Everyone is in very assured voice here in one of Verdi's greatest, if gloomiest scores. Gobbi characterizes the title role with great care and specificity, his piano singing lovely and fuller than it would be a few years later. Gencer is marvelous as Amelia/Maria. She knew how to sing Verdi's long lines very effectively and is most sympathetic. Her high piano singing is especially beautifully though I wish she wouldn't scoop up to high notes (something she tended to do more in Verdi than Donizetti). Picchi was a very good, intelligent singer who was, probably, underappreciated at the time. His timbre is a little anonymous, but listen to how he phrases his big aria and how he listens to his colleagues. His Gabriele is superior to a number of bigger named star tenors. Mazzoli is a sonorous Fiesco, if a trifle nondescript. The Paolo is Walter Monachesi; he was well-known for this important role. Rossi leads a strong performance, opening up the traditional cut in the trio for Simon, Amelia, and Gabriele in the second act. The three singers here sing it beautifully - thank you, Maestro Rossi!Once we get to the Council Chamber scene the sound is excellent. The Prologue and Act 1, scene 1 are a little rough with some wow and flutter right at the end of the big Simon/Amelia duet. Nevertheless, Verdians should get this as soon as possible.

I agree with much of what Andy writes about Gobbi and Gencer here, whilst finding the latter rather more substantial than might be suggested by 'ingenue voice with slancio'. However, I simply LOVE Picchi! For me, he rises right to the top of the Adorno contenders...and that includes Domingo live and in his prime (e.g. at the Met in 1995 with Chernov and te Kanawa on DVD). Picchi is so excitingly "squillo" -and yet intelligent and sensitive where required- as to see off all rivals. This is a Martinelli-stature performance (but without the vulgarities), and surely this is what Verdi tenor singing is all about?Mazzoli is solid but ordinary; at his best in the final scene where Fiesco reveals himself. Mazzoli was one of those dependable but uninspiring basses who was better cast as -say- the King in Aida than Ramfis and the Monk in Don Carlo(s) rather than Philip; now you should understand what I mean!This performance is well worth acquiring BUT you should also be aware of the 1961 Salzburg, with the superior Vienna Phil under Gavazzeni. Gobbi and Gencer are much the same (i.e. G-R-E-A-T), and Rolando Panerai is a marvellous Paolo, much better than the okay-Monachesi. With Giorgio Tozzi as a top-rank Fiesco, that performance rather nails the honours, despite Giuseppe Zampieri yielding to Picchi.MORE FOLLOWS...OPERA DEPOT IS STINGY WITH ITS WORD ALLOWANCE IN REVIEWS!!

THIS IS THE REST OF MY REVIEW...!Just a couple of warnings: the sound in places tends to be a bit "bass-y" in places, suggesting that one of the (obviously different) sources is a copy-of-a-copy. There's a bit of print-through at the end of the Doge-Maria scene (after which the short Paolo dialogue is cut) and also at the beginning of the Council scene...but this is not very bothersome. Note that in the very opening scene of this performance (only; not the whole Prologue), I think the Salzburg performance has been used as Paolo is very recognisably PANERAI!