One of the most popular
operas in the repertoire, La Boheme
has been very fortunate on record.
All the great divas of the second half
of the twentieth century have set down
their Mimi interpretations at least
once. Likewise all the great tenors
of the period recorded Rodolfo. Gigli’s
can be heard (Naxos) as well as Tebaldi’s
first, ethereal, Mimi (Decca). Competitors
were blown out of the water by the last
minute 1956 New York recording with
Jussi Björling and Victoria de
los Angeles (Beecham, EMI). Although
only recorded in mono that set overshadowed
later stereo rivals. These included
Decca’s 1959 meritorious re-make with
Tebaldi as Mimi. Bergonzi proved a match
for Björling in terms of elegance
and tonal beauty. In the 1960s both
EMI and RCA who had a stake in the Beecham
recording, made stereo versions that
made few waves. Decca, keen to get Karajan
back in their studios for a recorded
opera, set him up with his Berlin Phil
and their star young tenor, Pavarotti,
for a recording of the opera made in
Berlin in October 1972. The performance
tempi and portamento owe as much to
the conductor as to the composer, but
with Mirella Freni a magical Mimi and
a good all-round cast in a superb recording
it remains a firm personal favourite.
Throughout the 1960s
and the early 1970s, until they committed
too much finance to developing a rather
hair-brained playback method for quadraphonic
sound, RCA were very busy in the studios
building up an enviable repertoire particularly
of Italian operas. They had the strong
male duo of Placido Domingo and Sherrill
Milnes on their books and an excellent
relationship with Montserrat Caballé
who had made a memorable series of recital
discs of rare bel canto and early Verdi
arias for them as well as complete opera
recordings (review).
With the Erich Leinsdorf no longer in
the frame they looked for a star conductor
to make a competitive Boheme.
In 1963, during their association with
Decca, RCA had ‘borrowed’ Solti for
their Rome recordings of Rigoletto
and Falstaff. They turned
to him even though he had not at that
time conducted the work in the opera
house.
Caballé and
Domingo were in London in July 1973
to record Boito’s Mefistofele for
EMI. Caballé then took a day
off to give a private recital for the
British Royal family at Leeds Castle
before meeting the rest of the cast
at Solti’s home the following day. There
the conductor ordered them to put away
their own scores and use those of the
Ricordi Edition he provided. They were
told to forget all the old slovenly
routines and traditions they were used
to. At the recording sessions a proper
act 4 was set down first, after which
Domingo and Caballé were in despair
about the rigidity of Solti’s tight-reined
interpretation. They pleaded with the
veteran producer to intervene. He did
so and an uneasy modus operandi ensued
whereby the singers were allowed a little
more license to expand their phrasing.
Even without the foregoing
information, taken from Caballé’s
somewhat eulogistic biography by Pullen
and Taylor (Gollancz 1994), the tensions
of the recording come out in the performance,
sometimes to dramatic benefit, at others
less so. After a tentative start to
Mi chiamano Mimi (CD 1 tr. 10)
when the Diva, queen of mezza and
sotto voce singing, lightens
her tone to sound rather over-girlish
and in doing so has a moment of uneven
legato, Caballé gives a considerable
performance and interpretation. Her
best singing comes with Rodolfo in Donde
lieta usci (CD 2 tr. 7) whilst even
under Solti’s rigidity she breathes
sotto voce pathos in Sono
andante as she recollects her earlier
life with her lover and dies (CD 2 trs.
16-17). Domingo is less than sensitive
in his Che gelida manina (CD
1 tr. 10) singing at, rather than to,
Mimi; he hectors rather than woos her.
However, in the duet O soave Fanciulla
CD 1 tr. 13) he is more gentle in tone
and phrasing whilst Caballé finishes
on a pianissimo top C without breaking
breath from the preceding phrase. Elsewhere
Domingo’s singing is secure and either
virile or sensitive as befits the sentiments
of the moment. Sherrill Milnes as Marcello
sings with freedom and expression throughout,
whether in angst at Musetta’s antics
(CD 1 tr. 17) or in counselling Rodolfo
(CD 2 tr. 5). Ruggero Raimondi as Colline
sings a steady and eloquent full-toned
farewell to his overcoat (CD 2 tr 14)
and Judith Blegen, who didn’t get too
many recording opportunities, is a Musetta
characterful and ample of tone (CD 1
tr. 18). The recording is clear and
well balanced.
The professionalism
of four of the principal singers, who
provided the backbone of many Italian
opera recordings in the 1970s and later,
saves this performance from being the
disaster it might have been given the
fraught nature of the relationships.
Whilst not challenging the most sympathetic
and admired recordings it is by no means
even in the bottom half among the extensive
alternates. Fans of any of the principals
can gainfully listen.
Via the enhanced CDs
a full libretto can be accessed using
a PC. The booklet synopsis is not easy
to read and, given the unused space
on the pages, would have benefited from
the use of a larger font size. The date
of the recording is given vaguely as
1974. I give the exact 1973 dates above.
Robert J Farr
Rodolfo, Placido Domingo (ten); Mimi, Montserrat
Caballé (sop); Marcello, Sherrill Milnes
(bar); Musetta, Judith Blegen (sop); Schaunard,
Vincente Sardinero (bar); Colline, Ruggero Raimondi
(bass); Alcindoro, Nico Castel (ten); Benoit,
Noel Mangin (bass) 
