Gaetano Donizetti, Montserrat CaballA©, Shirley Verrett, Alfredo Kraus, Ezio Flagello, Fernando Iacopucci, Giuseppe Baratti, Ferruccio Mazzoli, Andrea Mineo, Vito Maria Brunetti, Robert El Hage - Donizetti: Lucrezia Borgia / Perlea, CaballA©

Incredibly wonderful

Firstly, I have to say, this was the first version of this opera I ever owned, and I fell in love with it instantly. The prologue actually has an additional "caballette" for Lucrezia sung here by Caballe wonderfully. For those who have the Sutherland recording, you will not be treated to this piece for it was not recorded, though I have no idea why as Sutherland could have sung it very well. However, we have Caballe doing it, and she is sublime.

Krauss is incredible, as usual, and he makes the part of Genaro really wonderful to listen to. He also looks the part of a hero, and in performance I am sure was wonderful.

Verrett is incredible. No, she is not Marilyn Horne, nor does she have any really overly shining embellishments (though she does end the prologue with a super high note equal to Caballe), yet, she does more than just lips service to the role, she is definitely exciting. The tempi are also different than when Bonynge conducts the Sutherland recording. The stretta of the Prologue excelerates in tempo, as it should, rather than just staying sort of dull and slow as in the Sutherland recording which adds greatly to the tention of the scene.

One finds this with all the strettas that end each act (especially in the Lucrezia/Gernaro duet ending act 1). I think the conductor really understands the purpose of the stretta in Bel Canto opera, and he masterfully handles it here. The increased speed may tax the singers somewhat, but one is NEVER aware of it in this recording, as they are all troupers and handle it with ease.

The opera closes with the famous scene for Caballe (after Genaro, her son, is dead). This version is published in some published scores, in others the trilling sections are not there (the Royal addition, which by the way contains the extra caballetta in the prologue which is not contained in other printed editions of the score, but has a slightly different version of this final aria, one that was sung by the great dramatic soprano of that day Therese Tietjens; the differences are interesting, but the aria is not simplified; were I conducting the work I would have the singer sing the version used by Tietjens then the more familiar version in the repeat).
I recommend this recording to anyone interested in this wonderfully dramatic and melodic opera. It is sad that it is neglected so, as in many ways it outshines the more famous Lucia.

All the singers are masterful, and the presentation holds together super well creating a "whole" rather than a collection of "favorite arias." December 21, 2004

Lo mejor de Caballé

Con este rol a Montserrat Caballé se le abrieron las puertas de todos los grandes teatros del mundo como nueva superestrella de la ópera.
El disco de RCA nos presenta a Montserrat en estado de gracia, su voz suena muy fresca y en toda su amplitud. Perfecta para Donizetti, gran control del aire, legato impecable y fraseo belcantista. Es sin duda la mejor Lucrezia de la discografia, superando ampliamente a Sutherland.
Shirley Verret muy joven tambien entrega un Mafio Orsini de antologia, su voz fresca y a la vez oscura se presta para las agilidades y juventud del personaje, lo mismo su interpretacion.
Alfredo Kraus es le gran cantante de siempre, muy estilista y cuidado. Por su Parte Flagello sea quizá la parte mas débil del elenco, con una voz poco atractiva pero convincente en su parte pese a todo.
Los puntos en contra o mejorables de esta grabacion son varios. Primero que nada Caballé, gran cantante pero que se ve tentada a abusar de sus recursos, como el pianissimo sostenido hasta el ultimo aliento en el final del primer acto, impactante, sí, pero innecesario. Adolesce del trino belcantista que el papel de Lucrezia requiere en varias partes. Esto si bien la sigue manteniendo en alto novel le perjudica en el estilo. Es poco convincente estilisticamente una soprano belcantista sin trino.
Su interpretacion muchas veces se vuelve superficial y esto es un defecto que conservara durante toda su carrera.
Para mi gusto personal la grabacion hubiese sido mejor si en lugar de Alfredo Kraus hubiese estado Alain Vanzo que fue quien acompañó a Caballé en la presentacion en el Carnegie Hall. Kraus suena mas limpio y quizá mas cuidado pero Alain Vanzo posee una voz mas bella y mucho mas atractiva, ademas de una gran tecnica y estilo. Su interpretacion es mucho mas convincente y suena menos frigido que Kraus.
A pesar de esto sigue siendo una magnifica grabacion.
Disfrutenla. April 26, 2004

Musically rich and swiftly dramatic opera from Donizetti

Even though a somewhat neglected masterpiece, the opera LUCREZIA BORGIA (La Scala, Milan, 1833), from Gaetano Donizetti, will never fail to please audiciences around the world, because Lucrezia is an alluringly melodramatic character.

This digitally remastered CD (1989) from the original recording of the opera in May 1966, in RCA Italiana Studios, Rome, is a jewel to treasure for those interested in good "bel canto" music.

Monserrat Caballé (soprano) give us an accurate and sweet-sounding performance as Lucrezia. Alfredo Kraus (tenor, with his delicious turns of phrase & mournful tone) is outstanding as Gennaro (Lucrezia's son from a previous marriage who is ignorant of his mother identity).

Shirley Verrett (mezzo-soprano) as Maffio Orsini ( young nobleman, friend of Gennaro) is very good in the melodious & cheerful aria: "Il segreto per esser felice" (The secret to be happy/for happiness)(CD 2, Track 13). Although, Marilyn Horne, in my opinion, is the best for this role.

Difficult to resist. Musically rich and swiftly dramatic. Donizetti at his best. August 19, 2003

Musically rich and swiftly dramatic opera from Donizetti

Even though a somewhat neglected masterpiece, the opera LUCREZIA BORGIA (La Scala, Milan, 1833), from Gaetano Donizetti, will never fail to please audiciences around the world, because Lucrezia is an alluringly melodramatic character.

This digitally remastered CD (1989) from the original recording of the opera in May 1966, in RCA Italiana Studios, Rome, is a jewel to treasure for those interested in good "bel canto" music.

Monserrat Caballé (soprano) give us an accurate and sweet-sounding performance as Lucrezia. Alfredo Kraus (tenor, with his delicious turns of phrase & mournful tone) is outstanding as Gennaro (Lucrezia's son from a previous marriage who is ignorant of his mother identity).

Shirley Verrett (mezzo-soprano) as Maffio Orsini ( young nobleman, friend of Gennaro) is very good in the melodious & cheerful aria: "Il segreto per esser felice" (The secret to be happy/for happiness)(CD 2, Track 13). Although, Marilyn Horne, in my opinion, is the best for this role.

Difficult to resist. Musically rich and swiftly dramatic. Donizetti at his best. August 19, 2003

A Touching Tragic Bel Canto Opera

Donizetti was the leading bel canto opera composer. His melodies, cadenzas, roulades, choruses and lyrical arias were breathtaking and dramatic for their time. Among his famous operas, are of course, Lucia Di Lammermoor, Elisir D'Amore and the three Tudor queen operas, Maria Stuarda, Anna Bolena and Roberto Devereaux. But Lucrezia Borgia is a rare opera that has recently resurfaced. It is the fictitious account of the historic and controversial 16th century Renaissance noblewoman, Lucrezia Borgia, who, as history tell us, was accused of infidelity by a power-seeking Venetian lord. Lucrezia Borgia (a role that requires a dramatic and coloratura soprano) carries the whole opera with excellence, especially by the diva, Montserrat Caballe who was part of the effort to revive bel canto operas. Lucrezia's son, with another man, is unaware that a masked woman at a festival is truly his mother. When she begins to spend time with him, Lucrezia's husband, by then her fourth, begins to suspect infidelity. These suspicions are further motivated when Lucrezia's enemies who seek power in Venice slander her name by cutting of the B in Borgia at the sign post of her palace, leaving Orgia or "orgy" in Italian. Lucrezia extracts her revenge by inviting her son and his friends (her enemies) to a banquet. Dark, funereal music predicts a tragic outcome. There is a brindisi with a touch of irony (they are going to drink poison and die). But nevertheless, in the true tragic tradition, Lucrezia's revenge backfires. It is her son who drinks the poison and dies in her arms, and only then does he learn that Lucrezia is his mother. The dramatic aria that follows, sung by Lucrezia, beginning with her melodramatic exclamation "E Sperto!" "He's dead!", is full of high scales and descending depths of sadness. This is a great opera, although I'm quite sure there are superior singers to Caballe's performance here. Try any of the following sopranos (considering they sung the role) Renee Fleming, Joan Sutherland, Maria Callas, Beverly Sills. A Five Star Opera. November 3, 2002

More reviews at Amazon.com ...