Search - Carlo Tagliabue, Maria Caniglia, Ernesto Dominici :: Verdi: La Forza del Destino (complete opera, recorded 1941)

Almost perfect " La FORZA .."

ohan k. hovsepian | 03/08/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"the ALMOST PERFECT in my title is because i didn't care for the fra melitone a higher voice than the usual basso buffo, of course the ideal on the MET live broadcast of jan 23 1943 with salvatore bacaloni, the rest of the cast is the kind wherein you sit back and let go. the great Tancredi Pasero is the padre Guardiano matched only by Ezio pinza, starting with Cesare Siepi and onwards nobody comes close. Carlo Tagliabue was a surprise to me from the older Tagliabue that i was familar with, his Don Carlo is the real thing we Opera Lovers go back with this character to the early days of recording the Pasquale Amato duets with Caruso to every great baritones recording of the Act III 'Morir Tremenda Cosa..... Urna Fatale Del Mio Destino 'there is no comparison with the complete recording don carlos' that i have heard Lawrence Tibbett, Ettore Bastianini, Aldo Protti, Gian Giacomo Guelfi . Even in the one aforementioned aria the character of the younger Calatrava jumps out at you, so we have heard a handful of baritones. What do you want me to say about Ebe Stegnani that one has not said or heard before let me say it 'The one and only Preziosilla' she is superb. Galliano Masini, no relationship to the legendary Angelo Masini (1844-1926) who left no recordings, the Don Alvaro of this Gino Marinuzzi recording is just the right voice for this role you will argue from Martinelli , Pertile, Gigli, lauri volpi to Del Monaco, Corelli, DI Stefano. Masini just brings out this character believeably the brash hot headed lover killing the marquis then the fierce 'capitan Don Federico Herreros'to the monk padre Raffaele. Our Leonora is non other than Maria Caniglia a beautiful voice partnered with Gigli on treasurable complete recordings of Tosca, Aida, Un ballo etc. One of the great divas of LA Scala. A GREAT leonora.
The conductor is G. Marinuzzi who stands shoulder to shoulder with Vittotio Gui, L. molajoli and Carlo Sabajno if he just carries on this performance with full consideration to the voices perfect with and without them."

Magnificent 'Forza'

Raymond M. Bercse | 04/23/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In 1941, Cetra records gathered some of Italy's finest singers for the first recording of La Forza Del Destino. This timeless classic remains the finest recorded account of Verdi's masterpiece. Maria Canigilia as Donna Leonora displays sumptuous tones abetted by great vibrancy and ringing authority. Galliano Masini as Don Alvaro has clarion tones and ringing high notes, but occasional nasality creeps into his singing. He fills the role with pathos and pervasive sadness. Carlo Tagliabue as Don Carlo combines nobility and wonderfully rich tones with a touch of sardonic villainly. Tancredi Pasero as Padre Guardiano is the most sonorous on disc, properly ominous but sympathetic. Saturno Meletti as Fra Melitone provides comic relief and has a very fine voice. Ebe Stignani as Preziosills sings with great zest, and her velvety voice and brilliant high notes are a vocal feast.Gino Marinuzzi conducts with great verve and lively tempi, yet he gives the singers enough space without breaking the tension of the music. This is a peerless performance recorded in good sound for its age."

Fantastic "Forza," slightly abridged

madamemusico | Cincinnati, Ohio USA | 04/24/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"One of the vagaries of historic reissues is that they often disappear soon after they are issued. This is one case in point: I wrote a review of another label's issue of this performance, but it has since disappeared and this one taken its place, so I will try to recreate the magic of this performance in words.Plain and simply, this is the best "Forza" ever committed to disc. Forget that the "La minnacie" duet is truncated. Forget that the tenor Masini glots as a way of expressing emotion. Even forget the rather sloppy orchestral chords at the beginning of the final trio (after "Pace, mio Dio"). Excepting Masini's glotting, it is very musically and accurately sung by all concerned, everyone is in great voice (even the sometimes-quirky Caniglia and the baritone Tagliabue who later re-recorded this role in very dry voice), and the orchestra plays with beauty and elasticity under the baton of the forgotten Gino Marinucci. Pride of place goes to Ebe Stignani, the Preziosilla...has there EVER been another to match her?? I don't think so...and with a magnificent Preziosilla, this opera really congeals and takes off. If one forgives Masini for his glots one will discover an electric tenor voice, more brilliant and less tense-sounding than Giovanni Martinelli, less irritating to the ear than Pertile, more musical than Corelli. And Tancredi Pasero is simply magnificent here....he was EVERYONE'S favorite Italian bass after Pinza, even Toscanini loved and used him frequently. You will not go wrong to purchase this recording, listen to it and treasure it, for it is a treasure."