Verdi - Rigoletto / Bruson · Gruberova · Shicoff · Fassbaender · R. Lloyd · Matteuzzi · Rydl · Santa Cecilia · Sinopoli [Import]

Giuseppe Verdi (Artist), Giuseppe Sinopoli (Artist), Neil Shicoff (Artist), Edita Gruberova (Artist), Coro e Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia (Artist), Renato Bruson (Artist), Brigitte Fassbaender (Artist), William Matteuzzi (Artist), Maria Grazia Pettavini (Artist), Geoffrey Moses, Kurt Rydl Armando Gabba (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 6, 1998)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Import
• Label: Philips Import
• ASIN: B000007OTG
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #488,809 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Almost Perfect recording of Rigoletto, August 5, 1999

By 

James Walters (Seattle, Washington) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Verdi - Rigoletto / Bruson · Gruberova · Shicoff · Fassbaender · R. Lloyd · Matteuzzi · Rydl · Santa Cecilia · Sinopoli (Audio CD)

This is a great recording of Rigoletto. Bruson is the best Rigoletto recorded, his voice is perfect for the role. He is much more believable than Milnes and I love his rich deep baritone. Gruberova is perhaps the best Gilda ever! She has so much power to give yet can be so gentle and vulnerable, I love her Gilda!! The duets with her and Brunson are treasures. Shicoff is a good Duke, of course no one sings the role like Pavarotti but Shicoff is a close second. The only thing I miss in this recording are some of the optional high notes that are taken in the Pavarotti/Shutherland recording. But I respect Sinoppoli's descion to leave them out. Also in this format it is so affordable, why wouldn't you buy it.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best "Rigoletto" recording I've heard, October 7, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Verdi - Rigoletto / Bruson · Gruberova · Shicoff · Fassbaender · R. Lloyd · Matteuzzi · Rydl · Santa Cecilia · Sinopoli (Audio CD)

Rigoletto is an undisputed masterpiece, with many of its arias, duets, and that famous quartet well known to opera buffs and others. In this recording, not only do we hear a believable, charming, but self-centredly ruthless Duke, but a superb Rigoletto himself in Bruson, who is vocally and dramatically at home in this role. And of course, the best Gilda on record is Edita Gruberova, whose ability to spin her voice into a fine exquisite line is world-renowned. She bring Gilda to life. The conducting is strong but sympathetic. In all, if you love Verdi's operas, or even if you don't, this is a superb recording.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great cast; low price., January 19, 2001

By 

"daniel0302" (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Verdi - Rigoletto / Bruson · Gruberova · Shicoff · Fassbaender · R. Lloyd · Matteuzzi · Rydl · Santa Cecilia · Sinopoli (Audio CD)

Perhaps not the greatest "Rigoletto" ever, this 1984 recording has a lot to recommend it. With so many classic recordings of "Rigoletto", there is naturally a lot of competition. Bonynge (DECCA/LONDON) simply cannot be beat for glorious singing, while Giulini (DG) outclasses most for drama and interpretation.

Edita Gruberova has formidable competition elsewhere - Sutherland, Cotrubas, Popp, Gueden, and others - but she holds her own against her lofty rivals. Anyone looking for a great performance of Gilda cannot go wrong with this one. Gruberova's limpid and delicate "Cara nome" is the love struck daydream that it should be. "Tutte le feste al tempio" is well captured as the realization of a child who has had to grow up far to quickly.

Neil Shicoff is in glorious voice here. He creates his character skillfully and successfully. He wastes no time establishing himself as the salacious cad - it is clear from the moment he starts singing. Schicoff also turns on the seductive charm magnificently when making a conquest of Gilda and Maddalena. Renato Bruson is not the most beautiful voice recorded as Rigoletto, but he is genuinely touching, and it is hard to listen to him without being moved. His paternal love and humiliations are clearly presented, but never cliche.

Giuseppe Sinopoli leads one of his typically idiosyncratic interpretations. There are some odd choices, yet many of them work. But many of them do not quite work, such as his frequent use of rubato. In Act 4, the well known quartet is oddly dull, yet the trio that follows is thrilling and exactly what it should be. The performance does not quite add up to the some of its parts, and Sinopoli lacks some of the cohesive overall interpretive vision found with Giulini and others. Nonetheless, on the merit of the three principle singers, it is easy to be enthusiastic about this recording. This budget release has no libretto, but the low price adds to the favorable assets.