This is the last of
Arts Music’s recordings of Verdi’s great
middle period trio. They are derived
from studio performances recorded in
Germany between 1973 and 1977.
The 1975 La Traviata
is the soundtrack of a TV recording.
Conducted by the Verdi stylist and specialist
Lamberto Gardelli, and with Mirella
Freni as Violetta, I gave it a warm
welcome in my earlier review. Issued
contemporaneously was a 1973 recording
of Il Trovatore (review).
Whether that Il Trovatore was
connected with any TV transmission was
not made clear, nor is it with this
studio Rigoletto. Otherwise the
only link between the three issues is
the presence of Franco Bonisolli in
the tenor lead of each. On stage he
cut a fine dashing figure. His singing
is always ardent but sometimes excessively
so to the point of coarseness, as I
noted in Il Trovatore. In this
Rigoletto, his opening Questa
o quella is appropriately light-hearted
and sung with clear open-throated tenor
tone (CD1 tr.2). Better still is his
heartfelt rendering of Ella mi fu
rapita…Parmi veder le lagrime (CD
1 tr.10) as the Duke wonders what has
happened to Gilda; there is no reprise
of Questa o quella as the track-listing
indicates. But best of all is his vocal
élan in La Donna e mobile
(CD 2 tr. 3) where he varies his modulation
and phrases with care. Maybe I should
have expected this sensitivity to the
nuance of the words from his careful
matching of the singing of his Gilda,
Margherita Rinaldi, at the conclusion
of their act one love duet. Far too
often tenors sing at their partner
at this point as if they were a few
streets away. Here, the pair duet on
a falling diminuendo in a most sensitive
and appealing manner (CD 1 tr.7). Margherita
Rinaldi is a light-toned Gilda in the
act one scena and in her aria, Gualter
Malde, as she muses on the name
the incognito Duke has given her (CD
1 tr.8). Although giving the impression
of having to reach for some of the higher
notes she manages the coloratura with
only the slightest sign of strain. In
Tutte le feste, as Gilda confesses
to her father her deceit at meeting
the Duke, and the consequences, she
fields more colour to her tone (CD 2
tr.2). This has the effect of accentuating
the slight fluttery vibrato of her earlier
aria.
Whatever the virtues
of the other principals, any performance
of Rigoletto depends on the name
part. In this recording Rolando Panerai
is a mixed blessing. Far too often he
puts too much pressure on his big voice
for dramatic effect and his tone becomes
unduly harsh and even thin. This detracts
from his characterisation in parts of
both Pari siamo (CD 1 tr. 5)
and Cortigiani, vil razza dannata
(CD 2 tr.1). In the latter his beseeching
of Marullo is well done with welcome
variation of tonal colour. Just what
range of tonal colour can be found in
this role is well shown by Giuseppe
Taddei in the Warner re-issue of the
1950s Cetra recording. That set also
has the sensitive singing of Ferruccio
Tagliavini as the Duke. review).
Whilst that performance is at a comparative
price level to this bargain price Arts
issue, its mono and rather boxed sound
cannot compete.
Of the other singers
on this issue, Bengt Rundgren’s Sparafucile
is strongly sung (CD 1 tr. 4 and CD
2 tr.5) whilst Viorica Cortez brings
rich tones to Maddalena’s persuading
of her brother to renege on his deal
with Rigoletto and kill the next person
to enter their house, rather than the
Duke. The minor roles are variably sung
with the Monterone being particularly
weak.
The stereo recording
is set at a very low level with the
voices well forward of the orchestra
to the extent that the opening prelude
is far too quiet and does not convey
the coming drama. This balance also
restricts the impact of the storm in
act three. It’s also a barrier to realistic
assessment of Molinari-Pradelli’s generally
supportive conducting.
The booklet has a track-listing,
a synopsis in three languages and a
full libretto in Italian without any
translation. I cannot understand why
the whole of act two was not put on
CD 2; there is more than enough space.
It should be noted that the total disc
timing for CD 1 given in the listing
is wrong, as is the timing given for
the prelude; no Rigoletto prelude lasts
over five minutes! I have given the
correct timing above.
Robert J Farr
Chorus and orchestra of the StaatsoperDresden/Francesco
Molinari-Pradelli 
