and the Centre Musical Lyrique Phonographique at Ile de France. The sound engineering is excellent and every note comes through crystal clear - as this is essentially a studio recording there is no background or crowd noise to get in the way. All the singers do a really fine job, especially Ewa Podles, Stanford Olsen, and Sumi Jo. The other supporting soloists are all strong and immensely enjoyable. The orchestra and instrumental soloists are also excellent. And the booklet, although lacking an Englishe version of the libretto is quite good with a track-by-track synopsis of the opera and an informative introduction to Rossini and his style of composition. Five stars on this one all around: the music, the performance, the sound quality, and the booklet.

This is an amazing performance of a rare Rossini opera. Rossini, in his usual style, has thrown in a lot of ravishingly beautiful but difficult vocal passages, both in the arias and duets. The performers Ewa Podles, Sumi Jo, and Stanford Olson, to their credit, sing those passages with ease and splendor. The duets between Podles and Jo, especially, are absolutely sublime. Some previous reviewers have called the performance light-weight. I tend to disagree. Yes, I would not expect the above mentioned three singers in a Wagnerian role. However, that doesn't make them light-weight, just a different style and period. For Rossini, Bellini, Mozart, the performers here would be perfectly suited. In fact, Ewa Podles, Sumi Jo, and Stanford Olson are all celebrated singers today, even though when this recording was made they may not have been as famous. Their youthfulness at the time makes this recording excitingly refreshing. One last comment, the male chorus in this recording is also quite good. This is a highly recommended recording.

This is a very interesting listen. For people who don't know opera all that well or only know Rossini from the Barber of Seville, this is a nice way to get to know his art in the service of a dramatic story. It is wonderful and interesting stuff. Other reviews have discussed the various merits of the soloists and I don't want to dispute this or that detail. What I want to get across is that none of these performances is less than good and some rise far above that towards the wonderful.

You can enjoy this just as music and more deeply as a dramatic piece. Worth owning and listening to repeatedly.

I was thrilled to hear the singing on this recording. There are no weak links in the cast. As I study with Stanford Olsen, I was very haoppy to have a representative work of his on hand... beautifully done. And the female low voices, were wonderful, with a beautiful color and not woofy!! What a pleasure to hear.

In March 2006 I attended a concert performance of Tancredi in Ann Arbor, MI. Ewa Podles sang the title role, with 5 lesser-known soloists singing the other parts. I thought that I would never hear a better performance. And then I bought this recording. Podles' voice has darkened since this 1995 recording. The combination of Ewa Podles and Sumi Jo is wonderful and the recording, while different from the live performance is superb. I have enjoyed this recording many times. And every one of my friends to whom I have played it have had the same response. I recommend it wholeheartedly.

I remember feeling certain misgivings when I purchased this recording when it was first issued over ten years ago. The only names I recognised in the cast where those of Sumi Jo and Alberto Zedda. I wondered, "Who's Ewa Podles?" I put the first disc in the CD player and went straight to Tancredi's entrance. The glorious sound coming out of the speakers left me both slack-jawed and gob-smacked. I simply wasn't prepared to hear a true contralto voice that is so rich, so large and yet so flexible. Not only has Ewa Podles a rare voice, but she also possesses faultless technique, excellent musicianship and an unerring sense of drama. At that time, the only other person I had heard sing this role was Marilyn Horne and Ms Podles lost nothing by the comparison. Tenderness, anguish, fury -- Ms Podles pours them all forth with vocal and emotional reserves to spare.
Nor do any of the rest of the cast disappoint. Sumi Jo tosses off her coloratura with ease and éclat and Stanford Olsen makes the most of the rather thankless part of Argirio.
Alberto Zedda conducts a period orchestra using the critical edition as prepared by the Rossini Foundation of Pesaro. He opts to use the original happy ending. In performance, Marilyn Horne preferred the tragic ending Rossini wrote for the opera's first revival in Ferrara.
There are, or have been, several other fine recordings of this opera available. The RCA set with Vesselina Kasarova and Eva Mei has much to recommend it, especially as it includes both the happy and tragic endings. Harder to find, but worth looking for is a Warner set featuring Fiorenza Cossotto in the title role, with a good supporting cast. Marilyn Horne's live recording from the Teatro La Fenice is a souvenir of her in one of her most memorable roles. Unfortunately, the rest of the cast are a bit of a let down.
But, when all is said and done, you really can't do better than this set on Naxos. The performance is superb and the budget price should make it irresistible.
Note: "Tancredi" is also well-represented on DVD, but that's another reveiw.