Customer Reviews

Verdi: Nabucco / Manuguerra, Luchetti, Ghiaurov, Scotto, Obraztsova; Muti

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

 

 

Muti provides a powerful, though controversial reading of this early Verdi opera, with some deliberately chosen tempo speeds (all on the fast side) especially in the big, massive 'tutti' places. Since orchestration is pretty loud, with only hints at later Verdi masterpieces, this makes for some really brisk and noisy passages. Muti is nonetheless subtler in solo numbers, sensitive enough to realise that operatic characters have to be built through arias and cavatinas, thus giving some leeway to the singers at hand.

Abigaille has a murderous tessitura, with two-octave leaps up and down, and as such it had never been a natural to Scotto, smart enough to take it on only for the purposes of this recording, and she had yet to fabricate an Abigaille-like voice. The account is nevertheless thrilling, sincere and dramatically riveting, as always with Scotto, on the same scale like Decca's Turandot featuring Joan Sutherland in the title-role, equally taken on just for the recording. In places Scotto does sound a little strained, but the cutting edge of her voice just adds to the character.

Ghiaurov (Zaccaria) gives a commanding performance, his vocal acting being brighter than usual just to keep in line with the story, and it is a joy to listen to his famous bass contrasting with other voices. Nabucco is splendidly sung by Matteo Manuguerra, who provides a deeply felt performance, and he complies well with Muti's demands. But his voice lacks a kind of a luster, starry-like quality in the mould of Cappuccilli or Gobbi. The supporting cast sings well, with the exception of Obraztsova, the only real snag in this recording, for her singing is coarse and steely, but fortunately the part is not at all long. The Ambrosian Opera Chorus contribution is outstanding.

Though no digital recording, the sound is first-rate, beautifully rounded with no protagonist sticking out like this and the other one sticking out like that, and mixing of the orchestra and the soloists is equally well balanced.

I agree with those who find Manuguerra just a little boring, it's not a bad performance, but pales next to Scotto's magnificent Abigaile. Muti conducts very well, and he makes more of the Va Pensiero than Gardelli or Sinopoli. Forced to choose I would opt for this recording over the DECCA and the DG, it's just a pity that Renato Bruson was not chosen for the title role.

I have to disagree with Joe McLellan's opinion on Scotto's performance as Abigaille. Everyone knows the price that Scotto had to pay for tackling roles like Norma, Gioconda, etc...in the 70's. Her essentially lyric instrument was not naturally made to sing those roles, however, aren't we glad she did ! By her artistry and her intelligence, she always brought life to those roles. Abigaille is one of these "unwisely chosen roles" (I don't think so !): Scotto does not naturally have the voice of a Dimitrova (DG) or a Souliotis (Decca), but her interpretation is so much subtler and she does so much more with the character than those two singers. Her "Anch'io dischiuso..." is a gem, even with the unpleasantly high notes in the caballetta "Salgo gia del trono". Only Callas in her recording of arias with Rescigno (EMI) does it better. Buy this set for Scotto and Ghiaurov : for them only, this set is worth it. Otherwise, Manuguerra is a boring Nabucco and Obraztsova a very unlikely Fenena.

In my opinion Nabucco is really difficult work for singers especially the three of main roles / King Nabuccodonosor, hight priest Zacharia and of course Abigail/. Furthermore it must be difficult / it is not a digital recording !/ to coop such amount of music and choruses in the recording / - the similar problem as Aida, Turandot etc.
All these difficult aspects are mastered here excellently.
The worst of the soloist is Ghiaurov, his voice really sounds tired here, but still is well acceptable. Manuguerra and Scotto perform the best recorded Nabucco and Abigail available. Both
their solo and duets are vivid, dramatic and real.
Muti conducts very well and choruses and orchestra sound absolutely perfect.
A lot of beauty for a very low price !
The four stars only ? Yes, Ghiaurov and Obraztsova would have been casted better, I think we had more eligible meyyo and bass at that time.

The best portrayals of Abigaille, assumed daughter of Nabucco, came from two great Greek sopranos, Maria Callas and Elena Souliotis.
Callas recorded a live Nabucco in 1949 in Naples with Bechi, but the sound quality is outright horrific. Souliotis, however, did leave a wonderful recording with Tito Gobbi in the title role.
The present one, under a young Riccardo Muti starring Manuguerra in title role could have fared much better had Ghiaurov and Scotto been in better voices at the time of recording. As it is, both sounded underpowered and at times pale.
Manuguerra is perhaps the best performer in this recording.
And the conducting of Muti is only somewhere in the middle road. The great chorus of the Hebrews did not own the wonderful sound that it should have. The score should have much more drama and force than that realised by Muti.

It's amazing how different people find such different things in a work of art. Unlike the other reviewers here, I found Matteo Manuguerra's Nabucco to be the outstanding feature of this exceptional recording. I am listening to his "Dio di Guida!" as I'm writing this review, and though he died in 1998, his heart and soul are pouring forth from my sound system. He is the reason I recommend buying this recording. Each to his/her own I guess.

This is not meant as a criticism of anyone here as I found your thoughtful words very helpful, but I often find that reviews focus on technical excellence and performance dynamics above all. I like to concentrate on the emotional content and artistry of the performance (i.e. how it effects me). Sure, I don't want a "flat" when a "sharp" is scored, but imagine how far Callas or Bergonzi would have got if we measured their artistry with a frequency meter.

Nabucco, Verdi's third opera, almost didn't get written. Verdi had a modest success with Oberto, his first opera, but his second one, Un Giorno di Regno was a dismal flop, closing after only one performance. Verdi, with a wife and two children was on the verge of chucking it all in when he was persuaded to read the libretto. The rest is history. The northern Italians, under Austrian domination, immediately identified with the oppressed Hebrews. Nabucco gave Verdi an international reputation and set him on his way to becoming the musical symbol of Italian nationalism. To this day he is Italy's iconic composer and the Hebrews' chorus, "Va pensiero" is an unofficial national anthem.

The story is complicated. The opera opens with the Hebrews in Solomon's Temple, lamenting their military defeat by the army of Nabucco, (Nebuchadnezzar), king of Babylon-- although they have managed to capture his younger daughter, Fenena. Zechariah, the Hebrew high priest, drags her in and exhorts the Hebrews to be valiant. Ismael, the Hebrew king's nephew, rushes in to inform all that Nabucco and his army are at the gates. Zechariah and the Hebrews rush off to do battle, leaving Fenena in the custody of Ismael. It turns out they are old lovers from when Ismael was the Hebrew ambassador to Babylon, and promptly sing of their love for each other. Abigail, Nabucco's elder daughter, rushes in with some Babylonian troops and offers to save the Hebrews if Ismael will return her love. He won't. Zechariah and the Hebrews come pouring back, defeated again, followed by Nabucco. Zechariah threatens to kill Femena unless Nabucco withdraws, but Ismael snatches the dagger from his hand. Nabucco orders the temple sacked, Abigail swears to exterminate the Jews, and Zechariah curses Ismael as a traitor to the Hebrews.

In part 2, set now in Babylon, Abigail has discovered a document that proves she isn't really Nabucco's daughter but a slave instead. Not happy, she vows vengeance on Ismael, Nabucco, Femena, the Hebrews, and the whole Babylonian kingdom. When the Babylonian high priest enters to report that Femena, whom Nabucco left as regent while he was away conquering other lands, is freeing the Hebrews, Abigail decides to seize the throne for herself and leaves. Zechariah enters, accompanied by the Hebrews and Ismael. The Hebrews continue to accuse Ismael of treachery, but Zechariah and his sister Anna point out that Ismael has in fact increased the population as he has converted Femena to Judaism. Abigail comes in with her cronies and demands the regent's crown from Femena, but before she can take power Nabucco returns and takes the crown, claiming now to be a god, not just a king. He is promptly struck by lightening and is struck mad. Abigail grabs the crown and proclaims herself ruler of Babylon.

Part 3 opens with Abigail on the throne exulting, about to sign the death warrant for the Hebrews. Nabucco comes in and Abigail taunts him as a coward. Nabucco, to prove otherwise, signs the Hebrews' death warrant, (which also means death for Femena.) He tells Abigail she is a slave, but Abigail destroys the document that proves that in front of him. She's happy, he's not. When the trumpet signaling the imminent execution of the Hewbrews sounds, Nabucco calls for his guards. They enter, but arrest him instead as he pleads for mercy. The scene shifts to the Hebrews, who awaiting execution sing of their misery (the famous 'va pensiero'.) Zechariah chides them and bids them be steadfast.

In Part 4, Nabucco awakes and from his window sees the Hebrews, including his daughter Femena, being lead off to execution. Horrified he tries to stop them, but discoveres he is locked in his room. In answer to his prayers, a loyal officer arrives with some soldiers to rescue him and help him regain his throne. Outside, the Hebrews are singing and praying, when Nabucco arrives and rescues them. Nabucco frees the Hebrews and tells them to go home and rebuild their temple. Abigail comes in dying (not clear why), confesses her guilt, begs forgivness, and dies as Zechariah leads everyone in prayer again. Heady stuff.

Renata Scotto sings the demanding role of Abigail. Scotto was considered by many to be the heir to Callas--a lyric soprano without a particularly beautiful voice who nevertheless rose to the top of her profession by hard work, developing an excellent technique coupled with superb artistry and interpretation. A master of bel canto, she began taking on heavier and more dramatic roles, so that by the late 70s she began to have trouble in the higher register, becoming screechy and wobbly. At the time of this recording in 1978, this problem was becoming only slightly evident.

Ismael is sung by Veriano Luchetti, who would have been a superstar but for the fact that he was a direct contemporary and competitor with Domingo, Pavarotti and Carreras. He has a very flexible and smooth voice with a nice tone quality, a large range, and perfectly placed sound. He wisely specialized in the more obscure Verdi tenor roles, like those in Nabucco, Attila, Macbeth, and Simon Boccanegra.

Femena is sung by the wonderful Russian mezzo Elena Obraztsova, who has an agile and powerful voice with a huge range. Zecharia is sung by the great Russian bass Nicolai Ghiaurov, who has a polished and very expressive voice, also with excellent interpretive skills. The title role of Nabucco is sung by Metropolitan Opera bass Matteo Manuguerra, who originally started as a tenor. He has a warm melifluous voice, although a little generic.

Ricardo Muti conducts the Philharmonia Orchestra (a recording orchestra made up of members of various London symphonies) and the Ambrosian Opera Chorus, (ditto from various London choruses), with his usual firm hand. The sound, which was remastered in 1986, is excellent.)

I only give it four stars because despite the superb cast, this version never really catches fire. The music is terrific and dramatic and exciting--but this recording, although with only a few faults, just doesn't thrill the way it should. However, given the price, it's an excellent option.

An exciting and exacting recording, due to Muti's strength on the podium and Scotto's insight into the text, coupled with some shrill, yet exciting sounds she makes with the heroines music, makes this recording one of my favourites. However, Ghiaurov is really past it and Manuguerra is quite unsubtle, yet firm in tone. A wise choice if you want a decent recording of an early Verdi opera.