Any student of Verdi should hear his first thoughts on the operas that he came to revise at a later point in his career. His revisions are almost always great improvements on the original; certainly that is the case with Simon Boccanegra. The basic plot is the same, but (with Boito's help) the 1881 score is much more interesting and better characterized. The BBC broadcast a number of these early versions: Macbeth, La Forza del Destino, Les Vepres Sicilienne, and Don Carlos (the latter two in the original French). Opera Rara reissued all of them with beautiful booklets and they're all worth acquiring; they're also quite expensive now. This release was mastered from mostly quiet LPS, but there are several irritating groove skips (always jarring). There are far too few track numbers (three for disc 1, five for disc 2) with some weird bisected tracks.The performance itself is excellent. Bruscantini only did Simon for this recording. It's not the most mellifluous voice, yet he knows how to sing Verdi. Howell sings Fiesco very beautifully (his "Il lacerato spirito" is a highlight of the performance). Turp is a good Gabriele; I don't care for his rather pushed sound, especially on top, but he'll do. Ligi has a warm, attractive middle register, but a chancy top, a detriment in this version where Maria/Amelia has a number of top Cs that Verdi left out in the 1881 score (whatever happened to her?). Though uncredited above William Elvin is heard as Paolo (he's very good too). Matheson keeps everything together neatly. Good stereo broadcast sound.If you like this recording, you may want get the more expensive Opera Rara edition.

Verdi: Simon Boccanegra Original 1857 VersionSimon Boccanegra - Sesto Bruscantini Maria Boccanegra - Josella LigiJacopo Fiesco - Gwynne HowellGabriele Adorno - André TurpPaolo Albaiani - William ElvinPietro - Paul HudsonBBC SingersBBC Concert OrchestraJohn Matheson, conductor Recorded in 1976