Search - Berlioz, Bonisolli, Zylis-Gara :: Benvenuto Cellini

Superb performance of an uneven work

madamemusico | Cincinnati, Ohio USA | 09/04/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After reading David Cairns' superb biography of Berlioz, I was eager to hear all his music, including works I had not cared for in the past and works I had only heard piecemeal. Among those were "L'Enfance du Christ," which I found to be a charming if uneven work by the composer of the Requiem and "Les Troyens"; the Te Deum, which has one or two weak passages but is otherwise a worthy companion to the Requiem; and this opera, which the Metropolitan is staging this winter with Marcello Giordani in the title role.As with "L'Enfance du Christ," "Cellini" is an uneven work, showing that Berlioz, like Wagner, did not work well under pressure. He was given comparatively little time to write it, and was in fact simultaneously working on the "Requiem" when he penned it; and yet there is much color and vivacity in the score, so much so that certain passages are literally bursting with new ideas. Like "Troyens," however, "Cellini" demands a virtuoso cast of committed singers and a conductor who can pull the disparate strands together. Unfortunately, this is exactly what did NOT happen in the historic Colin Davis recording. Tenor Nicolai Gedda, who adored this role, was in very poor voice for the sessions, which is a decided detriment in a role that calls for rapid fioratura, quick trills and high Cs coming out of your ears. To help him, Davis slowed down the tempi not only of his scenes but of the whole work, probably in order to preserve integrity of performance, and the result was rather a dull shambles.In this live performance from May 8, 1973, however, we find conductor Seiji Ozawa, a superb Berlioz conductor, literally on fire in a no-holds-barred performance. The Radio Italiana orchestra plays with incendiary passion and brilliance, and his cast is equally superb. Soprano Teresa Zylis-Gara (Teresa) was a Met mainstay of the late 1960s through the '70s; I heard her several times in the house, but sadly she left few recordings and nothing as good as this. It is a sheer delight to hear her creamy-yet-bright soprano, reminiscent at times of Mirella Freni at her best, soaring through this music. Tenor Franco Bonisolli, oft demeaned by fans and critics for his overweening narcissism both on and off stage, easily gives the performance of his life. Singing in French, which is not his native tongue, he does a superb job both dramatically and vocally, bringing the intransigent sculptor to life while limning his music with an even tone production, astoundingly clean coloratura and brilliant high notes. Only Gedda at his best or possibly Roberto Alagna could possibly perform the role as well.The supporting cast is equally excellent, especially Wolfgang Brendel as Fieramosca, Pierre Thau as Balducci and Elisabeth Steiner as Ascanio (the latter, perhaps, more dramatically than vocally). And throughout, Ozawa's conducting pulls the disparate sections together so well that he ALMOST (note, ALMOST) makes you forget the musical flaws and unevenness in the score.When I saw that this was an Opera D'Oro release, I hesitated buying it for several months as they are notorious for releasing the worst-sounding "pirate" sources extant. This recording, however, boasts 1973 state-of-the-art stereo sound--no doubt taken from RAI file master tapes, a rarity for this company. In truth, I can scarcely imagine a better-sounding recording, even today in the digital age.The only two drawbacks to this issue are the lack of a libretto--particularly frustrating in this case as "Cellini" is a rare work and inexpensive librettos are not to be found--and the fact that it cuts about 10 minutes of music. Otherwise, I highly recommend it, particularly to fans or students of Berlioz but also to those who would like to hear a French comic opera that does NOT sound like operetta (as, for instance, do the works of Auber, Lalo and their peers). Otherwise, I give this the highest amount of stars possible. I'm still reeling from brilliance of the Act 1 finale!"

Great opera, great performance, not-so-great sound recording

Judge Knott | Upper West Side, NY, NY | 12/06/2003

(3 out of 5 stars)

"There are three things to look at here: the opera "Benvenuto Cellini" itself; the interpretation and performances of the orchestra, singers, and conductors on this CD; and the actual recording made and then burned onto the CD for sale. Here we go..."Benvenuto Cellini" is a hoot! I read once in a beginner's guide to opera that Berlioz was dangerous because "he believed neither in God nor in Bach." We hear that attitude in this work. We get a full range of instruments and tones, almost as though the instruments (particularly the brass and woodwinds) were freshly hatched. There is a light, bouncy, almost inappropriate feel to this opera, as the anticipated gravitas is replaced by ludic zip and waviness, with only occasional moments of Wagnerian darkness. There is a fluidity and jauntiness that blends perfectly with the French-language text, even in spite of (or perhaps in willfull contrast to) the heavy subject matter. All in all I think it's a first-rate opera, as long as you give Berlioz a long leash and let him be his rule-breaking self. The professionals in this 1973 live performance are zesty and zealous interpreters of this very ambitious Berlioz project, and they do an impassioned, convincing job of it. Their French is quite good, and the whole zigzagging enterprise hums along with conviction. The sopranos are sharp as knives and there's a tenor sneaking about who recalls Pavorotti in his golden years. Now for the bad news, friends. The actual sound recording that you will pull off these two CDs will, in my most humble opinion, be rather disappointing. One would expect stereo by 1973, but nowhere on the packaging could I find the "STEREO" or "ADD" declaration, and the sound makes me think of tinny monaural all the way. This is particularly unfortunate here, as Berlioz was all about excess, and this opera was meant to burst at the seams. This recording, alas, in its lack of depth, holds Berlioz back.So, in conclusion, this is a price-friendly if limited and limiting 2-CD set. Its lack of libretto is another handicap. "Benvenuto Cellini," however, is a wonderful opera and this is an energized performance of it."

A bargain for Berlioz devotees - snap it up

Ralph Moore | Bishop's Stortford, UK | 07/07/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Although this is a live (concert?) performance in Rome, the audience is very well behaved and the sound very acceptable: bright and clear, only occasionally edgy (the microphones catching Teresa Zylis-Gara's fleet, fluent soprano unkindly in the higher passages); this clear sound is particularly important if you can follow the French, as of course no libretto is provided, only a brief plot summary and relatively few cues. The performance is wonderful; Ozawa is a first-class Berlioz conductor who keeps the whole comic affair zipping along but takes time to caress the beautiful melodies in the love music. Bonisolli is a revelation for those who know him only as a preening "can-belto" specialist; his French is excellent and he often sings most delicately - even some top notes are delivered gently rather than yelled but his voice rings out thrillingly when required. Zylis-Gara could sing pretty much anything - her 1970 Elvira in "Don Giovanni" with Karajan at Salzburg is lovely and I heard her in open air concert in Orange a little later; she was a delightful recitalist - and she copes easily with the considerable and varied vocal challenges apart from some the slight shrillness mentioned above (perhaps a recording problem). Brendel is fine as the buffo-baritone Fieramosca but a bit po-faced; Massard (a native Frenchman) in the Davis recording is much funnier. I don't think that Davis recording is as bad as some make out; Eda-Pierre is more idiomatic than Zylis-Gara and Gedda has his moments despite being under some strain, but this version is even more enjoyable especially in the zest and swagger of the big ensembles. Why isn't this opera more popular and more often performed? It's so original and both genuinely funny and moving - with some great tunes (as Berlioz well knew, which is why he recycled them in the Carnaval Romain overture). Shame about the absence of a libretto - but I use this as a supplement to the Davis set and use the libretto from that, even though there are some different scene sequences to negotiate.



This is a substantially cut version of the 1852 Weimar revision; for as complete a score as you can get, try the latest excellent set conducted by John Nelson (see my review)."