If interpolated high notes are what make your blood race with excitement, this is not the Trovatore for you. Riccardo Muti's insistence on performing Verdi's operas exactly as he wrote them (come scritto - as written) will not be to everyone's taste. Suffice it to say these singers under Muti's guidance make the opera work. They not only sing with skill and style, but are wholly within their characters.Cruz-Romo (an underrated soprano who had little, if any, recording career) is a beautiful Leonora as she always was. Her shaping of her arias is exquisite and there was little she didn't know about how to perform Verdi's music. If you want to hear her interpolated high notes in this opera, get her recording of it with Mehta conducting (also available from Opera Depot). Cossutta doesn't have to worry about bellowing out a high C at the end of "Di quella pira" and is much more relaxed than I've heard him in other recordings of this opera. Cossotto remains a great Azucena (she sings the written top C in the cadenza of her duet with Manrico). While her top is a little edgy, she still packs a wallop. Manuguerra is a bel-canto Di Luna and Ferrin an expert Ferrando.Naturally some in the audience take umbrage at Muti's flouting of tradition (I love live recordings with audience participation). The sound is very good (though there is a change of tape source before the cabaletta of the Leonora/Di Luna duet in Act Four.)Recommended to all Verdians!

Gilda Cruz-Romo is a wonderful singer, very much neglected by any of the record companies so her live performances are a must. The voice is very beautiful and her pianos are great. Her performance is very feminine and moving. I also find her way with the words far more than just a fine singer. They are moving. Cossotto is a superb Azucena, Cossutta excellent Manrice (both lyrical and heroic with great beauty). Manuguerra has a really extraordinary tone and sings very well as well.

Good performance but too bad sound