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Recently I acquired another two recordings of
Donizetti's "Don Pasquale" and "L'elisir
d'amore" into my collection. Both these
pieces are well-known and don't need any kind
of introduction. Saying that the works have
received numerous recordings would be a very
big understatement: according to one of the
best sites for discographies,
operadis-opera-discography.org.uk, there are,
respectively, 62 and 77 recordings of the
operas. I have several recordings of the
operas with which I am pretty happy: Abbado's
recording of "Don Pasquale" with Allen, Mei,
Lopardo and Scimone's "L'elisir" with
Carreras, Ricciarelli, Trimarchi and Nucci
would have to be the highlights... At least,
they were before I bought the two new ones.
Heinz Wallberg was a German conductor. He
became principal music director in Augsburg
in 1954, and in Bremen in 1955, concluding in
both posts in 1960. From 1964 to 1975,
Wallberg was principal conductor of the
Tonkünstler Orchestra, Vienna. He held the
same post with the Munich Radio Orchestra
from 1975 to 1982, and with the Essen
Philharmonic from 1975 to 1991. From what I
managed to read on him, most of his
recordings are set firmly in Wagnerian operas
and verisimo.
And yet, in 1979 and in 1984, with the help
of Bavaria Radio and BMG Music, he recorded
Donizetti's comic masterpieces (in the order
already given at the beginning)... One would
imagine that the recordings are bound to be
heavy, over-emphasized affairs... They aren't
even close to these qualities: both
recordings are extremely fresh, wonderfully
conducted, superbly recorded endeavors that
make one wish that Wallberg had a thicker
portfolio in belcanto. They make the works
come alive before our very eyes.
A large portion of the success can also be
attributed to the fact that Munchner
Rundfunkorchester, the orchestra in the
present recordings, is extremely responsive
to the demands of the music and the drama.
The fact that both recordings feature a
talented cast of singers is also a big help.
Even though the recordings have been made
with a five year gap, they feature three
recurring singers: Lucia Popp (as the soprano
heroines; she has already began heavier roles
by the time when these recordings were made,
but it doesn't really show), Yevgeny
Nesterenko (in the buffo roles of Pasquale
and Dulcamara; considering his experience in
dramatical roles, such as Boris Godunov, it
comes as a surprise that he is outrageously
funny in the classical Italian buffo roles)
and Bernd Weikl (in the baritone roles of
Belcore and Doctor Malatesta; he is actually
considered a Wagner singer but his
performances in the Donizetti pieces are very
persuasive and extremely well-sung). The
tenor roles are taken by young versions of
Francisco Araiza (Ernesto) and Peter Dvorsky
(Nemorino): Araiza seems to have just
transferred from bass to tenor, so some of
the singing is a bit tentative but it works
for the character of the rather timid and
unsure Ernesto; Dvorsky is not Pavarotti, but
I actually prefer his simpler, gentler, more
alive Nemorino to that of his colleague's.
Anyway, I decided to post some of the
highlights from these recording to give you
an opportunity to judge for yourself. I'm
starting with "Don Pasquale", from which I'm
uploading several of my favorite numbers:
Norina's cavatina, her subsequent duet with
Malatesta and notturno with Ernesto. I will
post more, if such a need will arise. Anyway,
enjoy :)!
P.S. Well, this duet is just good to pass, so
I decided to upload it.
Tags : Donizetti coloratura belcanto classical |
