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Verdi: Otello
Giuseppe Verdi, Alberto Erede, NHK Symphony Orchestra
Verdi: Otello
Genre: Classical
 
  •  Track Listings (23) - Disc #1
  •  Track Listings (21) - Disc #2

Tenor Mario del Monaco's voice is a taste one either has or hasn't. His lungs seem to be made of leather, and the vocal production is somewhat nasal, but there's no denying that he's a force of nature. Here, all his debits...  more »

     
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CD Details

All Artists: Giuseppe Verdi, Alberto Erede, NHK Symphony Orchestra, Anna di Stasio, Gabriele de Julius, Gabriella Tucci, Mario del Monaco, Plinio Clabassi, Takao Okamura, Tito Gobbi
Title: Verdi: Otello
Members Wishing: 0
Total Copies: 0
Label: Opera D'oro
Release Date: 8/25/1998
Genre: Classical
Style: Opera & Classical Vocal
Number of Discs: 2
SwapaCD Credits: 2
UPC: 723723360823

Synopsis

Amazon.com
Tenor Mario del Monaco's voice is a taste one either has or hasn't. His lungs seem to be made of leather, and the vocal production is somewhat nasal, but there's no denying that he's a force of nature. Here, all his debits and credits are evident. Del Monaco is partnered with the wicked Iago of Tito Gobbi, who cajoles him into lunacy. Gobbi was also in very fresh voice here, leaping the hurdles of Iago's Drinking Song and Dream with élan. Gabriella Tucci's Desdemona is superficial, but she sings well and makes us sympathize with her character. The rest of the cast is good, but both orchestra and chorus are not up to international standards. Alberto Erede's lightning-fast tempi go hand in hand with the all-stops-out approach of del Monaco's Otello. Characters occasionally go off-mike and there's some pre-echo, but otherwise, the 1959 live-in-Tokyo sound is acceptable. In short, a roller-coaster Otello filled with excitement. --Robert Levine
 

CD Reviews

Extraordinary performance!!
04/16/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have quite a few live performance recordings, but this one indeed is a very pleasant surprise. First of all the sonics on this recording are quite commendable, especially for a live recording. The coughing and figitting that one usually becomes accustomed to in live recordings have been kept to a minimum in this performance,as a matter of fact, one has to keep reminding oneself that this is NOT a studio recording. The lead singers, Del Monaco (in his prime), Gobbi (also in his prime), and Tucci (in HER prime) are all in exemplary voice. There is such an excitement in this recording that one usually finds absent in the studio recordings. Erede's conducting is masterful. The one drawback is that there is just a synopsis and no libretto, but that is such a small price to pay considering the high quality of the performance and the bargain price of this recording. If you are a connoisseur of great singing, live performances, or the opera Otello you MUST own this recording."
A Gripping Otello
Paul A. Dunphy | Bogota, New Jersey USA | 05/19/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Both Del Monaco and Gobbi recorded this opera separately in the studio and both were considered peerless in their interpretations. The electricity between the two here is reminiscent of the greatest performances of Shakespeare's play. Mario Del Monaco does not overact the way he does on both his studio recordings. This is also the only complete recording (to my knowledge) of Gabriella Tucci's celebrated Desdemona. Her excessive vibrato can be a little off-putting at first but, once one is accustomed to it, her's is a first-class interpretation. The sound is quite good and the Tokyo audience extremely enthusiastic. All in all, a great performance at a great price."
What is wrong with this record?
Fábio Brianezi Giraldez | 12/13/2000
(3 out of 5 stars)

"Although Gobbi/del Monaco performance seems to have been fantastic, I disagree with amazon.com review about the quality of the sound. Indeed, there is little noise for a 1959 live record, but for some reason which i can't understand Mario del Monaco sounds distant,as if he was backstage almost all the time. On the ther hand, Gobbi must have been singing right in front of the microphone. Also the echo is irritating!I was a bit disappointed with this record."