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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One puccinian gem, November 16, 2003
This review is from: Il Trittico (Audio CD)
Certainly this is one of the best Puccini recordings ever made. All three operas (Tabarro, Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi) are, in their own way, full successes. Maazel is inspired as in no other recording by him, Scotto does a great Giorgetta and, over all, an unsurpassable Suor Angelica, Domingo does a virile Luigi and a pretty naďf Rinuccio, Cotrubas does a lovable Suor Genovieffa in her short appearance and a still more lovable Lauretta. Along with them, each opera has a guest star equally good: Wixell is a terrific Michele, with a thrilling final scene, Horne is also splendid as the old and ice-hearted Princess in her interview with Angelica, and Gobbi a great success in his buffo role. The rest of the cast is also great, specially in Gianni Schicchi. You won't find a better Trittico in older ones nor in newer (Pappano, Bartoletti, etc.).
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11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Still the best Trittico available., December 10, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Il Trittico (Audio CD)
CBS knew in the seventies how to cast it's opera recordings, and they did extremely well with this Trittico. First of all, there is the poignant Suor Angelica and Giorgetta of Renata Scotto, glorious Puccini singing, the REAL thing. Domingo is too the best Luigi ever recorded, far better than Shicoff in the recent EMI Pappano recording. And what a great idea it was to resurrect the elderly Tito Gobbi as Gianni Schicchi, as before peerless in this role. Maazel is a natural puccinian and sees through the proceedings smoothly, with excellent orchestral playing. For the 3 operas, this is the set to own. Pappano does well with Il Tabarro, but the Suor Angelica of Cristina Gallardo-Domas is nowhere near Scotto's. The Gianni Schicchi is VERY disappointing. If you want to complement the Maazel Trittico, get on it's own Victoria de los Angeles Suor Angelica, not as exalted as Scotto but oh-so-beautiful!
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A three-faceted diamond, August 10, 2008
This review is from: Il Trittico (Audio CD)
I match this set with De Sabata's Tosca (with Callas) as the best ever recorded Puccini on disc. Three different operas, brilliantly executed by a marvelous cast under the magistral conduction of Lorin Maazel.
First, the sad and dark Il Tabarro. One of the most impressive examples of verismo and what we can call an XXth Century Urban opera, practically every singer portrait their character with strenght and realism, leading Ingvar Wixell as his best, and that splendid duo: the intense Luigi of Placido Domingo and one of my true favorites femenine characters, the bittered Giorgetta of Renata Scotto. The final scene is chilling.
Second, the wonderful Suor Angelica, emerged from the very soul of the composer and gloriously depicted here for the all-women cast. Again, Renata Scotto make an atonishing perfomance, facing the cruel icy Princess of Marilyn Horne. Angelica, as an operatic phoenix, burn herself to rebirth in music.
Finally, my personal favorite: Gianni Schicchi. If hipocrisy can be put in music, is this one. Puccini reached the highest levels of satiric music (only paired with Verdi's Falstaff) and the orchestra and cast on this recording fullfil it. Leading, the sacred monster of Titto Gobbi, pure joy on his scheme, but the full cast (specially on the ensembles) acts as a whole brilliant entity.
If you are building an operatic collection, you cannot miss this set. Pure art in their best expression.
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