Gaetano DONIZETTI (1797-1848)
L'elisir d'amore
(Highlights).
Vincenzo La Scola (tenor)
Nemorino; Alessandra Ruffini (soprano) Adina; Simone Alaimo (bass) Dulcamara;
Roberto Frontali (baritone) Belcore; Mariangela Spotorno (soprano) Giannetta;
Hungarian State Opera Choir and Orchestra/Pier Georgio
Morandi.
Naxos 8.554707 [DDD]
[77'09]
Crotchet
Taken from the complete set on Naxos 8.66045/6, these excerpts give the
impression of a performance which, while generally more than adequate, skims
happily along the surface of this glittering piece without ever venturing
any deeper. The Adina, Alessandra Ruffini is the best of the soloists. She
pitches well, refrains from screaming and carries a lightness that is becoming
to her role. The peasant Nemorino, sung by Vincenzo La Scola, is less pleasing.
Although his diction in Quanto è bella (Act One) is excellent,
he sounds tired by the end of this three and a half minute excerpt. Again,
in the Act Two duet Ai perigli della guerra, he is strained and begins
to sing under the note. He is unable to get to the bottom of Una furtiva
lagrima, which is grossly disappointing. Simone Alaimo's Dulcamara is
appropriately buffo in the Rossinian Udite, udite o rustici,
but none of this is enough to make up for the feeling of a run-through which
pervades the entire disc.
The recording lacks depth and crowds when overburdened, as in the Terzetto
Tran tran tran … In guerra ed in amore from Act One.
Best avoided. If you want to hear this opera at its sparkling best, buy it
(complete) with the Alagna/Georghiu dream-team on
Decca
455 691-2. (£25)
Reviewer
Colin Clarke
Performance
Recording
