Puccini: Turandot - Gulín, Domingo, Freni, Foiani, De Palma; De Fabritiis. Madrid, 1972
$8.95
Listen to a Sample:
Turandot might not have the dramatic substance of Puccini’s other great operas, but this performances demonstrates that if you put great singers into the mix, you can start to find coherence where there was seemingly none. This performance finds Placido Domingo in complete command of his voice. He even holds the high C with Turandot (a note that more often than not eluded him.) Angeles Gulin brings a formidable instrument and relative ease on top to the title role even if she doesn’t match the level of her colleagues. Which brings me to Mirella Freni who is exquisite as Liù. Very few singers had both the purity of tone and spinto reserves required to transcend this part from secondary soprano role to show-stopper. Oliviero De Fabritiis leads a brisk performance. The chorus, unfortunately, is not quite up to the task and struggles to find the beat. The sound is ok. There is some hiss and the voices are slightly muffled.
OD 11284-2
