Shostakovich: Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk (In Italian) - Borkh, Gibin, Ratti, Zaccaria, Di Palma; Sanzogno. Milano, 1964

$24.95



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This opera is quickly becoming one of my favorites. Sadly, Joseph Stalin did not share my enthusiasm—he went so far as to openly condemn it in Pravda shortly after its premiere, issuing a veiled threat to Shostakovich. The composer never wrote another opera again.

This particular performance, recorded in Milan in 1964, is sung in Italian and features Inge Borkh as Katerina Ismailova. Borkh’s voice is a perfect fit for the role, capturing every facet of the character’s transformation—from a discontented housewife to a cold-blooded murderer, and finally to the hollow shell of a woman in the opera’s haunting conclusion. Her Italian is surprisingly idiomatic, and one can only imagine how her striking stage presence would have further elevated the role in a live production. The sound quality is excellent.

OD 10725-3