Customer Reviews

Verdi: La Forza del Destino

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This opera marked a stylistic maturity in Verdi's artistry, and this wonderful recording makes it quite evident. The late Thomas Schippers was a very dramatic conductor, yet expressive of every nuance of the music; an ideal talent for conducting Verdi's music to the fullest. The orchestra's wonderful performance, beginning to end, practically embodies "the force of destiny" itself, driving the action of the opera inevitably towards its tragic end. A superb job "from the pit." Leontyne Price, in one of her signature roles, is enrapturing as Leonora. Her voice is warm throughout, caressing during the peaceful passages, billowing for the more dramatic moments. Her "La Vergine degli angeli" strums the heartstrings, and the "Pace, pace, mio Dio!" is performed to the hilt (the ending is astounding for its dramatic intensity). The review below is very apt in describing the friendship of Richard Tucker and Robert Merrill as being evident in their performances of Alvaro and Carlo, respectably. Like Price, they sang these roles quite often at the Met, usually together in the same cast. Alvaro is truly romantic and tortured, Carlo teeming with a thirst for vengeance. Two performances that flame the fire of this recording even higher. Shirley Verrett shows just how showstopping the role of Preziosilla can be, her timbre ringing, balanced, and skillful. Her performance of the gypsy brings sunshine to an otherwise dismal storyline. Giorgio Tozzi personifies the paternal authority of Padre Guardino with his splendid bass voice; he can sing with sageful wisdom or pious thought suitable to the drama. His fellow bass Ezio Flagello's Fra Melitone is blustering and very involved (whether he likes it or not). The comprimarii and chorus are just as important as soloists and music, and they also add wonderfully here to the mix. I myself have sung in the chorus for several of Verdi's operas, including the first opera I ever sang in, so his music is very important to me. I'm happy to have found a recording such as this. This is what Verdi opera is all about!

This is as good as italian opera could get in the 1960s. Richard Tucker and Robert Merrill were friends and their chemistry is evident here. Both are at their vocal prime in this great recording. Price gives a memorable performance of one of her signature roles. Tozzi and Flagello shine in the basso roles. The whole performance has a "warm" feel to it and captures the power of Verdi's music. It is one of my "desert island" recordings.

This early 60's recording of Verdi's La Forza Del Destino, "The Force of Destiny" stars a young Leontyne Price at the height of her powers as Leonora a fabulous Richard Tucker as Don Alvaro, Robert Merrill as Leonora's vindictive brother, Shirley Verrett as a charismatic Preziosilla, Giorgio Tozzi as the Father in the Monastery and the RCA Italian Opera Orchestra is conducted by Thomas Schippers, whose terrific career was cut short by his death of cancer. This recording is by far superior to the second Leontyne Price Forza under RCA made in the mid 70's with Placido Domingo, Sherill Milnes and Fiorenza Cossotto. While that recording features a terrific cast, its flawed because Leontyne Price is past her prime and singing with faulty diction and rougher voice. She maintains a "princess" like grace for this Leonora, similar to her Leonoras at the Met upon her debut in the early 60's. She has the right kind of lyrico spinto voice for the role. Her "Pace Mio Dio" is unsurpassed. Though accused of singing beautifully without dramatic integrity, I find that Price lived her roles. I like her Leonora better than Renata Tebaldi, to whom many credit as the best Leonora of Forza. Price is well supported by tenor Richard Tucker, who was also paired with her for the Madame Butterfly under Leinsdorf. This is an excellent old school recording, and we hear what we might have heard at a Met production in the 60's. Beloved American tenor Robert Merrill sings with excellent prowess and he pulls out all the stops in this one. Shirley Verrett, another great African American opera diva, sings with charm, agility and power as Preziosilla, the exciting Gypsy leader. Schippers conducts with a fine sense of pace and style, the music never overwhelming the singers except for the climaxes which often happen anyways. This is a terrific, absolutely unbeatable performance.

For me, Forza doesn't hold the attention as well as the other great (sorry, no time to define my definition of "great") Verdi operas, but it does have its intense pleasures throughout. However, this cast, conductor and orchestra are a monument to its time in performance history, and can be loved and appreciated by all. What a thrill it would be to hear Ms. Price, et. al., live again!

Recorded in 1964 and conducted by Thomas Schippers, this unique version of Verdi's Forza is a must have for fans of Leontyne Price who was in youthful, phenomenal voice and enjoying her first true success as one of the world's leading Verdi sopranos. She had already debuted at the Met with Franco Corelli in Verdi's Trovatore and had sung great Aidas. Far from being the way that Forza Del Destino should sound like, this is by far the most beautifully sung version, thanks to the superlative skills of its leading singers, which other than the elegant Leontyne include Richard Tucker, Robert Merrill, Shirley Verrett, Giorgio Tozzi and Ezio Flagello. Each singer contributes something noteworthy to the opera and the digitally remastered recording captures them in resplendent voice. This is exactly what a Forza at the Met must have been like.

First off, Leontyne Price: Her Leonora, second only to Aida, was her greatest achievement. Hearing both Leonoras from Trovatore and Forza exemplifed the truest way Verdi heroines should sound like. Fortunately for us, this recording provides us with a young Leontyne Price and singing with the purest lyrico-spinto style. She developed a worse voice later and by the time of her second Forza Del Destino recording (1975) under RCA with Placido Domingo and Sherill Milnes, all the vibrancy, lyric assets, pianissimi and angelic, feminine qualities were gone. She sang with darker and rougher voice for Levine's recording. Here, she is regal but controlled, with a voice that is to die for. Note how passionate and yet vulnerable she is "Alvaro, Io T'amo". Her arias "La Vergine Del Angeli" and "Pace Mio Dio" are exquisite and unsurpassed. Sadly, she does not have any scenes to sing in the middle of the opera which is left to the tenor and baritone. Although her performance in this opera is relatively brief, she sings with unparalleled splendor. Although I am probably Leontyne's biggest fan, her Leonora, however is still not the right characterization. That title goes to Renata Tebaldi who recorded it with Mario Del Monaco and Franco Corelli. That recording is the truest way to sing Forza. But that does not detract in any way the magnificent performance by Leontyne Price.

Richard Tucker as Don Alvaro: I don't profess to be a voice cognescente, but it seems that Richard Tucker probably did not have what it took to truly sing a terrific Don Alvaro or Verdi for that matter. His voice was powerful and flexible but here he is underpowered when compared to the likes of Mario Del Monaco or Franco Corelli. His voice is pure bombast and steel, but he does not do more than shout many times. His arias are exceptional but not the way one should approach them. He did a better job in the recording of Madama Butterfly under Leinsdorf opposite Leontyne Price once again. Richard Tucker, however, has a glorious voice and has enough of a fandom that will say otherwise about my own comments. At any rate, it's great to hear an American tenor at a time when American tenors were a rarity.

Likewise, American baritone Robert Merrill is a refreshing voice to hear as it was rare. He was singing (and greatly) at a time when Ettore Bastianini, Tito Gobbi, George London, Giuseppe Taddei and other Italian baritones were in vogue. He sings with all his technical brilliance, pulling out all the stops for the role of the vindictive Don Carlo, Leonora's brother. None of his arias are underpowered. And he blends well in duets with Tucker. The only other great baritone that was American and could rival him was Leonard Warren, who died after singing the great monologue in this opera - "Morir, Tremenda Cosa Sei".

Shirley Verrett, another American (that's four of them in this recording!) sings with faultless musicianship and bravura. Her mezzo soprano voice was grand but mannered. She sings with passion, with bel canto abilities and with charm. As Preziosilla, the patriotic and fun Gypsy leader, she seems to enjoy herself. Verdi suits her voice well (she would sing with this kind of greatness as Azucena and Princess Eboli). It's also a terrific thing to have two African American ladies in one opera, at a time when even this was rare. While Leontyne may have been the diva in this opera, Verrett holds her own and is in a league of her own. Kudos to both ladies.Thomas Schippers conducts with brilliance, with great pace and flow. It's tragic he died so young and did not record too many operas.

The sound quality of this CD belies the age of the recording. It is vivid and very much alive. Be careful with the volume control though because the guns tend to be quite explosive.

This is probably the best sung of all the versions of Verdi's "Un Ballo in Maschera". In vividly remastered stereo sound, the whole performance is a grand reminder of the caliber of singers who regularly appeared at the Metropolitan Opera in the 1960's. Leontyne Price's magnificent soprano found its greatest outlet in the music of Verdi, and the long and flowing lines of this role suit her voice perfectly. The sheer sound of her shimmering top C's and B's (especially at the end of the gallows aria in Act II and in the duet which follows) is awesome, and her particular dramatic temperment is ideal for this great role, held by many to be one of the most difficult in the entire Verdi repertoire. Carlo Bergonzi sings Riccardo with all of the beauty and refinement that established his reputation. Perhaps his is not a terribly dramatic interpretation, but it is certainly a pleasure to listen to. Robert Merrill, on the other hand, is a very convincing Renato, easily surpassing his previous recorded performance with Toscanini a decade or so before, and his voice on this recording is actually firmer and more solidly based. The Ulrica of Shirley Verrett is also impressive --- with some good spooky-sounding tones as well as the dramatic involvement one has associated with this great artist. Reri Grist is a pert and peppy-sounding Oscar whose small and bright voice is exactly what this role calls for. Erich Leinsdorf may not have been the most potent Verdi conductor, but he paces this performance well, and provides his examplary soloists with plenty of space. If you want a fine performance of this opera, and if stereo is a consideration, then I would recommend this recording without reservation. Another good option, albeit in good monophonic sound, is the classic EMI set with Maria Callas, Giuseppe di Stefano, Tito Gobbi, and Fedora Barbieri ----- all of them outstanding, though the performance would have probably been even better had Tullio Serafin conducted rather than the reliable but ordinary Antonino Votto.

The forces behind this Forza are behind its resounding success. Recorded for the RCA Victor Series, it stars Leontyne Price, Richard Tucker, Robert Merrill and Shirley Verrett - brilliant Verdi specialists in their prime, as this was recording in the early 60's. Shirley Verrett had not yet become a star, though Price was enjoying her first years of success. Richard Tucker as Don Alvaro is quite good, and his voice blends beautifully with Price's in duets and scenas. Tucker and Price worked on a beautiful Madame Butterly as well. Merrill, an American baritone, does wonderful things with the part of Leonora's father, with a huge but low voice. Shirley Verrett is here as Preziosilla and she more than any other mezzo-soprano (Cossotto included) gives more of a flavor and appeal to the minor role. This is a finely conducted work. Thomas Schippers is brilliant, bringing out the dramatic bang to the score with aplomb. The other great Forza recording is the one with Domingo, Price, Milnes and Cossotto, though Price is in 70's voice, darker, huskier, less vibrant and gleaming as she is here.

We have Leontyne Price twice in one of her signature roles, early and late. The early Leonora is on this set led by Thomas Schippers, the late one is on another RCA recording under James Levine. Both are acclaimed, and both are seriously flawed. In terms of overall musicianship, the Levine ranks hihger. Schippers was a callow conductor of Verdi, while Levine is an extremely accomplished, if not inspired one. But by the time the Levine set was made, Price's voice had noticeably frayed, particularly in her husky, now hollow, chest tones.

She can be heard in glorious voice--better than any other soprano on record--in this Schippers recording. For that alone it's worth owning. But Richard Tucker is a loud, blatant, insensitive Alvaro, and Robert Merrill, despite his great voice, is wooden, without true Verdi lyric style. It's Solomon's choice, really, and now that it's easy to burn your own CDs,, I am very tempted to splice the early Price into the Levine recording, one scene at a time.