Verdi: Nabucco / Manuguerra, Luchetti, Ghiaurov, Scotto, Obraztsova; Muti

Giuseppe Verdi (Artist), Riccardo Muti (Artist), Matteo Manuguerra (Artist), Renata Scotto (Artist), Philharmonia Orchestra (Artist), Ambrosian Opera Chorus (Artist), Veriano Luchetti (Artist), Elena Obraztsova (Artist), Robert Lloyd (Artist), Anne Edwards (Artist), Kenneth Collins (Artist)

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• SPARS Code: ADD
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: EMI Classics
• ASIN: B000002ROG
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #86,734 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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  Music > Opera & Vocal > Divas > Scotto, Renata

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
This is a fine performance that could have been even finer if it had been recorded a few years earlier when Renata Scotto had a voice more comparable to her skill at characterization. It is still a good voice, but one perceptibly on the way to disintegration under the influence of unwisely chosen roles. Riccardo Muti's conducting is thoughtful and dramatic, the rest of the cast is in fine voice, and the total production is highly satisfactory for listeners willing to make a few allowances. --Joe McLellan

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Scotto at her most exciting, October 26, 2000

By	Dare (Paris France) - See all my reviews

Muti provides a powerful, though controversial reading of this early Verdi opera, with some deliberately chosen tempo speeds (all on the fast side) especially in the big, massive 'tutti' places. Since orchestration is pretty loud, with only hints at later Verdi masterpieces, this makes for some really brisk and noisy passages. Muti is nonetheless subtler in solo numbers, sensitive enough to realise that operatic characters have to be built through arias and cavatinas, thus giving some leeway to the singers at hand.

Abigaille has a murderous tessitura, with two-octave leaps up and down, and as such it had never been a natural to Scotto, smart enough to take it on only for the purposes of this recording, and she had yet to fabricate an Abigaille-like voice. The account is nevertheless thrilling, sincere and dramatically riveting, as always with Scotto, on the same scale like Decca's Turandot featuring Joan Sutherland in the title-role, equally taken on just for the recording. In places Scotto does sound a little strained, but the cutting edge of her voice just adds to the character.

Ghiaurov (Zaccaria) gives a commanding performance, his vocal acting being brighter than usual just to keep in line with the story, and it is a joy to listen to his famous bass contrasting with other voices. Nabucco is splendidly sung by Matteo Manuguerra, who provides a deeply felt performance, and he complies well with Muti's demands. But his voice lacks a kind of a luster, starry-like quality in the mould of Cappuccilli or Gobbi. The supporting cast sings well, with the exception of Obraztsova, the only real snag in this recording, for her singing is coarse and steely, but fortunately the part is not at all long. The Ambrosian Opera Chorus contribution is outstanding.

Though no digital recording, the sound is first-rate, beautifully rounded with no protagonist sticking out like this and the other one sticking out like that, and mixing of the orchestra and the soloists is equally well balanced.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Scotto is not to be missed, April 1, 2001

By	Gerardo Cabrera Munoz (México) - See all my reviews

I agree with those who find Manuguerra just a little boring, it's not a bad performance, but pales next to Scotto's magnificent Abigaile. Muti conducts very well, and he makes more of the Va Pensiero than Gardelli or Sinopoli. Forced to choose I would opt for this recording over the DECCA and the DG, it's just a pity that Renato Bruson was not chosen for the title role.

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Buy it for Scotto's performance, July 1, 2000

By	"nicngu" (Amsterdam Netherlands) - See all my reviews

I have to disagree with Joe McLellan's opinion on Scotto's performance as Abigaille. Everyone knows the price that Scotto had to pay for tackling roles like Norma, Gioconda, etc...in the 70's. Her essentially lyric instrument was not naturally made to sing those roles, however, aren't we glad she did ! By her artistry and her intelligence, she always brought life to those roles. Abigaille is one of these "unwisely chosen roles" (I don't think so !): Scotto does not naturally have the voice of a Dimitrova (DG) or a Souliotis (Decca), but her interpretation is so much subtler and she does so much more with the character than those two singers. Her "Anch'io dischiuso..." is a gem, even with the unpleasantly high notes in the caballetta "Salgo gia del trono". Only Callas in her recording of arias with Rescigno (EMI) does it better. Buy this set for Scotto and Ghiaurov : for them only, this set is worth it. Otherwise, Manuguerra is a boring Nabucco and Obraztsova a very unlikely Fenena.