Customer Reviews

Verdi: La Traviata / Sills, Gedda, Panerai; Ceccato

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

 

 

There are many fine Traviatas out there (Callas, 2 by Sutherland, Caballe, Cortubas, and the like), but I feel this one is the best of the lot. Beverly Sills is extremely fresh voiced here and delivers her arias with freshness and aplomb. Her "Sempre Libera " is simply breathtaking. Her colleagues here are also unsurpassed. Nicolai Gedda is magnigicent here,offering just the right amout of lyricism and passion to the role of Alfredo (even demonstrating an incredible High C at the end of his caballetta "Oh mio rimorso! Oh, infamia!"). Gedda is my favorite of any of the recorded Alfredos. Rolando Panerai is probably the finest Germont the elder I have ever heard. His "Di Provenza Il Mar, Il Suol" will literally tear at your heartstrings and this reviewer has never heard a finer rendition since the American Baritone Lawrence Tibbett. Aldo Ceccato is the conductor here and does a very fine job indeed. If you want to hear La Traviata the way it should be performed, treat yourself to this recording.

Verdi's La Traviata is to many the definition of romantic opera. It's about tragic love, it's Verdi's most intimate and most personal opera. Verdi at the time was living unmarried with his lover and soon to be wife Giuseppina Strepponi, an opera singer. The music attests to the heartache and the passion that composes the bulk of the opera. On this recording, Beverly Sills sings the role of Violetta Valery and tenor Nicolai Gedda is Alfredo. Violetta and Alfredo are opera's most memorable lovers. Gedda and Sills both possess a charming, beautiful voice perfectly suited for the gentle lovers.

This recording is from the 70's. Beverly Sills had sung Violetta Valery more than 50 times and it was her first starring role. She knew the part like the palm of her hand. Her beautiful humanity in her voice alone presents us with the real Violetta- the noble courtesan/prostitute of Paris nightlife who sacrifices her own happiness for the sake of Alfredo's father. Beverly Sills has a "French voice" - her greatest vocal gift was to sing lengthy sustained melody and to dazzle the human ear with coloratura agility and high notes. But her Italian is nothing to laugh at. Her Italian is superb, especially in the bel canto category. As Violetta, she is the best. Her Act 1 highlights include the Brindisi (I have never heard any soprano, including Callas and Sutherland) sing it as "right" as Beverly Sills does it, and her solo showcase "A Fors E Lui" and the coloratura fireworks of "Sempre Libera". Beverly Sills is simply amazing, especially when she tops off the aria with that high note. The lyrical melancholy of the duet with baritone Roland Panerai, perfectly paired also, is excellent to hear. The finale is going to move you to tears from the "Addio Del Passato" to her dying exclamation "O Gioa!". This is the greatest ever made and I don't care that most will always flock to the Sutherland and Callas recordings. To my mind, it's not necessary to have a bigger voice or a diva status to be Violetta. Beverly Sills may not have been a diva, but she was the greatest actress of the opera in a way where most sopranos fail- connection with the audience and a spiritual relationship with the music.

Fine, very much underrated recording. With vivid, crisp, well-remastered sound and very generous cueing, it makes an excellent, all around bargain. The text is absolutedly complete (cabalette are repeated twice, as marked in the score). Sills' reedy voice can be an acquiered taste but her interpretation of this doomed character is most moving. Gedda is a model of taste who does not lack fire and flair (his rendition of the often-omitted "o mio rimorso" is one of the best on records). Panerai sings well, if not as imaginatively as Sills. Ceccato is an efficient, unmannered conductor who does not get in the way of the singers. Italian & English Libretto included.

My fellow reviewers have passed good judgement on this particular recording of Verdi's La Traviata and agree that there is no finer interpretation. One can always make an argument. There is always the Maria Callas crowd, the hype surrounding her 50's performance in which she moved audiences to tears in her acting abilities as well as in-depth emotional characterization of Violetta Valery. There is no questioning Callas' dramatic prowess. She could have made a great Hollywood actress had she not prefered singing opera
There is also the pleasure listeners say they feel when they hear Anna Moffo, Joan Sutherland, Ileana Contrubas, Renee Fleming and most recently, Angela Gheorghiu.

Violetta, is of course, the hottest and most standard soprano role to perform. What soprano would not want to debut at the Met as Violetta Valery ? But PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE NEXT ANALYSIS (eventhough you are likely to suspect that I'm an avid Beverly Sills fan). Beverly Sills sang the role in the same time frame as when her contemporary Maria Callas was singing this (50's, 60's) and is genuinely at paar with Callas in acting talent and artistic inflection. No other soprano knew the role better than Beverly Sills. She performed the role 54 times in the course of 63 days, each performance a knock-out crowd pleaser. Her portrayal of Violetta in this recording in 1971 has her at the zenith of her career (there is also another recording with the same conductor and cast available through Black Dog Opera Library in the format of book with illustrations and two cd's).

Next to Nicolai Gedda's passionate, but not stuffy, sophisticated portrayal as Alfredo (second only in greatness to Placido Domingo ) she sings masterfully in the Brindisi and duet "Un Di Felice". Note how she has an operetta heroine's charm and bubbly festive persona in all her lines in Act 1, including "Lo voglio! Al Piacer M'Affido Io Sol con tal farmaco i mali sopir !" how lyrical and melodiously (like a French singer would) she sings "A Fors E Lui" and how she masters the coloratura caballeta Sempre Libera, which she embellishes and ends with a dramatic high E flat note over a high C. In the long scene of her duet with Germont, she is moving as a woman in love and willing to sacrifice for that love, touching in her vocal lines in the aria "Ditte A La Giovine", and dramatic in "Morro! La Mia Memoria". Finally, in the last two acts, she is convincing as a woman who is genuinely impassioned and frightened for the plight of Alfredo during the party scene, particularily striking in the confrontation with Alfredo: Invitato A Qui Seguirmi !Her voice raises as beautifully as a fountain in her lines Alfredo, Alfredo" in " Di Questo Core Tu Non Conosce", which follows a great closing ensemble.

Finally, in the last act, she is fragile, deteriorating and fighting for her last breath to live happily with Alfredo and above all, a great dying scene. She sings Addio Del Passato like no other. Beverly Sills claims she would always practice this aria to keep her bel canto legato lines in good condition. The duet Parigi O Cara is well made and her "Gran Dio Morir Si Giovine " sensational. Her dying scene, from her lines "Ascolta, Amado Alfredo" to the final exclamation "O gioa!" are unsurpassed by any modern soprano to this day. Roland Panerai is unquestionably the best Germont and Aldo Ceccato orchestrates a poignant score, embellished with a European elegance and dramatic intensity when required. The chorus, led by John Alldis, is impressive, especially in "Si Ridesta in ciel L'Aurora", although the Jon Alldyis choir sounds remarkable in every opera they do. Buy this La Traviata please! It's not very talked about. That's why it's so great.

I love Callas, but sometimes I just don't feel like being a masochist. In roles that fall within her more limited range, Beverly Sills is every bit as penetrating an actress as Callas, with a security in the top notes that is among the most dazzling on record. Sills' Violetta lives and dies with infinite dignity, nobility, and yearning. Her death is credible and tragic, with the voice used to SUGGEST disease rather than falling victim to it. I hope, as the Callas re-issue frenzy peaks, that Sills will soon be represented more completely on disc.

As Alfredo, Gedda is also immensely appealing, but with a sweetness of tone that may be just a little too generous for the character. It was perfect for his glorious recording of Manon, also with Sills. Panerai's voice is impressive in tone, but pretty inflexible in characterization. It grew on me, however, as a foil to Sills' Violetta.

This is a wonderful recording and a great performance.

I've heard so, so many Traviatas before, including Callas's, and none has touched me to the degree that this recording has. I put the CD(s) into my CD player and listened the whole way through until the very end, just completely absorbed into the most wondrous rendition of Violetta I've ever heard. After seeing some of these reviews I was curious as to whether this Traviata is really that great, and I began to wonder just who this Beverly Sills is. Well, after giving it a throrough listen now I think I know.
Beverly Sills's coloratura in the first act is top notch. She sings an exciting and breathtaking Sempre libera, complete with high E flat! And the expressions in her voice are very captivating. I truly felt the emotions Miss Sills wanted to convey. She sounds so full of life and party-going in this first act! So great! The second act was what pulled me the furthest into the recording. Has anybody heard such a sad rendition of the second act, as done by Beverly Sills in this recording? This brought tears to my eyes. Just listen to when Giorgio Germont tells Violetta he wants her to leave Alfredo. Notice how surprised, shocked, angered and saddened she is of this! Sills's timbre immediately turns melancholic, weepy, with vulnerability. And with a few climatic high notes, I can't express how heart-wrenching the effect of this singing is! Callas's violetta used to be my favorite, but after hearing this, Sills is now my favorite, because of expressive singing that she employs like this. Getting back, one can also feel the lightening of the voice Sills does when violetta agrees to leave Alfredo, and asks Mr. Germont what she ought to do and tell Alfredo. The voice is still very saddened, but there's an "okay, I'll accept it" tinge to the timbre now. Another deeply involving moment in second act is when Alfredo comes in and asks Violetta what she is doing (writing a letter to him). The most affecting part is when Violetta says "Alfredo, love me, love me, Alfredo, please love me". Sills voice here exhibits despair, and plea, and maintains that melancholic timbre of the voice. This is the second time my eyes teared up while listening to this recording. Then in the third act, Sills sings the most touching "addio, del passato". Violetta accepts that her death is near, and there's almost a peacefulness to this acceptance. Sills uses the perfect combination of lyricism, dynamics, and light crescendo to great effect in this aria. And of course, the ending is so dramatic. Sills sings fortissimo, "O gioia!!" and then violetta collapses and dies, with Nicolai Gedda shouting "violetta!!!!!".

Beverly Sills has become the main reason for my loving this recording, but the others do an excellent job as well. Nicolai Gedda's voice has grown on me a bit over the years, and hearing him as Alfredo is a great pleasure. He sings with emotions too, and I think he has the perfect voice for the role. What I especially love is the inclusion of "O mio rimorso". Gedda tosses off a ringing, exciting high C! WOW WOW WOW!!!
Rolando Panerai is one of the most authoritative Giorgio Germont I have ever heard. He is great and sings with much feeling throughout all his parts. Very convincing!

After hearing this Traviata I doubt I would ever find another that equals it, in terms of casting, voice match up, and acting. Also I'm glad I got to hear Beverly Sills. I believe she has more opera recordings that are available? I think she has a Lucia too. I will definitely see into it.

I was really astonished by this recording. It was my first recording of this Verdi opera. What a great introduction to Verdi's masterpiece! First of all, Beverly Sills must be mentioned. I am a huge fan of this exceptional soprano. She surprises me in each new recording of hers that I have listened to. I own her "Lucia di Lammermoor", "Anna Bolena", "Maria Stuarda", "Roberto Devereux", "Giulio Cesare", "The Ballad of Baby Doe" and, of course, this recording of "La Traviata". Sills is amazing as Violetta. She owns this role like she does Lucia (no offense to Joan), Cleopatra, Manon, and Baby Doe. She is positively bubbly in the beginning of the first act and only gets better from there. Her Act One aria is a tour de force of soprano singing. She injects so much feeling into that aria that I was blown away! Her "Sempre libera" is nothing short of amazing! Trills, scales, and runs are done impeccably! Her trills especially surprised me. She has a better trill than Sutherland does! It is so fast and so marvelous! Her confrontation with Alfredo's father, played by the always excellent baritone Rolando Panerai, is awesome! She changes emotions with surprising ease and is very believable. She is so convincing that it is scary. The second party scene is also done well. Her "Teneste la promessa" sounds distressingly like Renata Scotto's masterful reading, but be assured that Sills never imitated other sopranos. She was her own performer and had enough brains and talent not to have depended on imitation of others. I especially liked the tuneful choruses that Verdi put in the opera to lighten the mood. Verdi was great at writing tuneful choruses. Check out the "Anvil Chorus" from "Il Trovatore". I bet you will recognize it from commercials, TV shows, and films. Her "Addio del passato" is masterfully rendered. Her glowing legato line is supported by her excellent dramatic commitment to this difficult aria. Her reunion with Alfredo is full of believable joy. This makes her death scene all the more heart-wrenching. She really earns her mark on this role with her chillingly real performance of the death scene. On to the Alfredo of Nicolai Gedda. This always stylish and musical tenor is not the best Alfredo on recordings. He has excellent Italian, but he is out of his element in Italian opera. He just doesn't have the Italianate ring to his voice. Also, his musical and dramatic refinement keep him from acting with abandon. There are far more passionate Alfredos out there. He really only convinces me in the scenes with his father and when he shouts Violetta's name when she dies. Even so, he sings his first act aria very well. The cabaletta is done magnificently with a stupendous high C at the end. As Alfredo's father, Rolando Panerai sings mellifluously and is always in character. He tackles the tough coloratura in his lively cabaletta very well. He is a very great artist indeed. The conductor is, for the most part, great. He tends to slow down Violetta's Act One aria, but this can be forgiven. He also slows down that aria's cabaletta. Sills shows us why she is such a great artist by taking advantage of the slow tempo. She uses the extra time she is given to cram as much emotion as is humanly possible into that aria.

If you want a recording of Verdi's immortal masterpiece, get this recording now! You will not be disappointed. Simply put, no finer recording of this opera exists. Violetta was one of Beverly Sills greatest roles. Therefore, you cannot go wrong with this recording.

Fans of Beverley Sills won't need convincing, but even those, like me, who are not always convinced by her, need not hesitate over the quality of this, her assumption of Violetta. Her voice sounds as good as I have heard it anywhere: wonderfully pure, expressive, agile, thrilling at the top and deeply in character, with none of the shrillness or unsteadiness which can intrude elsewhere; this is a performance to rival those of Moffo, Caballe and of course, Callas.

Ceccato's conducting is rather deliberate and even a little laboured at times but this does allow details and nuances to emerge. Panerai, if not always sufficiently refulgent of tone, sings very expressively and sympathetically as Germont, his tone very much in keeping with Sills' plangent singing, empathizing with her brittle vulnerability.

For me, the fly in the ointment is Gedda - though I am aware that not all will agree with me. I like him in some things but find his voice production wavery and pinched - not at all Italianate or virile. Still, his diction is exemplary and, like Panerai, he is prepared to sing sofly and subtly. This set does not dislodge my preference for the Moffo/Previtali version and as far as I am concerned, nobody can approach Callas for individuality of utterance (but beware the cruddy quality of the two viable live recordings and the inadequacy of her colleagues in the 1952 Cetra set), but it's a worthy alternative if you have to have Sills.

Beverly Sills sang countless performances of Violetta Valery, this beloved and most tormented heroine was one of her greatest and earliest roles. Even though she wasn't a dramatic coloratura soprano she gave the role more drama, more details and more colours than most famous Violettas (Including Sutherland and Caballe). Her charm and sparkle in ACT I is undeniable. Her voice glitters and shines with sunny warmth and silvery polish. Her "Sempre libera" is fiery and glowing with seamless coloratura and wonderful acuti. In Act II she and Panerei give one of their best performances ever. The "Non sapete" and "O dite alla giovine" are heartbreaking jewels. But Sills complete triumph is in ACT IV where she sings with Lucia-like intensity, yet still sounding vulnerable and fragile. Gedda a is a terrific Alfredo, nothing else can be expected. A beautiful, essential Traviata. Nothing boring or dry to be found. A++++++++++++

Strange as this may sound to most readers out there, this was the first complete Traviata I ever bought. I had highlights of the opera with Sutherland, but never bought the entire thing till this recording. I have since bought many complete recordings of this work (Callas, even a pirate which is exceptional in it acting, even though the sound quality is rather poor; Sutherland, second recording with Pavarotti; Caballe, a historical recording with Steber,and Te Kanawa), and heard many others. This opera is beautiful in most versions, and each singers brings something to the role. What sets this one apart is the completeness of the score (which is now very common). When I bought it, I remember the opera being performed at the Met, with Sills, and Sarah Caldwell conducting. She opened up the cuts in the score, which was unheard of then, and the opera really sizzled. It actually took less time for her performance uncut, than it took for most heavily cut versions. Yet, her tempi were never rushed. I heard that broadcast on the radio, and was so excited by the quality of it, I went out and bought this recording.

I still find this recording has something most others lack, it is that special something that breathes life and excitement into the music. This opera can easily, and often does, become a "singers opera" where all that matters is a high E flat at the end of act one, and etc. The music is so familiar to us, it can often become common. This recording takes it out of that realm. It is never common. Little jewels are there that you simply never heard before, even though they were always there.

I highly recommend this performance, this recording, because it is so vital. The other recordings you all have probably bought are wonderful too, but this one is a definite add to your library.