When Bellini went to Paris after the not very successful
Beatrice di Tenda he had the good fortune to meet and become
friendly with Rossini. The older master, who had by then retired from
writing operas, was familiar with Bellini’s music and also knew
the different taste of the Parisians. He was able to give Bellini some
advice and also managed to convince Théâtre Italien to
produce his protegé’s new opera, which also turned out
to be his last - Bellini died in the autumn of 1835, aged only 34. It
is tempting to speculate what could have become of his future career,
considering that
I puritani partly points in new directions with
longer scenes and more advanced orchestral writing. In the main, though,
his characteristics are unchanged: long, heavenly melodies, more sentiment
than real drama. It
is the melodies that carry his operas - also
in his last offering - and they require beautiful voices, technically
accomplished singers of a calibre that is hard to find.
Under the then young Riccardo Muti - he was only 38 - EMI managed to
put together some truly excellent singers for these recording sessions
in Kingsway Hall during a couple of weeks in June and July 1979. Muti
was always a conductor who was willing to go in clinch with established
traditional readings and wipe away cobwebs from the scores, removing
unwritten high notes - the high C in
Di quella pira is a notorious
example that was met with booing at La Scala. He has always also had
a fine ear for orchestral sonorities and it is a pleasure to listen
to the overture here with its brassy sounds loosened up with airy flutes.
The flutes are also employed for similar purposes further on in the
opera, for example to vitalise the jubilant chorus
A festa! (CD
1 tr. 4). This also reminds us that Bellini composed not only languishing
cantilenas but, in this opera especially, rhythmic and occasionally
powerfully dramatic music. The first act finale is one such occasion;
the act III finale another. Muti’s care over detail throughout
makes the music come to life, more so than in the more than 25 years
older recording under Tullio Serafin. Muti has the advantage of better
recording and stereo sound, but that’s not the only difference.
The Philharmonia Orchestra was an excellent body in the 1970s is another
factor - Muti had been a regular conductor there since 1972 and in 1974
became principal conductor after Otto Klemperer. The Ambrosian Opera
Chorus were also regulars on Muti’s recordings for many years
and they are truly impressive in the opening chorus, with rhythmically
alert singing.
So far so good, then. What about the soloists? The first character we
hear is Bruno, who has quite a lot to sing in the first act. This is
such a well modulated and classy voice that we at once look in the cast
list and find that it is Dennis O´Neill, no less, before he ascended
to a starry international career. His has always been a typically Italianate
voice and here he is at his freshest. Riccardo is a grateful role for
a lyric baritone with florid capacity. Matteo Manuguerra may not be
the technically most accomplished singer but he has a healthy open sound,
agreeable timbre and a wide, unforced range. His aria
Ah! per sempre
io ti perdei (CD 1 tr. 6) is an excellent calling card. He is even
better in the long scene in act II with Giorgio (CD 3 tr. 4-7), crowned
by a fluent and not in the least pompous
Suoni la tromba. A late
starter, Manuguerra was already in his mid-50s when this recording was
made, but he was obviously in his life’s best form during these
years; according to Wikipedia he took part in no fewer than seven complete
opera recordings in 1979 alone.
His bass colleague Agostino Ferrin was no youngster either, having passed
50 at the time. His is a leaner and lighter voice than the traditional
Italian bass. Sometimes his tone spreads under pressure, but
Cinta
di fiori in act II (CD 2 tr. 13) is
bel canto singing at
its best, and the scene with Manuguerra, just mentioned, is really wonderful.
Julia Hamari is a good Enrichetta in duet with Alfredo Kraus (CD 2 tr.
4). Kraus himself is in terrific form.
A te, o cara (CD 2 tr.
2) finds him in his element, his lean, reedy tone enabling graceful
singing and fearless top notes. We should remember that he was also
over 50 and had been singing professionally for 23 years but he had
always chosen his roles carefully and never overtaxed his voice, so
there are really no signs of strain, even though some recordings from
twenty years earlier had him in even sappier voice. The first half-hour
of Act III (CD 3 tr. 8-14) exposes him and Montserrat Caballé
in a marvellous chain of delicious melodies, superbly performed.
Vieni
fra queste braccia (CD 3 tr. 14) is possibly the pick of the crop.
Wait: in the finale
Credeasi, misera (CD 3 tr. 17) is even more
enticing.
Montserrat Caballé had been under fire from the beginning of
the opera. In Act I scene 2 she is in riveting form: strong, confident
and technically accomplished. Then in scene 3 she reaches Heaven in
Son vergin vezzosa (CD 2 tr. 5). It is in act II that she has
her greatest moments:
O rendetemi la speme ... Qui la voce (CD
3 tr. 1). I have for ages admired Joan Sutherland’s recording
of the aria on the legendary “The Art of the Prima Donna”,
and it is probably the unbeatable version vocally. However, Caballé’s
warmth and inwardness goes above anything else. She is heartrending
also in the scene that follows and Muti allows her to expand the phrases
magically.
Callas’s reading of Elvira’s role is deeply penetrating
but for beauty of tone and grace Caballé wins hands down and
neither Di Stefano nor Panerai is a match for Kraus and Manuguerra.
The second Sutherland recording has its advocates and with Pavarotti,
Cappuccilli and Ghiaurov this reads like a dream cast. To my taste the
artillery is too heavy and Muti is the better conductor.
The only fly in the ointment is the lack of libretto - there is not
even a synopsis. There is no mention anywhere of where to find one online.
A libretto, but only in Italian, is available
here
or
here.
In spite of this Muti’s recording is the one to have.
Göran Forsling
