Customer Reviews

Verdi: Rigoletto / Cappuccilli, Cotrubas, Domingo, Ghiaurov, Obraztsova, Moll; Giulini

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is not one of the most famous recordings of Verdi's warhorse, but in my opinion it is the best. The great Italian conductor Carlo Maria Giulini stays away from the melodramatic caricature of opera that this can easily turn into, and brings out the dark, brooding colors of the drama and of the music. He combines lyricism with the greatest dramatic power, at speeds which feel exactly right, even though they are slower than most. And not only does he have a superb individual view of the piece, he is a sensitive accompanist, too, giving the excellent Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra its full dominance without drowning out the singers. And what singers! The velvety, golden voice of Piero Cappuccilli, used with unfailing intelligence and musicality; the warm, gorgeous voice of Plácido Domingo; and perhaps most stunning of all, the bewitching lyric soprano of Ileana Cotrubas, the best Gilda I have ever heard. These singers may not hit the stratospheric unwritten high notes on the Bonynge recording with Pavarotti, Milnes and Sutherland, but they do offer consistently refined, thoughtful and beautiful singing. Cotrubas' radiant singing alone is worth the modest price of this set. The great Bulgarian bass Nicolai Ghiaurov makes a riveting, dark-toned Sparafucile; Elena Obraztsova sings Maddalena perfectly well, though not on the level of her colleagues. Kurt Moll is cast luxuriously as Monterone. At mid-price, with full libretto and translation and with excellent work from the VPO and chorus, this is a Rigoletto that must be in all Verdi collections.

Piero Cappuccilli portrays the title jester perfectly, capturing his two immense facets: the cruel, detestable clown and the vengeful, loving father. His voice contrasts between lyric beauty and dramatic ferocity. His rendition of "Cortigiani, vil razza dannata" begins with electrifying violence and soon melts into pathetic sorrow. His smooth bel canto also blends well with Cotrubas during their beautiful duet in Act I ("Gia da tre lune son qui venuta").
Placido Domingo is also perfect here as the Duke of Mantua and presents the unscrupulous noble's principle arias - "Questa o quella", "Parmi veder le lagrime", "La donne e mobile" - with ease, lust, and sensuous style and control.
Ileana Cotrubas gives an angelic performance as Gilda, both in the lyric beauty of her delicate voice and her dramatic sense of the character. Her interpretation of "Caro nome" - comparable only to that of Sutherland - contributes to making this recording the true gem it is. She is equally moving with the mournful "Tutte le feste al tempio" and during the tragic duet with Cappuccilli at the opera's finale ("V'ho ingannato...colpevole fui").
The supporting roles are handled with the same genius. Nicolai Ghiaurov is magnificent as Sparafucile; his cavernous voice suits the role of the vile assassin, one of Verdi's most malignant musical creations. Elena Obraztsova - whose deep voice I have always liked and found suitable for such roles as Maddalena, Amneris, and Dalila - excels here as the former. She is both licentious and tempting as the villainess Maddalena, especially during the trio with Ghiaurov and Cotrubas in Act III ("E amabile invero cotal giovinotto"). Hanna Schwarz shines here, too, as Gilda's maid Giovanna, a small but impressionable role, which the skilled mezzo-soprano presents the style.
Kurt Moll - in a masterful bit of casting - provides a fierce performance as the Count of Monterone. His thunderous entrance in Act I and equally wild exit during the finale of Act II ("Poiche fosti invano da me maledetto") are some of the most dazzling moments of this recording.
Carlo Maria Giulini and the Vienna Philharmonic shine here most of all in an equally gentle and thunderous recording of Rigoletto. Giulini handles the opera's tranquil moments with care and sensitivity and also excels during the thunderous moments. It is no exaggeration to consider this one of the greatest achievements of his illustrious career.

If you wonder what you get when you take a lecherous petty noble, an insulting court jester, an angry father who is not afraid to use curses at the drop of a hat, a group of kidnappers and assassins, and add an innocent young girl who is taken advantage of by the powers that be, the result is the opera RIGOLETTO. This musical story of a curse that causes the death of a young woman and shows what comes around goes around has been a favorite since its premiere. The addicting music combined with recordings that include some of the greatest singers in history assure that it will be a favorite for years to come

This recording is a technically perfect RIGOLETTO. The conductor Carlo Maria Giulini brings Verdi's score to life exactly as it's written, but somehow this literal reading is missing something. There are no flourishes here. Gilda's "Caro Nome" sung beautifully by Ileana Cotrubas does not have the vocal acrobatics that have become the signature of other sopranos. Rigoletto does not go into convulsions when his daughter is kidnapped. There are no high notes at the end of the quartet "Bella figla dell'amore." My guess is that they are not written in the score, so Guilini excludes them. The only problem, we are so used to them something is missing, and I would argue that since Verdi had such a great instinct for what worked on stage, he'd want whatever worked in the theatre. It's not surprising that this is the case in some of Guilini's recordings of opera. While he loved opera, he hated opera houses and in later years refused to conduct live productions of opera. This probably gave him a greater appreciation of the music, but not the greatest understanding of the listener.

While this recording may be somewhat lackluster at times, it still has many merits. Giulini keeps the pace moving in this recording (which is not the case in IL TROVATORE) and the orchestra and chorus are excellent. The overall singing is good, and Domingo's interpretation of the Duke which is not buffoonish, makes him believable to the listener. Since it is now released in the mid-price category, it's a bargain as well.

Enjoy!!!

An exquisite cast and a brilliant conductor! Ileana Cotrubas is one of the most touching Gildas, listen to her tearful "Tutte le feste" or her angelic "Lassu in cielo" where she sings exquisite pianissimi! Just sublime! Young Domingo might sound a little dark as Duke but his performance is riveting, charming and very sexy sounding. Now THAT is a womanizer! Cappuccilli has much Italianita as Rigoletto, what a temperament in "Cortigiani" and what haunting pathos in the finale. One of the best Rigolettos around! Two thumbs up! A++++++++++++++++++

Another wonderful recording from DG, with Domingo and Cappuccilli in their absolute primes. Both sing beautifully, although I agree with the previous reviewer that Domingo is rather too heavy for the Duke. Nevertheless he more than makes up for it with his smoothly taken high notes. Cappuccilli is marvelous in this recording, one of his best and his must be considered the definitive Rigoletto performance. Expressively dark, heavy, he brings the tormented jester to life very movingly. However, the highlights must be Cortrubas and Carlo Maria Giulini's conducting. Cortrubas, whilst not hitting Sutherland's high notes in the Bonynge recording, sings beautifully, and ranks with Sutherland as second only to Callas in the role of Gilda. The only problem is that her smaller voice is sometimes masked the huge ones of Cappuccilli and Domingo around her. Giulini is the star of the show, it is impossible to describe his brilliance. This recording and an earlier one of Macbeth (also for DG) show him at his absolute Verdian best. The way he enters so thoroughly into the spirit of the score is astounding. Buy this, if only to hear the great maestro at his absolute best.

Giulini unveils this work as no other with the silvery tones of the Vienna Philharmonic. Cappuccilli's extraordinary musicianship in the title role and Domingo's suave and cheeky Duke would steal the show if it wasn't for Cotrubas' definitive Gilda. Her captivating innocence and sweetness of tone have made this one of my favourite opera recordings. The music itself is very accessible even by Verdi standards. No regrets here.

Verdi based this opera on a play, "Le roi s'amuse" by Victor Hugo. It is hard to understand today, but Hugo's play ran into trouble with the censor's because of the scandalous way it presented royalty and was shut down after a single performance. In fact, Hugo had based his characters on real historical figures: King Francois I (ruled 1515 - 1547) (the Duke of Mantua in the opera) and his jester, Triboulet (who becomes Rigoletto). In the play, the king is a letch and rapes his jester's fifteen-year-old daughter, Blanche. Hugo makes Triboulet a hunchback and this makes historical sense. Verdi retains this in the opera and Rigoletto is also a hunchback. In the days of Francois I, physical deformities were sources of public humor and ridicule.

In making cuts to the five-act play for the opera, Verdi and his librettist also changed some names, but they did use some dialogue directly from the play including the words to this opera's famous aria "La donna è mobile". However, there are also real differences because operas are different things than plays.

The opera opens at the Duke's palace where he is holding a festive ball and bragging to one of his buddies about his latest amorous conquest. He has a long track record of seducing unmarried women as well as other men's wives and this creates many hard feelings. He declares that others may feel the need for fidelity, but it isn't for him. He tells Borsa about a young girl who lives in an alley that he has met at church. She does not know who he is. The Duke has also heard that she is visited every evening by an unknown man.

As the Duke makes a very public and humiliating advance on the Countess Ceprano in front of her husband, Rigoletto enters and mocks the husband. One of the courtiers tells the others that he has discovered that Rigoletto has a mistress he visits in the evenings. During all this Count Monterone enters and is furious with the Duke for having dishonored his daughter. Rigoletto mimics and insults the old man, who swears vengeance and curses the Duke and Rigoletto. The others turn on the old man for killing the fun of the party.

As Rigoletto returns to his home down an alley near Count Ceprano's house he is approached by Sparafucile who is an assassin and offers his services to Rigoletto. The murderer explains how he works his trade with the help of his sister, Maddalena. Rigoletto says he has no need of his services, but later begins thinking about it because of all the humiliations he has had to suffer because of his deformities and his status as a servant to a wealthy and powerful man. He enters his home lost in thought and is greeted by his daughter Gilda (pronounced jilda). She knows nothing of Rigoletto's life or even her own. Her father's love and attention, the housekeeper Giovanna, and attending Church are the scope of her world.

The Duke as already entered the house unnoticed through a bribe he has paid Giovanna. Gilda believes her love, the Duke, is just a student without money. After Rigoletto leaves, the Duke surprises Gilda and they exchange declarations of passion and love. They here Ceprano and others coming down the alley so the Duke leaves.

Ceprano and the others are there to kidnap Rigoletto's mistress. Rigoletto enters and believes that they are kidnapping Countess Ceprano and even holds the ladder for them. This delights those who want their revenge on Rigoletto. As they drag Gilda away, it dawns on Rigoletto what has actually happened and he remembers the curse.

The second act returns to the Duke's palace. The Duke is in despair that Gilda has been kidnapped and is surprised at his genuine affection for her. As the men brag and present Rigoletto's mistress to the Duke, he and Gilda rush to each other. Rigoletto appears and is looking for his daughter, when he learns she is with the Duke he tries to break in and demands her, turned away, he begs. Gilda is brought to him and confesses that her love affair with the Duke has cost her her honor. As Malderone is led past he notices a portrait of the Duke admitting that his curse has done nothing. Rigoletto swears vengeance on the Duke even while Gilda pleads for Mercy.

As the third act opens, Rigoletto has hired Sparafucile to kill the Duke and what follows is a tragedy for all involved. This is the act with the famous melody "La donna è mobile". It is the Duke's signature drinking song and note how it is used at different times in this act. It ranges from a rather pleasant song with an appropriately banal accompaniment through a delusional horror song. Magically done!

This opera was first performed in 1851 and was soon followed by "La Traviatta" and "Il Trovatore". What a great couple of years for opera! This great opera has many wonderful features that add so much to the work. For example, when Rigoletto and Sparafucile first meet, they are accompanied without violins to give it a strange sound and a lower, more sinister register. Note, too, that the chorus in this opera is only men (and what great music Verdi gives them to sing!). Verdi also set out to do an opera with few arias. He wanted this to be an opera of duets and they are here in beautiful abundance as are some amazing ensemble singing.

Treat yourself to this magnificent opera with this very fine recording. It is full of beauty, drama, and the full range from merriment to tragedy.

Once in a very rare while one runs into an operatic recording from the studio where everything works well. That is the case with this version of Verdi's "Rigoletto". It is certainly one of Carlo Maria Giulini's very best performances and in glorious digital sound from DGG. From day one Giulini has been delivering some astonishing performances in all formats of the last 50 years. There is, for instance, a very poor sounding but brilliant "La Traviata" with Tebaldi from 1953 that frankly gives a new definition to the opera that no one has yet to equal.

This recording is from 1980. Placido Domingo is the Duke of Mantua, Pierro Cappuccilli the title character, Ileana Cortrubas a perfect Gilda, Nicolai Ghiarov is a big step up for Sparafucile and the Magdelena of Elena Obraztsova is beyond anyone's expectation. I guess the most inspired bit of casting comes in the guise of Kurt Moll as Monterone. Talk about a roaring curse put on the humpback! Add to this the glistening performance of the Wiener Staatsopernchor and the Vienna Philharmonic plus Giulini's innate sense of operatic drama and what a blend one gets! Giulini, fastidious as always, is able to take tempi that would normally be played more rapidly and slow them down to wring every drop of emotion from them. And none of this is done to grand stand. In fact by the time Gilda has been kidnapped I found myself hearing this opera sort of on a "first time" basis. I've certainly never encountered anything like it before.

I heard Domingo and Cortrubas sing their pairing at the Met in 1977. I still think this is Domingo's greatest role when everything is taken into consideration. Handsome, just the right size voice, and perfect sense of style and a thousand other plaudits describe the man at his operatic finest. Elena Cortrubas is similarly cast and I simply can't think of another Gilda that is both so child-like and yet can sing the many big moments in her part without shrieking or disappearing under the orchestra. This recording is as I remembered her in the house 30 years ago. Cappuccilli is in a league of his own as Rigoletto. I've only heard this baritone in person once, and he is the only singer I've ever seen in New York that got a truly well deserved encore for his big aria in Rossini's "William Tell". He has a rather four square sound that's perfect for Verdi. It is neither blustery nor overly refined, (something I hate in this part). He makes the case for a fool as a fool and lets out waves of sound without covering his high notes to their detriment. Ghiarov and Obraztsova are, well, simply beyond anything one can expect ever to hear on the stage. Siepi probably recorded Sparafucile more than any other great bass, and for my money that silky Italian voice owns the role. But Ghiarov is understated and majestic at the same time. Obraztsova's heavily tinged Italian does no harm here as she is able to bring the right balance to her ensemble work. Moll is out of this world as he yells "sii maledetto" to the shocked Rigoletto. Along with Giulini you simply can't find a better ensemble that is so utterly successful at their task. Don't miss it!

This is a very good recording of this work. It's a lyrical opera of Verdi. Marvelous singing and orchestra that is at top. I love this much, and I shuld wish it had a little bit better sound. The sound is not bad at all. It's more than just good. Not perferct, but nearly. I can strongly recomend this.

Impeccable sound quality and very good performance. Especially Ileana Cotrubas is stunning as Gilda and the duets she sings with Rigoletto simply send shivers down your spine.