Search - Verdi, Gobbi, Christoff :: Simon Boccanegra

Verdian Royalty

Impostazione | New York City Area | 04/26/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Simon Boccanegra is an exceptional opera in every way. The music is varied, seeming to come distinctly from all three of Verdi's compositional periods. If one is well versed in Verdi you may be reminded of Otello, Falstaff, Don Carlo, even Corsaro when listening. This music has the pulse of the earlier works, the dramatic pointedness of the middle works, and the greatness and pastoral qualities which occur occasionally in the very last works. It is lovely and altogether unique.



This recording is one of par excellence. The conducting is precise and driven and by turns delicate and warm. The singers are fabulous. de los Angeles gives a beautiful accented Verdian performance. She makes the most ravishing sounds imaginable. She displays power, accent, delicate phrasing, sweetness, legato and womanliness all by turns. The discovery however is Mr. Campora, who is a true Verdian. He sings burnished tones with the devil in his veins. His phrasings are long and accented, his pianissimi softly shaded, his tone is passionate even if at times quite tight. He had all that Carlo Bergonzi had and even squillo, which Mr. B did not have. I am amazed at his Verdian style. Christoff gives a great performance as does Mr. Gobbi.



It is a great well-rounded performance!"

A Must-Have for Verdi Fans

Birdman | Minnetonka, MN USA | 03/16/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Here it is, fully remastered, with classic performances by Christoff and Gobbi. Except for Abbado's digital version on DGG, there's no better "Simon" on record. Certainly the sound is still dry and the pace of conducting a bit brisk at times, but the entire performance, not the least of which the prelude and first act, are delivered beautifully."

An enthralling - if not quite perfect - performance

Ralph Moore | Bishop's Stortford, UK | 09/02/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'd be mad not to give this recording 5 stars and its merits are too obvious and well-rehearsed to make it worthwhile detailing them - but it's not without a few minor flaws. First, the mono sound - but that's crisp and clear and simply isn't an issue when the singing and playing are as good this - it's simply a little frustrating that no-one saw fit to record it in stereo when the technology was already available. The singing of the male principals is superlative - Campora included, although he is usually accorded a very subordinate place in the honours list when compared with Gobbi and Christoff. Some may have reservations about De los Angeles, although mine are about her voice in general, not with her assumption of this particular role, which is touchingly, credibly done; you can really believe in her love both for her father and for her hot-headed suitor, but the top of the voice is always a touch strained and acid, not ideally floated as Te Kanawa used to do in this role. But these minor cavils are wholly negligible when you take the performance as a whole; it's one of the best characterized and most expressively sung in the catalogue.



Having sung its praises, I'd be remiss not to mention the alternatives: the "dream cast" version expertly conducted by Panizza and nobly sung by Tibbett, Rethberg and Pinza, in an elderly (1939) but very listenable Met radio broadcast, and the modern Abbado set, beautifully sung by Cappuccilli, Freni and Ghiaurov in ideal modern sound.

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