A WONDERFUL PERFORMANCE STARRING GREAT SINGERS... A MUST HAVE! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

This is one of those performances that we opera nuts like to call "fun", a performance that is far from perfect in terms of the ensemble and is a little catch-as-catch-can, but ultimately conveys the thrill of opera. There are some musical mistakes here (not many) and no one is striving to be subtle. The audience loves what they're hearing though and responds with great enthusiasm, participating in the show along the way.Scotto was all of 23, Kraus just 31. Their singing is beautiful and characterful, without the mannerisms that crept in later on. Neither returned to these roles very often. In fact, this is the only extant Rosina of Scotto's I know of. She sings up to the high D at the end of "Dunque io son", but otherwise restrains herself, ornamenting tastefully and within the mezzo tradition rather than the soprano (she doesn't end "Una voce" on a a high E, nor does she indulge in high tonic or dominant notes elsewhere.) She is very charming without overplaying her hand (most of the time). Kraus sings with more flexibility than I recall him having and Protti adds high notes all over the place. Badioli is very funny as Bartolo and Campi contributes an excellent Basilio (some in the audience don't like his "La calunnia" and let him know it.) Bellezza somehow keeps everyone together. The prompter is also in fine, annoying voice.The sound is good enough, but the overhead airplanes get annoying quickly. Nevertheless, fans of these singers should hear this.

Where to start? For one thing, this is an ensemble effort, idiomatically performed by a cast that has the style down to their fingertips and plays with the expert timing of seasoned vaudevillians. For another, it probably hails from Naples' Arena Flegrea, which would account for the periodic airplane flyovers. Opera Depot's sound is so good you think they're right over your house. And the prompter is in such close proximity to the microphone he deserves star billing. Speaking of stars, Alfredo Kraus is on a plateau of his own, comparable to de Lucia and the greats of recorded history, treating us to a heavily embroidered "Ecco ridente" right out of the gate. Renata Scotto has her own refreshing ideas of comedy as Rosina, though one wishes she had substituted a virtuoso number for "Contro un cor," but that is a minor quibble. Aldo Protti's Figaro is surprisingly fluent in divisions, his skill in patter more than making up for the voice's intrinsic lack of allure. Although the audience "disputes" the Don Basilio, the two basses are adept in support of the stars. Vincenzo Bellezza keeps things moving along persuasively.

Loved the performance.

Sounds like a must-have for Kraus! Amazing how little the voice changed over a period of 40+years! The only change I hear is his continual improvement in bel canto style (& others). I must admit to always having problems with Scotto’s voice: I think she epitomizes what Rossini didn’t like in high sopranos!

Pity about Scotto, she awful in this. Like most things she sang, she tries too hard to make her effects. Protti is the surprise here, he’s very good, not the dull singer he normally was. Kraus is very fine.