Don Carlo works very well as a concert opera and this cast is splendid. Solti uses the 4 act version and makes a few cuts here and there, but fewer than many other houses were making at this time. We get one verse of Rodrigo and Elisabetta's arias in Act 1, but both verses of Eboli's Veil Song. The prison scene ends after Rodrigo's death, but the final act is played complete. Verrett outdoes herself here, capping the performance with a thrilling "O don fatale". Weathers certainly shows why she was an up-and-coming star. The voice is lovely, her top is exciting, and she isn't afraid to use chest voice when appropriate. Cossutta is a remarkably good Carlo, making us actually care about his fate. Gossip sounds smoother, less bumpy, here than he would a few years later when his voice became rather woolly sounding. Ward displays his beautiful bass-baritone to great effect as Filippo and Foiani is a frightening Inquisitor who contrasts well with Ward. Pellegrini deserves mention for her lyrical Celestial Voice. Solti, as often in live performance, is less bombastic than he could be in the studio. The sound is excellent throughout. Opera Depot has many Don Carloses in its catalog and this is one of the best!

The baritone here is, of course, Peter Glossop, not Gossip - darn autocorrect! My apologies to Mr. Glossop.

This performances uses the standard "cut" 4 act Italian version of the opera. With that said, this is a very valuable recording. There are three performers I have not encountered elsewhere in these roles. They are David Ward, a strong, beautiful sounding Philip, Peter Glossop, a vibrant, strong and vivid Rodrigo and Felicia Weathers, a really lovely Elisabetta. Weathers had a seemingly short career and recorded little. Her DECCA studio recital is very good but it is nice to have her in a complete role with very good sound. The voice has warmth and a distinct and recognizable sound. There is beauty in the sound and a lovely characterization. Very worthwhile hearing. Cossutta, Foiani and Verrett are all available elsewhere (Cossutta - only on live recordings) and they are all in excellent form. Verrett is on fire and is very exciting. What a wonderful mezzo she was. Cossutta has a strong, solid and attractive voice. He did not have a major recording career but I suspect if he was around today, he would be considered one of the best. Foiani is a very vital bass with an energy that makes his scene important. Solti conducts with energy and drama.

Wow, what an evening this must have been. Maestro Solti as usual delvers a thrilling performance of my favourite Verdi opera. The cast is terrific. Shirley Verrett brings the house down with her “O Don Fatale” but is fantastic throughout. Cossutta I like very much as Carlo, also Glossop as Posa and the marvellous David Ward as Philip. I can’t quite be as enthusiastic as Andy about Felicia Weathers, a soprano I too like. She seems to struggle a little in places, the act 4 quartet for example, and the flutter in her voice becomes more obtrusive. I have heard more exciting confrontations with the Grand Inquisitor but it’s still pretty good. All in all however, this is highly recommended. It’s an exciting night of singing and music-making.

One star deducted for somewhat-hissy 1968 AM broadcast and rather boomy (but quite acceptable) Royal Albert Hall sound; also – rather more peevishly - for the 4-Act version performed (more anon)... otherwise this is all joy!This Prom originated from a set of June performances at the Royal Opera, Covent Garden where, apart from Gwyneth Jones as Elizabeth and Claudio Abbado conducting, the forces were the same.To contextualise on a personal level: In 1968 I was a schoolboy living in Bournemouth (UK) and had been collecting records since the age of 5, when my grandparents bought me the Merrill/Bjoerling Rigoletto...and I never looked back – every substantial present had to be opera records, and virtually every bit of pocket-money was saved up – for more opera! I had already played my Solti/Tebaldi/Bergonzi Don Carlo LPs to scratchy death [what 17-year old knew or cared about stylus care?] so I knew the opera well and listened to this Proms broadcast on my tiny, tinny transistor radio (remember them?)[CONTINUED...]

Whilst I didn't really understand all the nuances of this complex opera, I knew that I loved it - at that age you play the music again and again and it just soaks into you. To this day I remember the sheer frisson that arose in me time and time again during this wonderful evening (after, of course -and with the Solti recording in mind- wondering what had happened to the First Act and crossly thinking that I must have missed the first half-hour of the broadcast - I didn't then realise that other versions existed!)Listening again TODAY, at the age of 70 and with many performances/productions of the opera under my belt, not to mention the 80-odd recordings/live performances I have in my collection [yes, I did say 80...] I know and understand Don Carlo(s) far more deeply, but it was a huge pleasure to re-acquaint myself with this particular broadcast, and to (rather wisely but condescendingly) nod to my younger self and say "Yes, Richard, you got it right!" So, to today’s thoughts, intermingled with the surprising amount I remember from that warm July evening in 1968:

Solti and his orchestral and choral forces were simply on fire that evening, as were a wonderful set of principals: Carlo Cossutta, who had been a great favourite at the Garden since 1964, and whom I saw many times, wields a beautifully-burnished, sensitive tenor and was to become one of the world's best Otellos, coincidentally debuting that role at Covent Garden in 1974. He is matched point-for-point in their duetting by the marvellous Felicia Weathers, who also rises to her arias and ensembles with breathtaking brilliance. Andy mentions her in the same breath as Renata Tebaldi...and he's absolutely right!Shirley Verrett predictably brings the very appreciative Proms house down with her 'O don fatale!' but elsewhere she is the consummate Eboli, both exciting and subtle as required...and she really acts the role!

It’s worth dwelling on the least-known of the principals, Scotsman David Ward. He was a contract artiste, first at Sadler’s Wells and then with the Royal Opera, also guesting frequently with Scottish Opera, and with a limited yet very decent international career, including in Buenos Aires, Bayreuth and at the Met. He was somewhat underrated compared with some of his contemporaries, but just listen to his few commercial recordings: as Monterone (under Solti), Arkel (with Boulez) or Hunding (for Leinsdorf) – and you will hear something special in his warmly resonant, authoritative tones. Search for Ward within Opera Depot and there are no less than 33 listings (including the Grand Inquisitor – with Christoff as Philip – in an earlier CG broadcast; also with Glossop). On stage, Ward’s height – over six feet – and commanding presence simply filled the stage; I was overawed whenever I saw him perform. Amongst his many roles, he was a magnificent Wotan/Wanderer, Dutchman, Boris Godunov, Fiesco, Rocco, Bluebeard...and Philip II. He may not possess the sheer charisma that Christoff, Ghiaurov or Furlanetto bring to the role, but – my goodness – he’s still top-class!

It’s wonderful to have Peter Glossop as Posa – warm, sympathetic, craggy and dramatic all within his expressive and most unusual tones...this was a REAL Verdi baritone, as opposed to the many Bel Canto baritones who essay these roles (that’s for another article!) Like Ward, with whom Glossop shared the stage on many occasions, the baritone was another artiste who recorded little commercially, despite Britten’s choice of him for Billy Budd, both the Decca recording and an even better telecast with much the same cast (available on DVD). Glossop is thankfully much more accessible to later generations from his live performance-grabs, including 27 in Opera Depot.Giovanni Foiani is a fine Inquisitor, if without the ideal sepulchral tones (think Martti Talvela, Yevgeni Nesterenko, Jerome Hines – all three also wonderful as Philip - Eric Halfvarsen, Michael Langdon, Richard Van Allen or Giulio Neri...just for starters and in no particular order).

GRUMBLE POST-SCRIPT: the four-act version is used here, including the omission of the insurrection scene, whilst at Covent Garden, they had been performing the FIVE-Act version (with or without varied cuts) since 1958! Doubting that Abbado (under the aegis of Solti, then Music Director) had reverted to the shorter version, I can only assume that the strictures of Proms timing forced this decision on the Company...this was long before a complete Trojans -let alone the huge 2013 Wagner Festival- were to be heard at the Proms!Treat yourself to yet another Don Carlo – this one’s worth it!