Customer Reviews

Simon Boccanegra

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

 

 

I'd be mad not to give this recording 5 stars and its merits are too obvious and well-rehearsed to make it worthwhile detailing them - but it's not without a few minor flaws. First, the mono sound - but that's crisp and clear and simply isn't an issue when the singing and playing are as good this - it's simply a little frustrating that no-one saw fit to record it in stereo when the technology was already available. The singing of the male principals is superlative - Campora included, although he is usually accorded a very subordinate place in the honours list when compared with Gobbi and Christoff. Some may have reservations about De los Angeles, although mine are about her voice in general, not with her assumption of this particular role, which is touchingly, credibly done; you can really believe in her love both for her father and for her hot-headed suitor, but the top of the voice is always a touch strained and acid, not ideally floated as Te Kanawa used to do in this role. But these minor cavils are wholly negligible when you take the performance as a whole; it's one of the best characterized and most expressively sung in the catalogue.

Having sung its praises, I'd be remiss not to mention the alternatives: the "dream cast" version expertly conducted by Panizza and nobly sung by Tibbett, Rethberg and Pinza, in an elderly (1939) but very listenable Met radio broadcast, and the modern Abbado set, beautifully sung by Cappuccilli, Freni and Ghiaurov in ideal modern sound.

Here it is, fully remastered, with classic performances by Christoff and Gobbi. Except for Abbado's digital version on DGG, there's no better "Simon" on record. Certainly the sound is still dry and the pace of conducting a bit brisk at times, but the entire performance, not the least of which the prelude and first act, are delivered beautifully.