Magda Olivero:
Concerto Firenze 1969
U. Giordano, Fedora (complete opera)
Label: Great Opera Performances G.O.P. 717 (2CD)
Olivero Concert at Florence 3.28.69, S. Jacopino Church, Maria Concetta
Balducci at the piano
La Boheme Si, mi chiamano Mimi
Turandot, Signore ascolta
Tosca, Vissi d'arte
Mefistofele, L'altra notte in fonda al mare
Wally, Ebbe, ne andro lontana
Manon, Addio o nostro picciol desco
Madama Butterfly, Un bel di vedremo
Manon Lescaut, Sola, perduta, abbandonata
Adriana Lecouvreur, Poveri fiori
Adriana Lecourveur, Io son l'umile ancella
Otello, Ave Maria
Bizet, Agnus Dei
Gounod, Ave Maria
Fedora by Giordano
Olivero Fedora
Giuseppe di Stefano Loris
De Siriex Guido Mazzini
Olga, Giovanna di Rocco
Orchestra and Chorus of the Teatro di Giglio, Lucca, 9/16/69 Conducted by
Napoleone Annovazzi
I never thought much of Fedora, but after listening to this recording of a
thrilling live performance, I can see what real verismo is all about.
Olivero is a goddess in bringing out all the nuances of the text without
sounding arch or contrived or artificial. The voice is not particularly
beautiful in the classic sense but at least she does not wobble or go sour.
She is a master of all the fine shadings of her voice; controlling her voice
from the most gossamer of pianos to full-throated fortes. She makes her voice
do what she wants and believe me that's plenty!
Di Stefano starts out with some off pitch strident singing but then gets back
into tune. Yes, he's blustery, loud, and truth to tell there's little vocal
velvet left, but his fans evidently think he's god, witnesses the cries of
bravo and bis he gets after Amor ti vieta.
Mazzini is a fine, "dark" baritone and makes the most of this role,
summoning up the suitable villanish tones to his voice when called for.
The comprimari are good with an extra special mention for Giovanna di Rocco for
turning in a fine characterization as Olga who Rocco makes suitably bratty and
mischievous.
Everybody seems to be caught up in Olivero's hair-raising, hellzapoppin'
theatrics and Annovazzi conducts the very heck out of this music with passion
and fire galore!
I recommend this recording instead of the studio recording of Fedora that
Olivero made for London which didn't do much for me. It seems that Olivero
needs an audience to really be "on" and this live recording is a
revelation in every respect.
But for me, the real gem of this set is the Florence recital wherein Olivero
once again displays her extraordinary vocal powers in bringing the arias and
songs to life; the vocal nuances and shading of text is simply mind-blowing.
Just listen to this recital and you'll understand why Magda Olivero is still
revered by both colleagues and public alike as one of the last remaining
exponents of the true vocal art.
The sound is good bootleg mono.
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