Mercadante: Il Giuramento - Baltsa, Carreras, Kerns, Peacock; Albrecht. Berlin, 1974
$8.95
Listen to a Sample:
Although Il Giuramento, as with most of Mercadante's works, has long since fallen out of favor, it is most certainly worth a reexamination. At the time of its premier, it was heralded as a game changer in the world of opera and one can easily see how the energetic score with it's sweeping lyricism would point towards Verdi. This performance does much to highlight the works merits. It features a young José Carreras who luxuriates in the bel canto melodies as well as delivering some red hot cabalettas. It is doubly fun to hear a young Agnes Baltsa as Bianca both for the fact that her voice is flawless and gives her a chance to display the promise of a formidable Carmen/Amneris/Eboli in the making, as well as the fact that we get to see her interact with Carreras at the onset of what would become a legendary collaboration. The sound is very good.
OD 10896-2
