Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756 -
1791)
Le Nozze di Figaro Opera in Four Acts.
Figaro Sesto Bruscantini
Susanna Graziella Sciutti
Bartolo Ian Wallace
Marcellina Monica Sinclair
Cherubino Risë Stevens
Il Conte Franco Calabrese
Contessa Sena Jurinac
Glyndebourne Festival Chorus
Glyndebourne Festival Orchestra
Cond Vittorio Gui
Recorded July 1956, Abbey
Road, London. ADD EMI Classics (double fforte)
CZS5 73845 2 CDI 79'09 CD2
78'47"
Crotchet
Amazon
UK [
Amazon
USA Classics for Pleasure release]
Newer recordings come along regularly - all with the latest names, fancy
labelling, more trim and sometimes even air-bags - but when a 1956 recording
is being re-mastered and reissued 44 years later it clearly must have something
to offer. This Vittorio Gui performance of Marriage of Figaro has
been around on Classics for Pleasure for many years and its release
in new packaging may bring it to the attentions of people who perhaps have
missed it previously. The recording deserves to find new admirers.
The opera is not complete - there are omissions in arias and recitatives,
but nothing of any substance is taken out and it enables the release to be
on two discs, each virtually 80 minutes in duration - most other releases
take three. The obvious main competitor that I know is the Giulini version
with Taddei and Schwarzkopf (also on EMI) and that too has cuts to bring
the recording down to two discs.
The performance is a delight. Gui followed Fritz Busch at Glyndbourne and
the recording (in a studio) was mainly based around artists who had sung
there or who would do so in due course. There is an ensemble feel to it with
the cast responding to each other and there is some very fine singing and
characterisation from the principals. Outstanding is a superb Countess by
Sena Jurinac, then at the height of her powers and Grazielli Sciutti is a
fresh sounding Susanna. Sesto Bruscantini makes a light-voiced, mobile Figaro
while Calabrese is a dominating Count while an easily recognisable voice
is that of Ian Wallace as Bartolo. Special mention must be made of Raymond
Leppard with some fine harpsichord continuo.
With a number of native Italian speakers the recitatives are a model of clarity,
but, sadly, presumably on cost grounds, there is not a full libretto. There
are 59 cue points in the four acts and a comprehensive synopsis of all 59
is given, but it cannot compensate for the missing words and their detailed
meanings. A weakness here is when three female voices are heard in a scene
- for example, The Countess, Susanna and Cherubino (a "trouser" role) - and
the resulting confusion for the listener.
The recording is early for stereo but perfectly adequate, certainly for the
voices which are placed slightly forward. I would not go as far as the Penguin
Guide with its Rosette, but at its bargain price this should be snapped up
by all admirers of Mozart / Da Ponte and their masterpiece.
Reviewer
Harry Downey
