Customer Reviews

Verdi: Don Carlo

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When Solti finished recording Wagner's Ring on stereo for the first time in the 60's, it marked the beginning of a career that would lead to the Hungarian maestro's release of some of the greatest recordings of the post-war era. His Ring, of course, is definitive, as are his Aida, his Meistersinger, his Parsifal, his Tannhauser, Elektra, Rosenkavalier, Frau Ohne Schatten, and even his Traviata have all become legendary recordings in their own right. Although Solti had recorded some Verdi like Falstaff and Otello, he was less known for these than his work with the German repertoire, but this Don Carlo is perhaps one of his greatest committments to disc. He has often been accused of lacking in poetry and imagination in areas where Karajan was abundant in this, but Solti provides the necessary drive and Italianate spirit and a perfect Verdian pacing and phrasing that eludes Karajan in his Don Carlo and even Giulini in some moments of his recording of the work.

The bonus of Solti's recording is that it boasts the five-act Italian version with an excellent cast. Renata Tebaldi is the Elisabeth in this recording, and while some say that it was recorded too late in her career, I think Tebaldi had the necessary spinto voice and temperament to make her Elisabeth a regal creation that Montserrat Caballe somewhat lacked in her interpretation of the role. It is a beautiful interpretation with some very exposed moments of pathos and grandeur, and Tebaldi delivers all of these emotions with the perfect voice to match. The other leading lady, Eboli, is taken by the great soprano Grace Bumbry. In many ways, because of the special sensuousness that Bumbry brings to her roles, I find her Eboli much more successful than Shirley Verrett's or Fiorenza Cossotto's. The color of her voice, plus the sexiness and drama she brings to her interpretation of the wronged princess, make her Eboli a very exciting performance from the Veil song to her signature O Don Fatale, perhaps the most gripping account of the aria I've heard.

The men in this recording are the factors that make this recording stand out from most recordings of the work. While Carlo Bergonzi is not the voice immediately associated with Don Carlo (that would be more in the lines of a Corelli), his excellent musicianship and mastery of Verdian phrasing and style make his performance of Carlo a definitive one. It is sensitive and passionate, and I find that he surpasses Corelli due to his stylistic abilities. His voice isn't too bad either. One would just hope that it had that Corelli ring, but what other tenor had it anyways? Nicolai Ghiaurov takes the role of Filippo in what is the definitive performance of the King. I think no other bass brings out the sadness and tragedy of this role so effectively. This should be a reference performance to the lesser performance of Raimondi in the Giulini recording. The Inquisitor in this performance is taken by Martti Talvela, perhaps the greatest bass of all time. His voice has more than the size needed for the role, and his mastery of Verdian declamation make his reading of the role all the more terrifying and magnificent. The scene between Phillip and the Grand Inquisitor simply has to be heard for the chills and thrills between Ghiaurov and Talvela's exchanges!

My only qualm about this recording is Posa. Even if Dietrich Fishcer-Dieskau is a very good baritone, I would have liked someone such as MacNeil or Bastianini better in the role. He sounds somewhat strange, although his intelligence gives Posa a more prominent role in the opera than the usual Rigoletto who takes this role. A minor quibble for his non-Italian timbre.

All in all, the definitive Don Carlo for any collection!

Somewhat overshadowed by the more famous and balanced Guilini recording, this earlier performance has some greater strengths but also a few noticeable weaknesses. The greatest strength is the vitality of its cast's performance in cooperation with Solti's powerful conducting.

Regarding the cast, Bergonzi makes a stylish, yet always attentive to the drama Don Carlo. I used to believe this role needed a larger voice but now I find Bergonzi ideal, in fact peerless! He has both thrust and warmth to make Don Carlo a multidimensional character. What never ceases to amaze me is how idiomatically he approaches the recitatives and dialogues, perfectly describing the emotional situation of his hero.

Considering that this was made during the second period of her career, Tebaldi is vocally not as glorious as she was in the 50s. She would have made the ideal Elisabetta back then! Her powerful chest register and steely upper notes during the mid- and late 60s were great for Gioconda and Adriana Lecouvreur (both roles receiving huge acclaim all around the world) but not equally enjoyable for Verdi. In any case however, I prefer her to the lighter sopranos who have tackled this role. Tebaldi moreover phrases exquisitely and is a vibrant Elisabetta.

I never understood why Fischer-Diskau recorded so many Verdi roles in a time when genuine Verdian baritones were in abundance. Bastiannini, Cappuccilli, Merrill, MacNeil, Taddei, Colzani, Paskalis even the aged Gobbi sound all much more suitable than Dietrich. He nevertheless sings with his usual warmth. Bumbry performs with the same flare as Verrett does for Guilini although their smoky voices never appealed to me but that is a matter of personal taste.

Eveyone agrees that Ghiaurov and Talvela rank among the best Filippo - Inquisitor duos ever! If you're a fan of low voices, this recording is a big treat. The gifted Solti conducts with much power.

To sum up, this is a great recording that could have been the best; imagine a similar cast with Simionato and Bastiannini in the 50s!!!

Here an almost perfect cast was chosen to record one of Verdi's greatest operas! The Voce Verdiana, Carlo Bergonzi, sings a most beautiful Don Carlo, the mature Renata Tebaldi sings a ravishing Elisabetta (except some tiny insecurities, how glorious she could have been 10 years earlier!), Grace Bumbry breathes fire as Eboli and Nicolai Ghiaurov offers his best Filippo ever. The low point is Fischer-Dieskau's Rodrigo, hardly idiomatic. Still, a must for Verdi-lovers!

In general agreement with all the above reviews, I would like to go one step further and add another dimension to what has already been said.
First of all, this is likely to be the finest Don Carlo ever recorded. I've not heard every one of the available recordings, but I've heard most of them and this one surpasses them all!
For many decades Don Carlo was cast aside as an inferior work and had to wait for Rudolph Bing to pull it out of obscurity by mounting a production at the Met in the 60's. It now enjoys the success it rightly deserves. Don Carlo has ALL the ingredients that make Verdi, Verdi: The theme of father-child relationship, his contempt for the clergy, a show stopping role for dramatic soprano (Eboli) which he invented, his admiration for the the common man and the downtrodden, the sexual taboos of the time, and much of his best music written for not one, not two, but three bass baritones!
The other reviews have unanimously stated that Dietrich Fischer-Diskau is entirely miscast as Rodrigo. Fisher-Diskau did have a perfect voice for German lieder, and was in no way a Verdi baritone but the role of Rodrigo is different from the other baritone roles of the Verdi repetoire. Rodrigo, is a super good guy, obsessed with liberating the downtrodden Flemish from Spanish oppression. The light, lyrical quality of F-D's baritone voice provides a superb contrast with Ghiarov's deep, Russian bass who brilliantly portrays an unequaled interpretation of the stubborn, ultra conservative and stupid king Phillip. Rodrigo also does a lot of male bonding with Carlo and Fischer-Diskau's lyrical baritone voice blends exquisitely with the sweet sound of Bergonzi's tenor. So, while I agree that Fischer-Diskau should have avoided the darker Verdi baritone roles, this is one where he has been ideally cast.
Also stated in the previous reviews is the fact that Tebaldi is as the end of her career and her voice sounds a bit pushed. True enough, but once again, pushed or not, Tebaldi is strong, on pitch and I find her older voice to be entirely appropriate here! She and Carlo fall in love, but she is also his stepmother (an important element of the plot)! That Tebaldi's voice is older only makes her that much more believable as Elisabeta.
As Eboli, Bumbry leaves me breathless! Her voice is young and rings with brilliance also providing the perfect contrast to Tebaldi's older sound. When she flirts with Rodrigo she is a 'coquette', but when she becomes a woman scorned, she crackles with red hot rage!
Already mentioned is Nicolai Ghiarov. Russia has always been known for producing the greatest basses on earth and Ghiarov is the best of the best! His interpretation of 'Ella giammai m'amo' will move you to tears.
Martti Talvela sings an unequaled grand Inquisitor. In every other recording I've heard the Grand Inquisitor's sound is too pretty....but Talvela gives us something dark, evil and terrifying. The scene between Phillip and the Grand Inquisitor, two Verdian basses, will curdle your blood! Anyone interested in seeing how blood curdling it is for me, look at my illustrations of this scene by visiting my website at [...] Click on the category for 'illustrations'. Once in the illustration section, click on illustrations 4,scroll to the bottom two rows....then to finish, click on illustrations 5.
All in all, this is the definitive Don Carlo. Worth all five stars.
Also, check out my recently published fully illustrated libretto of [[ASIN:1450724140 The Fully Illustrated Libretto of Puccini's Madama Butterfly (Madam Butterfly or Madame Butterfly) (Graphic Novel) (Illustrated Opera Librettos and Graphic Novels, Volume 1)
The Fully Illustrated Libretto of Puccini's Madama Butterfly (Madam Butterfly or Madame Butterfly) (Graphic Novel) (Illustrated Opera Librettos and Graphic Novels, Volume 1)

Très belle version en cinq actes de 3 h 20 supervisée par le producteur mythique John Culshaw. Grâce aux ingénieurs du son de Decca qu'il supervisait, on entend parfaitement tous les instruments, même les plus discrets. Bergonzi est un très bon Don Carlo. Fischer-Dieskau est un Rodrigue inattendu mais attachant. Bumbry, qui a toujours su trouver l'équilibre entre la passion et la distinction, est éclatante en Eboli.

Probably the best recorded version of Don Carlo. Solti is really a giant here, drama and grandeur stressed abundantly. Listen to the strings preceding and accompanying the duet King/Inquisitor, incredible. The cast is sort of mixed bag and leaves a couple of regrets. Bergonzi is perfect vocally and stylistically to face Don Carlo, Ghiaurov is a great King and so is Talvela as Inquisitor if throaty at times. Bumbry is also at her best as Eboli, to me her best effort on record. Tebaldi is caught late in her career and the voice lost flexibility. While retaining a plush mid range the top notes are problematic (never been special in the high range anyway)and one wonders how it could have been few years earlier (hence one of the regrets above) then Fischer Dieskau totally out of place here. Elegant, stylish, but no voice to face this roles (Wixell is another one), super for lieder but inadequate for Verdi(second of the regrets above). There is also a Rigoletto from Fischer and one can debate forever about the style but Rigoletto needs voice and FD simply hasn't got enough. The good thing here is that he is facing Bergonzi not Corelli so the thing is somewhat less noticeable. With all the above still probably the best recording of this opera thanks to Solti.

It pains me to give this great recording only four stars, but it has one huge flaw which plauged a bunch of Verdi recordings in the 1960's and early 70's. Sadly, somebody hired Fischer-Dieskau, the greatest German LIEDER singer of the 20th century, to sing A VERDI BARITONE ROLE. Fisch does not SING the role of Rodrigo, he tries to SURVIVE it. There were dozens of other good baritones that could have been hired to sing this (what I wouldn't do to turn back time and have Robert Merrill cast in the role) but sadly this unwise decision botched what could have been a recording for the ages. If you can look past the Fisch miscasting, there is a lot to offer. Not the first DC to have, but a real solid second choice if you need the five act version.

I don't like writing long reviews but I have to in the case of Solti's Don Carlo.

I think it's about time the old clichés about Georg Solti be put to permanent rest. I worked with the man as a general dog's body at the Chicago Symphony many years ago. I had access to rehearsals and concerts and, in a very minor capacity, Solti himself. He rarely came to a full stop as he charged up and down corridors, head down, brows to the fore. He was a human dynamo who possessed unseen antennae that read the atmosphere around him, making him a tetchy proposition, but basically a kind one with a splendid sense of humor. He just looked a little scary, which helps when you're dealing with an orchestra full of prima donnas who think they've done it all before, which they have for the most part. Solti made old warhorses, like Don Carlo, seem new and those prima donnas always rose magnificently to the challenge, as they did for him at Covent Garden in 1965 when Decca made this recording.

Don Carlo is filled with heart-stoppingly beautiful music, intermixed with what some critics (English usually), call vulgar and embarrassing (for Verdi). I can't say that I notice any second rate composition in this masterpiece. And I don't find it all that confusing a story. The King of Spain, Philip II, decides to marry his son's (Carlo's) fiancée, Elisabetta di Valois. In the meantime Principessa Eboli is in love with Carlo but he does not love her back. These two dynamics create all kinds of emotional havoc and, ultimately, profound tragedy in this deeply psychologial Schiller play adaptation. Freud wasn't around in the late 18th century when it was written but Schiller was tuned-in to human foibles and weaknesses. All the basic human states of mind are examined, especially terror, depression, male-bonding, jealousy, murderous rage and despotic cruelty, among many others.

This story, Don Carlo, was chosen by Verdi over other offers of commissions from his publisher for operas based upon King Lear and Cleopatra. Verdi chose this cumbersome play, as did 7 other composers before him, all failed, except Verdi.

There is an indescribable potency to this story which inspired Verdi to some of the greatest heights of beautiful and truly awesome composition. Solti doesn't miss a single peak or mysterious hollow. His flexibility belies the old shibboleth about his being bombastic and only interested in blasting brass and screaming sopranos, probably Birgit Nilsson's fault with her volcanic performances for him as Salome and Elektra. And he is also closely associated with, and condemned by some, with that Decca in-your-face sound.

But if you listen you will hear how responsive Solti was to the most delicate moments. The garden scene between Carlo and Elisabetta in Act 2 was one of those breathless moments, as in all my breathing stopped suddenly, in 'O prodigo! Il mio cor s'affida, si consola! (Oh miracle! My riven heart is consoled) before fainting on a berm at Elisabetta's feet. Solti conjures up the most ethereal string tremolos at Elisabetta's response 'Giusto ciel...' The other great conductors, Muti, Abbado, Giulini, Haitink, also catch this moment beautifully but not like Solti does. He is always so surprising in this way, often out-caressing those others in some mystic way.

The Royal Opera House chorus and orchestra were not always the polished sentient beings they are in this recording.
Perhaps the 'Screaming Skull' as Solti was nicknamed in that house, his regular venue for awhile, terrorized them into playing as if their lives depended upon it. Whatever form of Sauron like hypnotism he used on them, it worked, helping to make this, perhaps, the greatest of all the many good recordings of Verdi's greatest opera, says I.

Decca Records was in its primal hey-day in the 1960s. Solti's Ring was almost complete and Salome and Elektra with Birgit Nilsson also came from this golden period. The trademark Decca sound is immediate and vivid. It is so natural as to conjure a mental stage and pit, which is the ideal result in commercial opera recordings. Few recording companies have done better, even now, than Decca did 50 years ago.

I wonder, sometimes, if people who share their opinions about recordings have listened to them with unprejudiced ears. It's hard to do. Everyone has their favorites and their bête-noirs, and musicians like Solti, and Fischer-Dieskau (more on him in a minute) stir up some strong emotional responses from their detractors. Most of these responses are usually pre-recorded in the brain during impressionable younger years. Ancient quotes from the prissy reviewers at Gramophone Magazine often haunt my mind when I'm listening to one of these vintage classic sets.

I recently replaced my worn out vinyls of this recording and got this excellent cd set, original release. I was lucky to find it, thank you Amazon, and the price was very reasonable ($50 something) considering it has a full libretto in four languages and a very interesting essay by John Tyrrell. Decca was, like EMI, often stingy when it came to honoring their singing cast by including nice portraits or even biographies. There is none of that in this set, but it doesn't matter because it's a great recording and we know what all these people looked like.

Renata Tebaldi was still singing at her (almost) peak as was Carlo Bergonzi, and though she does not sound the young ingenue it doesn't matter. She doesn't sound 'old' either, just mature and sober. This is the Spanish court and they were strict about etiquette and suffocatingly encrusted in time-honored ritual. Humor was not really acceptable to the Inquisitorial Catholics and the natures of these sad people were as constricted as were their diaphragms from the python-esque (as in snake) dresses and doublets they had to wear, even in the torrid Spanish summertime. They were hot, uncomfortable, terrified, sheltered and inbred, so Elisabetta probably was a fairly sober-sided young woman. Tebaldi sings beautifully, phrasing like few know how to do anymore in this repertory. She was never a very temperamental actress, and her vocal 'face' is rather subdued but she still has powerful moments of fire and brimstone within her gift. Bergonzi sounds amazingly youthful and virile, the real thing. A young ardent man with curly hair and dark eyes. The only thing he does, vocally, that I find slightly irritating is to use, as Penguin Guide critics used to comment, 'intrusive aitches', to help accentuate melismatic lines. But he sings so movingly that this minor annoyance vanishes like the mist.

Grace Bumbry is a stunning Principessa Eboli. She doesn't knock the plaster off the ceiling like Fiorenza Cossotto does for Muti, let alone Agnes Baltsa for Karajan, but she's intense and full of sexual frustration. Hers is one of the finest Ebolis on record, maybe the most satisfying all around, capturing, as she does, the heart-breaking situation of her sad life, finally bursting out with pent up sexual repression and rage in O Don fatal. It's bad enough having to be a princess with an eye-patch, though it really is very chic, but to not have A Man into the bargain is just too much for this very passionate woman imprisoned, as she is, in court etiquette. Bumbry's beautiful, sensuous and very feminine singing is even more effective than the cataclysmic roaring of other mezzo-sopranos.

Now, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. I think he's a wonderful Rodrigo. He DOES sound different from the people around him, which is entirely appropriate because Rodrigo IS different, he cares and he deeply loves his friend Carlo. The famous love duet between him and Carlo, aside from being gorgeously sung, his voice blending and weaving elegantly with Bergonzi's, is unforgettable. Fieskau (as Klemperer always called DFD) does emote, maybe TOO vehemently, in his death scene but this fits this passionate hot-blooded freedom fighter, doomed as most freedom fighters against the Royal dynasties usually were.

The rest of the cast is superlative. Nicolai Ghiaruov's Philip II is very menacing and implacable, almost as scary as Martti Talvela's monstrously dark and threatening Grand Inquisitor. Their singing is stupendous and their scene together is one of those profound, stygian events that Verdi was so great at creating musically.

There are some secondary singers that are equally memorable. Tugomir Franc was a stalwart artist in Vienna and around Europe, Solti and Karajan, among other greats, used him a lot in recordings. He was a Czech and his Monk sounds more Russian Orthodox than Spanish Catholic but the voice is solid and he sings like a star. Jeannette Sinclair is the soprano Tebaldo who manages not to annoy. My least favorite Verdi contrivance is the use of soubrettes to play page boys, like the annoying Oscar in Un ballo in maschera. The fact that Sinclair doesn't raise my hackles at all is enough evidence to me that she is an exemplary Tebaldo. I can detect no noticeable flaws in execution or recording in this Don Carlo and I think it is the best of the 5 act Italian version of this fascinating opera.

If you are just discovering Don Carlo, get this recording. If you are an old hand with Don Carlo and have just overlooked this recording, get it. If you like Solti's Wagner but are wary of him in a highly strung tragedy, get it.
Solti will surprise and delight you.

Solti's opera recordings are often among my favorites!!! I like his Aida with the glorious Leontyne Price and the incomparable Jon Vickers. His La Traviata is fabulously conducted with Angela Gheorghiu as one of the best Violettas ever. This Don Carlo ranks among Solti's best Verdi records. Wonderful cast with the styllish Bergonzi as Don Carlo. Exciting conducting. You can't go wrong with this as your only set.