This entertaining performance features fine sound, a conception rich in bel-canto melodies, and four striking soloists. Fiorenza Cossetto embodies a vivid heroine, seeking real love in a monarchy tarnished by sex-trafficking and betrayals. Her big aria, “O mio Fernando,” nicely captures her smoldering resentment of being the cynical plaything in King Alfonso’s intrigues. As the venal monarch, Piero Cappuccilli sings his lines with honeyed elegance, audibly toying with his victims before letting them fall. A young Luciano Pavarotti charms as the tragic lover Fernando, getting cheers both for his innocent Act I aria and for the more Act III “Spirito gentil.” As the solid bastion of righteousness, Ivo Vinco brings a suitably gravelly basso voice with bedrock low notes. These principals receive their due from an appreciative La Scala audience, but the reception also preserves shouts of disapproval, particularly at the beginning of acts. These catcalls may be aimed at the conductor, Nino Verchi, a surprisingly shadowy figure. Born in 1921 in Trieste, he was a protégé of Victor de Sabata at La Scala before starting an independent career in 1951. He served two seasons (1959-1961) with the Metropolitan Opera, heading some significant performance, including Leontyne Price’s first Met Aida and Moffo’s first Met Traviata. After this auspicious start his career flamed out in the 60s and 70s. He goes unmentioned in all the usual musical references. I’d guess he had a reputation for unevenness; even his Met performances are sharply mixed, some critics giving him high marks on some nights and harshly negative scores on others.In a 1959 review, Robert Sabin (of “Musical America”) admitted this inconsistency, saying, “Mr. Verchi . . . tends to lose the tempo in slow passages; he can be sentimental; and he does not always keep a sufficiently tight rein over the orchestra. But he has Italian melody in his veins; he is always with his singers; and he makes the orchestra sing. With mediocre forces, I suspect that he might not be very impressive, but with artists of such high calibre he is a splendid colleague.” This recording seems to catch Verchi on one of his splendid nights, where a strong cast highlights the conductor’s strengths. Certainly he makes Donizetti’s orchestral preludes and interludes sing beautifully, and he is good at matching the accompaniment to soloists’ rubato. Quicker ensembles, however, seem not as successful, and this may have angered critics in the hall. Or memories of mediocre outings may be fresh in their memories. That said, this particular performance is a grand one, thanks both to the soloists and Maestro Verchi.

There is considerable audience participation in this exciting performance of La Favorita. I have no idea what the political or social temperature was at La Scala at this time, but members of the audience can be heard grumbling even before the first scene is sung. They are mostly enthusiastic about the singers, applauding often and loudly, but there are some boos and whistles along the way. Cossotto sings a very beautiful "O mio Fernando" for which she garners many "Brava"s, but when her penultimate high note in the cabaletta falters for a moment some in the audience are audibly displeased. Similarly, Pavarotti's top Cs are generally spot-on, but not all in the audience are on his side. Even Cappuccilli is the object of some dissatisfaction.Don't allow this to deter you from hearing this performance though. Pavarotti still sounds glorious and Cossotto lives up to her considerable reputation. It was right about this time that she began having some problems with her top notes (they began to flat), a problem that increased over the next couple of years. Cappuccilli is most impressive as is Vinco, a singer usually taken for granted because he was always reliable. Verchi leads a strong performance albeit one plagued with a lot of cuts.The sound is excellent.

We are so lucky that the best singers who could sing that opera, are here on that recording !!!! An amazing and wonderful version of La Favorita