Giuseppe Verdi Claudio Abbado Alla Scala Theater Orchestra amp Chorus

The ultimate she-devil

Julian Grant | London, Beijing, New York | 08/03/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There is tough competition for the best recording of 'Macbeth', but for me the combination of Abbado's explosive and rhythmically taut way with the score and Shirley Verrett's tour de force as Lady Macbeth give this one the edge. Verdi famously maintained he wanted a 'she devil' in the role of Lady Macbeth, and it is a role that has been essayed by both sopranos and mezzos, with varying success. Fiorenza Cossotto (in the rival EMI Muti version) has more idiomatic Italian and forward projection, but sounds generalized and rantingly melodramatic besides this much subtler performance. The variety of tone colours Verrett produces is awesome - the duet with Macbeth (a more than usually involved Piero Cappuccilli) is a locus classicus of opera as theatre. She has the heft and volume when needed (I don't understand the gramophone critic's reservation about Verrett's top notes - they ring out thrillingly) and yet produces an extraordinary performance of the Sleepwalking scene that once heard, haunts the memory - complete with perfectly placed pianissimo top Db. Cappuccilli sings with burnished tone and is suitably histrionic in the Banqueting scene, though not as alert to nuance as Giuseppe Taddei on the Schippers set (alas not recommendable, despite a strong performance from Birgit Nilsson, as it is a Schippers edition with perfectly idiotic cuts, snipping away at some of Verdi's revised moments.) No this is the one to have, Domingo and Ghiaurov give strong support, Abbado's way with the music, from the rum-ti-tum witches and the ballet to the Lady Macbeth scenas and pre-murder duet with Macbeth, the dark heart of this uneven but fascinating score, is fervent and Toscanini-like in its precision, and above all Verrett's mesmerizing performance give this one the palm. It's a classic of the gramophone, buy it, a bargain at mid-price."

A great Macbeth

Jay Dickson | Portland, OR | 01/03/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Despite its unevenness of sophistication, in that it sometimes lurches back and forth between naive barrelthumping choruses (a la IL TROVATORE) and highly nuanced and thoughtful character studies (a la OTELLO), MACBETH may remain my alltime favorite Verdi opera, in that this change of tone is so perfectly suited to the material. Verdi was really trying something new here, and the excitement of his ability to set Shakespeare to music (and perhaps add a different dimension to it) shows throughout . Abbado's recording here is considered one of the best, and justly so: the conducting is very fine and crisp, and the production is genuinely exciting.Just as all versions of the play rise and fall on their leads, so too do all versions of the opera depend on theirs, and there are few finer Macbeths and Lady macbeths than you'll find here. Shirley Verrett may have been one of the greatest of all Lady Macbeths, and she's spectacular here: she's not only terrifying in her Letter Aria but just as equally convincingly attractive (if sternly powerful) in the Brindisi. The sleepwalking scene is perhaps the finest aria Verdi ever wrote, and is in and of itself a miniature lesson in the power of what opera can do to extend pity and terror in drama (just listen to that chillingly accusative English horn rising at the end of each measure!), and here Verrett does not disappoint. Although many other of the best Lady Macbeths, such as Leonie Rysanek and Maria Callas, *act* the scene out more dramatically--gasping, for example, on the second syllable of the last "immaginar"--, Verrett achieves her effects in a different manner, almost entirely by her choice of dynamics. She may be more controlled, but every bit as memorable."

Cappucilli and Verrett Astound

Jay Dickson | 08/05/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am thrilled with this recording. It is true that the duet between Cappucilli and Verret is amazing, it transports you right to the castle adn you can taste the varrying emotions in Cappucilli's voice. Verrett is a scarry Lady Macbeth, I feel genuinely intimidated by her throughout the recording. I do feel that her high note aren't quite as full as I would like to hear them, but maybe their shrilness is appropriate. Of all the Macbeth's currently available this is my recommendation. I would like very much to purchase the recording with Nilsson but I am unable to find it. Anyone have any clue on that one? Anyway if you're looking for the best one available, get this one."

The Perfect Macbeth: The Best Studio Recording

Jay Dickson | 12/30/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Opera's brand-name composer Giuseppe Verdi was fond of Shakespeare's plays. He knew that the Shakespeare tragedies would make great operas so his librettist set the libretto directly from the Shakespeare dramas. Verdi's other Shakespearean operas include Othello and the comedy Falstaff. Macbeth, his first Shakespeare opera, is a dramatic showscase, musically and vocally. The lead roles call for a lot of fire in the voice and in the acting. This 70's recording is superb and the best studio recording available. Many would argue that the best recording is that of Herbert Karajan conductiong with Leonie Rysanek in the role of Lady Macbeth. That version is melodramatic, intense and really quite extraordinaty. However, this version is nothing to bash. It's second best at most. The orchestration is magnificent- controlled but intense when called for. The singers are also controlled, trying not to overdo the drama. Contributing to the success of this recording are the talents of baritone Piero Cappuccilli, one of the greats and tenor Placido Domingo. Interpreting Lady Macbeth is dramatic soprano Shirley Verret. Verrett is a fine singing -actress with an incredible chest voice- Shirley Verrett, an African American soprano often compared to Grace Bumbry, starterd her career as a mezzo soprano and then made the transition into the drama-diva, heavier repertoire, including Bellini's Norma. Verrett is a bold and fresh new approach at Lady Macbeth. In the scenes in which Lady Macbeth is furious and vengeful and spewing ambitious schemes of glory she sounds very convingcing- i.e. the Letter Scene. The Mad Scene, also known as the Sleepwalking Scene, she is restrained and avoids the hysteria and melodramatic singing often delivered by sopranos, like Maria Callas and Leonie Rysanek before her. Verrett is still sensational.The opera, true to the Shakespeare play, follows the fall of Macbeth and his wife Lady Macbeth who urges her husband to kill the King of Scotland. Set in a Gothic and dreary landscape, the opera contains chilling scenes- the murder of the king, the evil threesome of witches who predict Macbeth's fate, the ghost of Banquo and the demise of Macbeth. The opera, Shakespeare's darkest, is a warning and cautionary tale not to be so ambitious as to be corrupted by power."

Hands Down The Best: Not Even Callas Surpasses

Jay Dickson | 07/10/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Everyone has a favorite Lady Macbeth or Macbeth recording. But for me this one is a Macbeth that even Callas might have envied. Callas is a good singer, no doubt, any opera cognoscente will tell you that and her Lady Macbeth was sensational, but for me dramatic soprano Shirley Verrett captured the spirit of the character vocally and dramatically in her performance. She was already treading new ground like her peers Leontyne Price and Grace Bumbry by singing soprano roles normally associated with white singers. Verrett was in good voice at the time of this recording and she is blessed to be surrounded by a powerful cast- Piero Cappucilli as Macbeth, Claudio Abbado conducting. Placido Domingo sings MacDuff in a minor role but one that suits him well. Abbado found the authentic original score, complete with longer extended music and scenas and makes this recording the most satisfying of them all and certainly the closest to Verdi's vision. Verdi would have himself applauded Shirley Verrett as the ultimate Lady Macbeth. The sound is crisp and powerful, the singers are doing a heck of a job and opera lovers cannot miss out on this one. It's a recording highly recommended by most audiophiles and it's on the top lists of many opera recording scholars. Formerly a mezzo soprano, Verrett took on the heavier roles of Aida, Tosca and Norma with bravura and dramatic flair, never missing in anything. She is a singer who always focused on the drama first, decorative singing later. She didn't want to sing the role initially, so she says in her autobiography "I Never Walked Alone"- the role is too dark, after all its Lady Macbeth who spurs her husband Macbeth to commit murder to become king. Shes a devil of a woman who is later overcome by guilt and goes mad. Verrett is awesome in the Sleepwalking Scene. She is not melodramatic, she is not crazy, she is sleepwalking in a detached, bizarre manner that fits the mood and character. Callas and Leonie Rysanek, who once replaced an ill Callas as Lady Macbeth, merely make the role dramatic but Verrett goes a little further. She adds a deeper integrity to the role. By all means, get this recording and let it be a Macbeth to treasure.

Others to look for: Maria Callas, Leonye Rysanek, Elena Soliotis."

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