Astrid Varnay's Lady Macbeth is the big draw here. We've become so used to hearing Varnay in the German repertoire that it can be a surprise to hear how good she was in Italian roles. In 1951, she was in her vocal prime: every trill is conscientiously observed and she has no difficulties with the coloratura. Her strong top range is also a great asset although it must be admitted she ducks the tricky D-flat at the end of the Sleepwalking Scene nor does she interpolate one at the end of Act One. She had the note and used it in Il Trovatore (it can be heard in the Mexico City broadcast also available from Opera Depot #10943). A classic portrayal. Ivan Petroff has come in for some criticism on the grounds that he isn't as vivid as Tito Gobbi might've been, but I hear a strong portrayal of an ambitious man who goes badly astray in his attempts to realize his ambitions. Petroff has a rich, even timbre with a ringing top register that is always pleasant to hear. If the focus of the opera leans more towards his Lady Macbeth, that's on Verdi. He and Varnay work very well together. Tajo is a sturdy Banquo, Penno an eloquent Macduff.Gui conducts an almost uncut performance (including the normally omitted ballet in Act Three). I wish he hadn't cut the Witches' chorus just before Macbeth arrives, but there we are. The sound is mostly excellent. The banquet scene sounds spliced in from another inferior source, but it is still listenable. Varnay fans must hear this.

I bought this set for Astrid Varnay and she does not disappoint in this role. She is utterly fearless with her attack on the difficult arias and is wonderfully dramatic. Her co-stars are easy on the ear and I would like to give an honourable mention to Penno as Macduff, easily the most sympathetic character on stage. There is a patch in Act 2 which sounds like it might come from a different source and the sound is not as good here, but it's far from being a disaster. I played this recording to a group of friends who had never heard Macbeth before and they very much enjoyed it. An ideal starter recording might have been a comfortable sounding studio recording, but that would have robbed them of Varnay. Playing safe is not always the best way! This recording has now become their yard stick to measure all others by and hopefully I've created some more Varnay fans.

ASTRID VARNAY AS GIUSEPPE VERDI'S "MACBETH" IS A MUST... HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

When I saw this in your catalogue I wondered if Varnay would be more suitable for this role than she was as Leonora in "Trovatore," in which she sang brilliantly but seemed miscast. She's great here, a true force of nature, and Vittorio Gui conducts eloquently. Too bad that Varnay, like Callas in her complete "Macbeth," was stuck with a merely competent instead of truly great co-star. (Where was Tito Gobbi when both Varnay and Callas needed him?) And a shout-out for underrated tenor Cino Penno, who does the usually thankless role of Macduff quite well.

All I need to say about Astrid Varnay is: she lives up to her reputation, and, this role is perfect for her: ultra-butch, incandescent, super-athletic, and e-e-e-e-evil. But she is not by any means the only asset.Other reviewers are criticizing Ivan Petroff for being "unremarkable", and tonight he's not flashy like Tito Gobbi or Renato Bruson, but he's very competent and sympathetic and, in his own scenes, commanding. In fact, I have the impression that he is making a deliberate decision to cede the center of attention to Astrid Varnay when she's on stage--for which he deserves extra credit, not criticism! He knows whom the audience paid to hear.Italo Tajo is similarly modest, conscious of his position as supporting cast. Tenor Gino Penno sings his brief aria impressively; he sounds like a smaller version of Richard Tucker. I'd love to hear him do a larger role.And the other big superstar here is Vittorio Gui. He leads a crisp, muscular performance, making the opera an action-thriller rather than a morality-play, and he keeps the singers together (almost) all the time, and avoids getting bogged down in the big ensembles, which for many other conductors are deadly quicksand.

When I first saw this recording, was I alone i thinking "Aha! This'll be interesting. One of my favourite Russian basses thinking to take on a major Verdi baritone role!"?Let's clear this thing up! The Ivan on this recording is not the well-known Boris, Gremin, et al from the 1950s/'60s Bolshoi recordings and performances.This one is a much lesser-known BARITONE of (almost) the same name. Here's some interesting links which will help to clear up the confusion:https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=baritone&rlz=1CCHPZY_enGB702GB702&oq=bari&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0l5&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#q=ivan+petroff+baritoneThat said, Petroff is fine; not in the same firmament as Varnay...but still a convincing, dramatic and lyrical Macbeth, especially in Act Three when he gets the stage to himself (plus a few witches). A good supporting cast, plus Varnay at her best, with Gui in commanding and sensitive form (the ballet is especially musical). Give it a try!

This Macbeth may be one of my new “desert island” faves! Astrid Varnay is in her extraordinary vocal prime, with full range of dynamics and all fioratura in place. Her Lady may wear the vocal pants, but Ivan Petroff is not to be underestimated. His voice is warm, and he sings with beautiful legato. Italo Tajo’s basso cantante may be soft grained for some, but he sings beautifully. Gino Penno is a full blooded Macduff, just the guy to take down Mr. M. Unfortunately, their confrontation is lost in the “hurly burly” of the orchestral battle. Vittorio Gui leads an exceptionally musical performance (ballet included). Sound excellent.