Wolfgang Amadeus
MOZART (1756–1791)
Così fan tutte:
1. Non siate ritrosi [2:33]
2. Donne miei la fate a tanti
[3:03]
Vincenzo BELLINI
(1801–1835)
I puritani:
3. Or dovefuggo io mai? … Ah! per
sempre io ti … Bel sogno beato [7:55]
Gioachino ROSSINI
(1792–1868)
Il barbiere di Siviglia:
4. Largo al factotum della città
[4:57]
Giuseppe VERDI
(1813–1901)
Il trovatore:
5. Il balen del suo sorriso [3:13]
La traviata:
6. Di Provenza il mar, il suol
[4:19]
Rigoletto:
7. Pari siamo! … Figlia! Mio padre!
[9:06]
8. Chi e mai [5:11]
Otello:
9. Vanne; La tua meta gia vedo ...
Credo in un Dio crudel [4:39]
10. E qual certenza … Era la notte
[3:38]
Ruggero LEONCAVALLO
(1858–1919)
Pagliacci:
11. Prologue: Si può? Si può?
[7:53]
Umberto GIORDANO
(1867–1948)
Andrea Chenier:
12. Nemico della patria [4:32]
Giancarlo MENOTTI
(1911–2007)
Amelia al ballo:
13. Non si va! … Amelia cara
[11:47]
Rolando Panerai had
a long and distinguished career. Born
in 1924 he made his debut in 1947. As
recently as 2000 he could be seen in
a French TV production of La traviata
opposite José Cura and Eteri
Gvazava, still with his voice in good
shape.
On the present disc
Nimbus have collected some early Columbia
recordings, including a long excerpt
from the complete I puritani,
which was his first commercial recording.
There he sang opposite Callas, Di Stefano
and Rossi-Lemeni. The first two tracks
are from the legendary Karajan recording
of Così fan tutte with
Schwarzkopf, Simoneau and Bruscantini
- still regarded as one of the best
versions ever. Both these sets have
recently been reissued by Naxos. The
rest of the material is a recital with
standard arias and a long excerpt from
Menotti’s Amelia al ballo from
La Scala. All of this was recorded before
he turned 30. We hear a healthy youthful
voice, quite lyrical. In fact he retained
a certain lightness all through his
career, which also allowed him to take
on Mozart roles quite late. His Guglielmo
is truly charming and elegant, challenging
Erich Kunz on the roughly contemporaneous
Decca recording. His characteristic
quick vibrato is easily recognizable.
He doesn’t sound completely comfortable
in the Puritani scene, a bit
insecure and slightly off-pitch a couple
of times, but I imagine there were nerves
at this premiere recording. In the recital,
recorded half a year later, he is much
more confident. He is a lively barber,
a little pinched at the top. Il balen
from Il trovatore is given a
sensitive lyrical reading of the kind
he also sang in his complete recording
for Karajan a few years later. He is
a bit over-emphatic in Germont’s Provence
aria from Traviata but again
his hallmark is sensitivity. His Rigoletto
may not be tortured enough but he is
expressive and has deep insight nevertheless.
He is partnered by the young Mattiwilda
Dobbs in the duet from act 1 and also
in the final scene of the opera, starting
a few pages before the duet Lassù
in cielo. Ms Dobbs sings delightfully
but is a bit cool and maybe she is too
soubrettish.
For Iago’s Credo
from Otello Panerai very appropriately
darkens his voice and applies a harder
tone in an expressive reading that is
clearly modelled on Gobbi’s even then
legendary 1940s recording. Truth to
tell Panerai has the better voice though
the older singer makes an even more
detailed villain. Still this is Panerai
at his best. He is oily and insinuating
in Era la notte and both the
Pagliacci prologue and the taxing
aria from Andrea Chenier are
splendidly sung. The scene from Menotti’s
Amelia al ballo is a rarity but
we are offered spirited singing from
Panerai and also from Margherita Carosio
in the title role. The Ravelian orchestra
is a great asset too.
Generally the reproduction
of the orchestra isn’t that impressive
– quite murky in fact in the opening
numbers. However one soon adjusts to
it. Even though we are not treated to
the highest of fidelity the sound is
acceptable, considering that it’s the
singing that is the main thing here.
Rolando was one of
the most reliable baritones in the Italian
repertoire for several decades. It is
good to have him in these central roles.
"One of the most beautiful baritone
voices of the 20th Century"
writes Alan Bilgora in the liner-notes
and it is not difficult to endorse that
verdict.
Göran Forsling
NIMBUS
Prima voce NI 7949 [72:46]
