Customer Reviews

Verdi - Un Ballo in Maschera / Leech, Crider, Chernov, Zaremba, Bayo; Rizzi

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This recording of BALLO should be in every serious Verdi lovers collection. Leech, of course, dominates this version with a heart rendering pathos rarely heard nowadays. His tenor is warm and lush in the middle and secure with a thrusting top; plying out the kings desperation. Crider is a revelation. Her lovely soprano finds no difficulty tackling this role and she scores a hit with the big second act aria, "Ecco l'orrido campo". She embraces Amelia's sorrow with shimmering beauty. And how refreshing to have a dramatic soprano who gives us that lush chest voice and not a mere whisper. Bayo is sparkling as the page; her bell like soprano magical in its delivery. The only negative is Chernov, whose interpretation is adequate but the voice can't meet the demands. His sound is pushed and tremulous with an annoying forced and uneven vibrato. He should have stayed in bed for this recording. Rizzi manages his orchestra with finesse; pulling out the rich and hautingly lovely nuances of the Ballo score. Kudos for the fine chorus aptly led by Gareth Jones. Zaremba does a good turn with Ulrica, but one longs for the mezzo of another Pia Tassinari from the old Cetra days.

When this set was first released a couple of years ago, I hesitated in purchasing it because of the mostly negative reviews it received. I should stop listening to the critics.

Carlo Rizzi's recordings of "La Traviata" and "Rigoletto" are both highly enjoyable and well conducted. This one is no exception -- Rizzi leads a spirited, engaging performance that nicely balances Verdi's lyricism and drama, never trying to smooth over parts that other conductors do because of their perceived "vulgarity."

The cast is quite good, certainly much better than critics have given them credit for. Richard Leech sings with heady beauty and handsome tone; forget Cura and Alagna, he outclasses both of them. Vladimir Chernov does here what he excels at, namely, spinning out a rich, velvety voice, and singing with an authority that is quite compelling. The mezzo, Elena Zaremba, is a bit gusty and not ideally steady, but her dark, Russian, contralto-like tones are right on for Ulrica. Maria Bayo is a charming Oscar, with clean, sharp coloratura and without a trace of acidity in the voice. She is my favorite Oscar on records.

Which brings us to the Amelia of Michele Crider. Judging by the harsh reviews she has received, one would expect an large, unwieldy, undersupported voice of limited dramatic expression. How unjust that verdict is can be heard by listening to her first aria, "Ma dall' arido stelo divulsa." Crider is dramatically alive and possesses a warm, rich spinto soprano: brilliant and blazing at the top, full and creamy at the middle, strong and steady at the bottom. She can sing with clarion power or spin a high pianissimo line reminiscent of Caballe. Critics have not been kind (I cannot understand why), but I for one would like to hear more from Ms. Crider.

All in all, this is an engaging and highly enjoyable performance of "Ballo," perhaps not the best available, but one to which I will frequently return.

The singers rule this set of Un Ballo - in my opinion there is not one single weak link in this cast. Crider being one of my favourite sopranos sings Amelia with feeling and security in both lower and top registers. I find her much more preferable to Martina Arroyo, whose lower register is weak and she seems to glosses over the text, although she sings the role well enough. Some may find Crider's tone jarring and her technique beyond reproach, but she still scores in my books, and she does this well! Leech and Chernov are excellent in their respective parts, with both Zaremba and Bayo offering fine support. The letdown in this set is the slack conducting of Carlo Rizzi. I think the cast and orchestra would have been more inspired with a Muti or Solti. Imagine that.................! PS Having heard Crider live in AIDA a few years ago, I cannot wait to hear Crider Amelia at the MET later this year.

This particular set is well worth having in your collection, particularly if you're a Verdi fan. Rizzi evokes a strong reading from the orchestra of the Welsh National Opera, however some of his choice in tempi are a bit perplexing. The brief overature, lovely as it is, seems to drag on veiled by a cloak of lethargy. The soloists for the most part, make this recording and most noteworthy is tenor Richard Leech as the ill- fated king. Leech is the possessor of a lovely and rich middle with a soaring free top. His interpretation portrays our protagonist ardor and flippancy, despair and revelation. Leech can and does, deliver the goods.

Michele Crider has a gorgeous full bodied voice and lovingly caresses the Verdi line. Her dramatic soprano has no difficulties negotiating the demands of this score. Her big second act aria, 'Ecco l'orrido campo' is not only beautifully executed (listen to Crider's impeccable phrasing and the way she colors her tone) but she manages the ascending climax with total confidence and produces an anchored lower register which is thrilling. So many sopranos manage the top but wither out where the low rich chest register is required but never realized.

Maria Bayo sparkles as the page. Her bell like tones and silvery timbre are a delight. Her arias are most impressive but it is in the large ensembles where Bayo is a standout.

Vladimir Chernov as Renato is the weakest link vocally. Though there are moments where we hear a rich a warm sound, there are equal moments (too many) where the voice appears forced and his tone, tremulous. Perhaps he wants his audience to hear him 'working', but it left this listener frustrated and exhausted.

Elena Zaremba manages the difficulties of Ulrica and even has the feel for the spooky enchantress. Her tone however, is dry and void. While she has the potential for an Ulrica, one still longs for a Pia Tassinari from the old Cetra days.

Gareth Jones has success with his chorus who add to this thrilling score with aplomb.

I am perplexed by the reviews that greeted this recording upon its release a couple of years ago. The general consensus was "don't bother", "skip it", etc. I decided to ignore the reviews, and I am glad that I did.

A good deal of the negative criticism of this recording centered on soprano Michele Crider as Amelia. There have been many great interpreters of Amelia committed to record: the great dramatic thrust of Maria Callas (Votto, EMI), the creamy vocalisms of Martina Arroyo (Muit, EMI) and Leontyne Price (Leinsdorf, RCA), and the thrillingly idiomatic singing of the underrated Maria Curtis-Verna (Questa, CETRA). Tebaldi and Nilsson (both DECCA) have their champions also. All of these recordings are mid- century, the latest being Arroyo in 1975. Since then, many sopranos have thrown their hats into the ring as Amelia, but none have given us a portrayal to rival these classic predecessors. Michele Crider will not erase memories of these great divas either, but she holds her own in the role with greater success than most other recent, more celebrated, singers. She possesses a voice very suitable to this role in weight, color, and tessitura, with a lovely tone very much akin to Arroyo. Crider does have a wide vibrato and occasional minor technical lapses, but far too much criticism has been directed here. Recording can not capture all the beauty of her live performances, and her voice is not as naturally phonogenic as some, but her recordings do yield much, making them well worth a listen.

Richard Leech lacks the star power of such current luminaries as Alagna or Cura, and he does not make the opera a "Vehicle" in the manner of Pavarotti or Domingo. What he does do is carry the dramatic weight of the opera - as Riccardo should - with a consistently lovely, nuanced, and musical performance.

Vladimir Chernov is possibly the finest Verdi baritone of our time. His performance here is always vital and ringing with beautiful tone, and he gives an interpretive approach that maintains freshness while keeping with tradition. His version of the showpiece "Eri tu" emerges as one of the finest on record.

Elena Zaremba's dark and tremulous mezzo is well suited to Ulrica's music and she makes the most of her brief appearance. She contributes more eccentricity than some, more famous, singers have risked in the role, although some listeners will quibble with her register breaks. The versatile Maria Bayo, as Oscar, provides lovely singing and is appropriately charming and effervescent.

Carlo Rizzi's "Ballo" is not the brooding and stark affair provided by most other recordings, and listeners ingrained in that approach could be reluctant to go along for the ride. Rizzi at the helm maintains a crisp, light touch, infused with lyric emotion. This is not overblown grand opera style Verdi, but rather the approach one might associate with the early romanticism of Mendelssohn, Chopin, and Verdi's Bel Canto predecessors. The interpretation is at turns campy, frolicsome, and touching - like the music itself. The booklet notes point to "Ballo" as a comic opera with black edges, as a scherzo with a tragic outcome. This is indeed what this recording delivers.

Este es un 'Ballo in maschera' en lineas generales interesante y satisfactorio. Del equipo de solistas destaca la sensacional Amelia de MICHELE CRIDER, una voz verdiana de las que da gusto escuchar: Grande y carnosa. Tambien sobresaliente la poderosa Ulrica de la contralto ELENA ZAREMBA y el Oscar delicado y lleno de intencion y picardia de MARIA BAYO. Entre los hombres RICHARD LEECH es un Riccardo interesante, en tanto que VLADIMIR CHERNOV como Renato se ve perjudicado por un molesto vibratto en algunos momentos. Los secundarios cumplen sobradamente del primero al ultimo. CARLO RIZZI plantea una direccion matizadisima, con unas intensidades muy marcadas (veanse los pianissimos con que comienza la obertura o los tres acordes en fortissimo que abren la escena de la caverna de Ulrica) al mando de los cuerpos estables de la WELSH NATIONAL OPERA, que rinden a un nivel tambien satisfactorio. El sonido es notable.

When this set was first released a couple of years back, all the reviews dismissed it as a failure. I truly cannot understand why. Certainly, it's not the greatest "Ballo" ever recorded, but it is a strong, persuasive performance. Richard Leech sings with heady beauty of tone and a real feeling for line -- forget Alagna and Cura, Leech outclasses both of them. Vladimir Chernov does here what he does best -- namely, sing with a vocal richness and beauty which is rare in the modern crop of Verdi baritones.

Michele Crider has been unjustly criticized: this is the first recording I have heard of her, and from what I've read I expected to hear a hooty, gusty, ill-supported soprano. What I got instead was a rich voice, brilliant and blazing at the top, full and rich at the bottom, able to negoatiate the subtle piano passages beautifully. It also helps that Ms. Crider sings with a real feeling for the text (listen to "Ecco l'orrido campo" and the following aria). The voice might not have the ultimate degree of rock-solid steadiness that such sopranos as Margaret and Leontyne Price bring to this music, but that is in keeping with the vacillating nature of Amelia's character. I hope to hear more from Ms. Crider.

Elena Zaremba as Ulrica may be the weak link in the cast -- changes in register do not always happen smoothly -- but she brings a dark, ominous sound perfectly in keeping with the character. Maria Bayo is a charmer in the breeches role of Oscar. There is no trace of acidity or shrillness in her voice, merely lovely tone with excellent coloratura. She is my favorite Oscar on records.

All in all, this recording is much more of a success than critics would have us believe. I got a great deal of enjoyment out of this set, and I recommend it highly.

This Ballo is underrated, as is the soprano of Michele Crider. I own this recording, and heard Crider sing this role at the Met recently, and I don't agree with the reviews of the later performance. The reviews I read were negative on Crider and most complementary of Farina. My experience with Farina is not plentiful so I will not yet judge him, but I found his voice overall pleasing. My only reservation was that his high register was a little pushed and nasal on that performance. Crider has an artistic style and grace not seen and heard on the operatic stage as often today as it was thirty, fourty, fifty years ago etc. Not only were her arias deeply moving and well-sung, but so was all the ensemble singing. She actually sings the TEXT and the notes! What a concept. You get a wonderfl sense of drama, and that she IS Amelia when you listen to her sing, not that she is a pretty voice singing some pretty music. Her performance on this recording is one that can stand by itself. Luckily she is not the only high point of this recording. Leech does quite a commendable job here, and is heard in fine form. Rizzi has a powerful command over both the orchestra and the score and really keeps everything going with a sense of forward motion even in the pauses. Bayo gives a charming perfromance as Oscar. Her voice is not offensively bright, but rather fresh and well-produced. Chernov gives a great performance as Renato. One might think this role a walk in the park for him, because that is surely how it sounds. Zaremba gives a secure and insightful performance as Ulrica, better here than in that same preformance from the Met with Crider. Anyone who is looking for perfection in any artform, be it a recording or in performance, etc. is obviously not, in my opinion, a true appreciator of art. People too often forget the human qualities in any human creation i.e. ART. Beneath the surface of any great artform are a multitude of different colors waiting to be employed by the artist. The greatness of opera, and music in general is that it is a gift in which art is achieved by each performer's undertaking of the musical genius of a composer. Perfection doesn't exist, though some people come quite close. What one likes is dependant on their tastes. If this is too much for one to fathom, then I say you might find eating a bowl of oatmeal too flavorful.

Crider's spinto soprano is absolutely great - I wish she would record more or sing here in South Africa. If I met here I would tell her same Chernov and Leech are better that Domingo and Cappucilli - although Rizzi's conducting is a bit static at times Crider is best!!