Customer Reviews

Verdi: Il Trovatore

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I still rank this 1952 RCA recording as one of the greatest "Trovatore" recordings ever made. This recording has long held "classic" status, and considering the four singers, it is not hard to understand why. Verdi himself proclaimed that in order for "Trovatore" to be successful, all one needed were the four greatest singers in the world. That is pretty much what we have here. I doubt whether there were four other singers at that particular time, and for this particular opera, that could have sung "Trovatore" as well as this. Jussi Bjoerling's Manrico is not heroic in the sense of Corelli and Domingo, but it is believable, heartfelt, and the most beautifully sung of any Manrico I've yet encountered. Zinka Milanov is heard here in what is probably her greatest commercial recording. She was the reigning Leonora of her time, spinning out those famous high "pianissimo" notes at every opportunity. The great baritone Leonard Warren, at the peak of his vocal powers here, sings a suave and impeccable di Luna, and Fedora Barbieri, with those wonderful booming chest notes, sings a wild and crazed Acuzena. Renato Cellini, a competent conductor, certainly was not on the level of his four grand soloists, and there is nothing particularly great about his reading of the score. It matters not a bit. In this opera, the singers dominate, and if there's a quartet of singers (all together on another "Trovatore" recording) in the past forty years to equal the collective quartet here, they have escaped my attention. Certainly, Domingo and Corelli have done well with Manrico, and there are the great Leonoras of such divas as Callas, Price, Caballe, and Sutherland (all of them wonderful to be sure), not to mention the di Lunas and Acucenas of such baritones and mezzos like Merrill, Milnes, Simionato, Cossotto, Obratzova, et al. But all together on one recording? Buy this recording.You won't be sorry!

This is what "Trovatore" is really about, with voices, voices, and what voices they are! Milanov is caught in one of her greatest moments, with high piano notes in abundance; Jussi Bjoerling at his most lyrically heroic; Leonard Warren's baritone in it's prime, and Fedora Barbieri's booming mezzo blowing the house down! All four singers sing their hearts out, and then some. The conducting of Renato Cellini is not much better than adequate, but with singers like this, it really matters very little. The 1952 mono sound is clean, warm, and very easy to listen to. Yes, there are some later stereo versions that have better sonics, and some others that have some wonderful individual performances (Callas and Price for Leonora, Domingo and Corelli for Manrico, Simionato for Azucena, etc), but none have the cumulative effect of the quartet of Milanov-Bjoerling-Barbieri-Warren. Strongly recommended

I'm going to make this very short and to-the-point. They simply don't sing like this anymore ----- sopranos and tenors
like Milanov and Bjoerling are an extinct breed, and we are the poorer for it. Ditto for Fedora Barbieri and Leonard Warren ------- two more outstanding singers ---- all of whom could be heard regularly at the Metropolitan Opera in the 1950's. But then again, so were many other great singers. We don't have voices like this today --- and one hearing of this recording of "Trovatore" sadly proves it. Recorded in 1952, it still sounds acceptable --- and no subsequent "Trovatore" has matched it, though the famous 1962 broadcast from Salzburg with Leontyne Price, Franco Corelli, Giulietta Simionato, and Ettore Bastianini, all under the baton of Herbert von Karajan, comes the closest.

In many ways, Verdi's "Trovatore" is a remarkable opera. Almost every number is a show-stopper. All four principal singers share equally in the good things - the arias and the duets - and the chorus has plenty of good things too. And at the end of it all it is the contralto who is likely to receive as many or more curtain calls than the others.

The contralto Fedora Barbieri was in lustrous voice when this recording was made - able to sing rather than growl the low notes, and able to rise to a stunning Bb at the end. Zinka Milanov is a mature rather than a maturing Leonora, phrasing and floating her two arias with great distinction. Leonard Warren's singing is rich and opulent almost beyond belief, even if the characterisation does not always convince us that he "burns with rage". Bjorling's troubador is one of his greatest successes - noble, thrilling, and able to justify Leonora's recollection, "there came a thrill of joy such as only angels feel".

Opera sets come and go, and it is a shock to realize that this one has been around for nearly fifty years. Don't reject it on that score, however; the sound quality is excellent, apart from a few moments of overloading at climaxes. You are unlikely to find another "Trovatore" with voices like these.

After so many years and so many recordings of "Il Trovatore" this one is still among the best ever recorded! I've read somewhere that this was Toscanini's favourite Trovatore recording. All five main principals are top singers and the result is electrifying!

Zinka Milanov is heard here in one of her finest moments! Her voice is gorgeous! I don't think I've ever heard a more beautiful "D'amor sull'ali rosee". This was my first recording of Milanov and I was truly enchanted by her. I think she is underrated. Those who have not heard of her, this is a good opportunity to discover this diva. Mr. Bjoerling is also supreme, ideal tenor for Manrico, performing an unforgettable " Ah, si ben mio". I also love his duet with F.Barbieri on track 15, cd1. I would have wanted, though, a more stable last note at his "di quella pira".

Fedora Barbieri, one of the greatest verdian mezzos shows tremendous understanding of the role of Acuzena and her singing is a marvel to listen to. Last but certainly not least L. Warren and the Greek N. Moschonas complete this outstanding cast! My only objection is Cellini's conducting which I find absent, weak. Perhaps it has something to do with the mono sound. The sound quality is good enough, although there are better mono recordings (generally speaking).

Concluding, this is a unique opportunity for someone to hear how opera sounded back then since I doubt if we will ever have the privilege of hearing singers like these again!

This is a great Trovatore, with wonderful singing throughout. Björling does a milestone Manrico and Zinka Milanov fits the role of Leonora like hand in glove.

Il Trovatore is a singer's opera and you can't argue with the quality of the cast presented her. Björling, easily being the tenor of the 20th century, of course dominates and miraculously manages to transfer his pure, lyrical voice into a dramatic tool to portray the heavy, heroic role of Manrico.

The rest of the cast, including Warren in top form, is close to perfect all round.

Cellini's conducting is an aquired taste, but does not spoil the party.

For alternatives, Karajan's -62 recording with Corelli (who's voice was made for the role of Manrico) and Price is an equal must.

For the Björling fanatics, check out the -39 live recording from Covent Garden. Rotten sound, but fantastic vocal performances allround and peerless conducting by Gui. Legend has it (courtesy of the Björling museum in Borlänge, Sweden) that Björling's Di Quella Pira on that very night was so loud you could hear it all the way from London to Sweden...I believe it!!!

Much has been written about this recording, that it is a classic and that in some ways it will propably remain unsurpassed, and I agree. Jussi Bjorling's radiant lyric tenor sails effortlesly through the role of Manrico. Zinka Milanov's voice is large, poweful yet ethereal with exquisite pianissimi (rivalled only by Montserrat Caballe). Her 'Tacea la notte' and 'D'amor sull' ali rosee' are fine examples of her art. Fedora Barbieri, Leonard Warren and Nicola Moscona are solids as rock. Chorus and orchestra are rather small scaled but excellent. The sound is also remarkably good for its age (1952). This set deserves a loving place in any collection.

This recording is justifiably famous for its peerless cast. Trovatore IS a singer's opera, and such singers! The RCA/Met cast is used to singing and recording together and the fine ensemble work is proof of that. Cellini's conducting is lively, and showcases his singers at their very best. The sound (High Fidelity, but not stereo) is fine. This recording is opera in the grand style that we almost never hear any more.

Something that Verdi himself said that would make a perfect Il Trovatore was to have the four greatest singers in the world. This was certainly the case on this recording. Every one sings their part beautifully. The beauty and power of Björling, the sacrifice and dedicated sound of Milanov, the selfish, evil and seducting singing of Warren and then the vendictive singing of Barbieri.

All singers make such an impact that it almost overshadows the sloppy conducting of Cellini. He lets the orchestra make so many queer sounds, his tempi is at times strange. The conducting is only thing that for me sets this set apart from being perfect. The sound on the CDs are at times a little strange. Like the engineers try to mix a mono master into stereo.

To conlude, this set is definitly worth buying for the singing alone

Yes, it is cut. Yes, it is in mono sound. Nevertheless this is one of the finest recordings of a Verdi opera available. The singers are all magnificent. Bjoerling rings with conviction and phrases like a god. Milanov can spin a line of silken gold. Warren is the only baritone I know who captures Di Luna's elusive but essential moral ambiguity. The underrated is Cellini is taut and perceptive. Each of them towers over the competition old and recent. The mono sound is so clean that you do not miss the stereo spread. I would glad part with the rest of my considerable Verdi cd collection (100 discs strong) if only this one remained.