Search - Franz Joseph Haydn, Richard Bonynge, Scottish National Orchestra :: Haydn: Orfeo ed Euridice

Sutherland in Her Prime, But What Awful Sound

Eugene G. Barnes | Dunn Loring, VA USA | 03/08/2001

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Devotees of Dame Joan will probably want to give this CD set 5 stars because her performance is awesome. But I must be a responsible reporter and tell you that the quality of the sound (my guess is it's an analog tape made on a modest recorder of the time [1967], possibly surreptitiously, during a live performance) is way below the expectations of most listeners today, muffled and verging on distortion. It will simply be too difficult for most people to appreciate the opera given the bad sound. Also, the set doesn't include the customary libretto, and you can't really follow along with the small outline of the story provided.Nicolai Gedda is a surprisingly game Orfeo, really getting into the role and singing his heart out. The other singers are more than sufficient and professional. Bonynge conducts a rather ragged Scottish Opera Orchestra and Chorus. One other note on Sutherland: Her lower notes are very large and "produced" (for lack of a better term), so she is easily heard throughout her entire vocal range. She never pushed like that in studio recordings of the era.And if you don't know any Haydn operas yet, it's way past time for you to do so! He wrote many, and they're all delightfully tuneful and meltingly harmonious. Try a modern recording of this opera (Bartoli just released her own version of "Orfeo") or any one of the other operas he wrote. You won't be disappointed. But leave this recording for off-the-deep-end opera buffs and Sutherland afficionados."