This performance of Ponchielli's popular opera has six fine principals. Gulin was in her youthful prime. Like Souliotis, she tends to throw her huge voice at the music without a lot of support. She has youth and drive on her side and sings like a Prima Donna in the best sense. All too soon, vocal issues would emerge that she never quite solved. Nevertheless, she is very exciting.Bergonzi (probably the raison d'etre for this release) is also superb. He shows again why he was so highly valued: the phrasing, the musicianship, his own enjoyment of the music. His "Cielo e mar" is reason enough to purchase the set. Mattiucci sings a passionate Laura (she'd be a lot more celebrated today when this type of voice is so rare). Colzani is a great Barnaba with a frightening final howl and Giaiotti a memorable Alvise (he sings the optional high F at the end of his aria with panache). Di Stasio is an unusually assertive La Cieca, her strong low notes a real asset. Peloso leads a very satisfying performance, one that made me love the opera all over again.The voices are a little recessed, but very audible. There is some tape scraping in the last 15 minutes of the performance, but it doesn't get in the way. The pitch of the tape is correct too. Some of the applause has been shortened and the Dance of the Hours has been omitted entirely.All lovers of the opera or these singers should get this.

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