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

Giuseppe Verdi (Artist), Richard Leech (Artist), Maria Bayo (Artist), Carlo Rizzi (Artist), Vladimir Chernov (Artist), Welsh National Opera Chorus & Orchestra (Artist), Michele Crider (Artist), Gwynne Howell (Artist), Barry Banks (Artist), Peter Bronder (Artist)

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 9, 1996)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Elektra / Wea
• ASIN: B000000SQY
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #382,088 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Crider embraces Amelia's sorrow with shimmering beauty..., October 22, 2000

By	Bob Smith "Baron Bob" (Port Crane, NY USA) - See all my reviews

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.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An underrated set, December 3, 1999

By	Michael K. Halloran (USA) - See all my reviews

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.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great singers let down by so-so conducting, August 14, 2007

By	Robert Petersen (Durban, South Africa) - See all my reviews

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.