Armando Gatto leads an engrossing reading of this opera with full emphasis on Verdi’s eerie “lightning” and “screech-owl” supernatural effects. The strange opening chords are, in a nice twist, turned into a little imitation of Scots bagpipe playing. Verdi loved his witches and his assassins, and the quirky choruses he wrote for both are given full impact in this performance. Some conductors find the witch-music campy and cut as much of it as they can, but Gatto gives us everything, including the ballet. The witch-heavy Act 3 gets a tremendous ovation from the Bolognese audience, with its performers recalled twice for cheers. (Some of this may be due to the dancers as the choreography was done by the eminent Italian ballerina Luciana Novaro. This scene must have been as intriguing to view as well as hear.)Renato Bruson gives a rich-voiced and intense reading of Macbetto, shining particularly in the innovative Act 1 “soliloquy,” “Mi si affaccia un pugnal!” and his half of “Fatal mia donna!” And, surprisingly, he gives such a soulful rendition of the self-pitying Act 4 “Pietà, rispetto, amore,” that the audience forgives him with rousing applause. By contrast, I found Grace Bumbry disappointing. She has the chest voice for Lady Macbetto’s wicked moments and command of the early-Verdi coloratura. But she never seems to inhabit the role; “La luce langue” needs more regal attention to the words, and the stretto section seems perfunctory. The audience’s spotty applause here indicates that they also were let down. And Bumbry sings the notes in the Sleepwalking scene, but without a dramatic edge. An actress needs to do more than sleepwalk through this piece. She takes the D-flat at the end, but without the prescribed “fil di voce,” and she drops it very quickly.The secondary characters are good, especially Agostino Ferrin as Banco. Note to D. Reynolds below: “Dama di Lady” was sung by Wilma Colla, a frequent comprimario performer based in Parma. She was better known as a vocal teacher and coach associated with Parma’s Arrigo Boito Conservatory. “Medico” (the doctor who witnesses the Sleepwalking Scene with Dama) was sung by Bernardo di Bagno, also an experienced comprimaro.The sound is excellent of the orchestra and generally good of the soloists. However, when the chorus and stage band (for King Duncano’s entry) are far upstage, they are nearly inaudible. It is a shame to listen to the celebrated “Patria oppressa!” chorus and hear mostly the orchestral accompaniment. The witches fare better, but when their parts are divided, I clearly hear only two of the three groups into which Verdi divided them. Still, enough is audible to certify that this was a performance that made the audience happy.

Grace Bumbry began to experiment with soprano roles in the early 70s, encouraged by some conductors who wanted to hear her in roles like Salome and Lady Macbeth. She was always a risk-taker on stage; sometimes she made the high notes, sometimes she didn't, but there was a strong personality there that made one sit up and take notice. This Bologna performance finds her in excellent voice. She easily rips through Lady Macbeth's coloratura and provides many exciting moments. She interpolates a high D-flat at the end of Act One and successfully essays the written one at the end of the Sleepwalking Scene. Her voice goes sharp here and there and I can't say she brings any specific interpretive profile to the role (not like Callas, Varnay, and Verrett for example). But she is the evening's prima donna: she knows it and so will you.Bruson is heard in his best form, the tone smooth and patrician from top to bottom. His last act aria wins him an ovation (I encored it, it's that good). Ferrin and Saldari are first-rate in their roles. Too bad we're not told who the Dama is as she is terrific, soaring with Bumbry on the top C in the first act finale. Gatti leads an exciting performance that includes the ballet. The sound, probably from a house tape is also very good though when the singers move upstage they're harder to hear.Lovers of the opera and the singers should get this!