This 1969 concert performance of La Gioconda was one of the rare performances that opera got in England. Perhaps because it was a concert performance and not staged Guadagno took the scissors to many choral and orchestral parts of the score (the Dance of the Hours ballet is kept intact, but is conducted very quickly).A terrific cast was fielded. Souliotis sounds very exciting though her lack of support on certain notes, including the top B-flat at the "Enzo, adorato" section in Act One, is a harbinger of fast approaching vocal problems. She nails all the Cs and certainly sounds like a prima donna in the best sense. Marti and Dunn are excellent as the lovers who cause all the problems. Milnes is in his youthful prime and gives a smashing performance; no surprise that he soon became a star. Special mention should go to Bainbridge's beautifully sung La Cieca and Ventriglia's malevolent Alvise (like many Italian basses he ducks the optional high F at the end of his aria). The entire affair could've used an extra rehearsal, but that's not always possible and Guadagno leads his cast with spirit and flexibility. In addition to the cuts mentioned already, there are a few short sections missing here and there, probably where the tape had to be turned over.The voices are heard clearly over the orchestra. Frustratingly, the tapist refuses to sit still, especially in the first two acts, so we hear the mic being knocked all over the place.

Performance is good but there is some ambient noise at times.