Search - Pablo Elvira, Pietro Mascagni, James Levine :: Mascagni: Cavalleria Rusticana

Outstanding performance of a great opera.

D. R. Schryer | Poquoson, VA United States | 09/21/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Mascagni wrote Cavalleria Rusticana as an entry in a competition for a one-act opera. His entry not only won the competition but quickly became a phenomenal success -- and deservedly so. Cavalleria Rusticana is a genuine masterpiece and one of the few operas which is beautiful from beginning to end with no dry spots. In this outstanding recording the principal roles are sung flawlessly, and with both beauty and passion, by tenor Placido Domingo and soprano Renata Scotto. The supporting cast is also quite good and James Levine conducts the National Philharmonic Orchestra (an all-star British recording orchestra) superbly. If you have come to think of Cavalleria Rusticana simply as an old "warhorse" which merely serves as the stablemate for twin-bill performances with Pagliacci please listen to this great recording with unbiased ears. You will discover that Cavalleria Rusticana -- despite it relatively short length -- is one of the most beautiful operas ever written."

Great performance

dolcissima2780 | Pennsylvania, USA | 06/17/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"What a great performance of this opera! Scotto and Domingo make this recording truly come alive. The supporting cast and orchestra are also very good. Before I heard this recording, I was not a fan of Italian opera, but now I can't get enough of it. Renata Scotto's voice is powerful, yet not overbearing and screeching like many other prima donnas. Placido Domingo steals the show with his flawless interpretation of Turridu. Although a fairly short opera, Cavalleria Rusticana is pure Italian drama that deserves more recognition. A "must have" at a great price. Please don't pass this one up!"

As good as "Cav" gets

madamemusico | Cincinnati, Ohio USA | 09/25/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Mascagni's one-act opera "Cavalleria Rusticana," derided by many after its premiere as being crude, low-class and unworthy of survival, has indeed survived changing operatic fashions to become one of the world's most popular operas. I find it to be an interesting work, not on the highest level of art but an interesting conflict between an unrepentant philanderer and the wronged husband who eventually brings him down.



Over the years there have been many recordings of this opera, from Callas-DiStefano to no less than 2 versions featuring Jussi Bjorling, 2 versions featuring Franco Corelli, plus versions with Del Monaco, Domingo, Pavarotti, etc etc etc. This mid-'70s entry didn't sound all that good when it was on vinyl, but now that it's been through the digital remastering phase it sounds pretty excellent.



Domingo sings in a fairly monotonous, snarly manner, but this suits Turiddu to a T; plus, he was in fabulous voice. Renata Scotto, who at this stage in her career was definitely on the downslide, does have some odd, unfocused and/or wobbly notes, but her interpretation is second only to the legendary Lina Bruna-Rasa on the old Gigli version, and here James Levine conducts much better tempi than Mascagni himself who s-l-o-w-e-d the opera down as he got older.



The real "find" and surprise in the set is Pablo Elvira, a fine baritone who only spent a couple of seasons at the Metropolitan Opera, as Alfio. He sings both dramatically and incisively; listen to his "Il cavallo scalpita," it is the briskest AND finest on records.



Overall this set is much better than the vastly overrated Milanov-Bjorling-Merrill recording on RCA, mostly because Milanov, though in excellent voice, simply sounds too heavy and matronly to be taken seriously as Santuzza. Scotto, for all her vocal problems, sounds terrific."