Donizetti: L'Elisir d'Amore - Pavarotti, Harwood, Malas; Weibel. Melbourne, 1965
$8.95
Description:
This is a rather rough go from Opera Australia, appreciable mostly as a historical document. William Weibel, a Met assistant conductor who was a great favorite of Joan Sutherland’s, does what he can to keep a rather scrappy band together, and Elizabeth Harwood, as Adina, is the only principal not to make any glaring musical errors. Harwood’s usual creamy tone is rather lacking here, though she remains a pleasure to listen to in any circumstance. Robert Allmann, a major star in Australia, has a big, coarse Verdi voice totally unsuited to Belcore. Spiro Malas’ wily Dulcamara is stylistically correct, but he has some audible battles with the conductor. The tenor, a young unknown named Luciano Pavarotti, is already making an oversized impression. The sound lacks clarity.
In Mono
OD 11312-2
