This is an interesting performance of Boccanegra with Taddei in good form and Labo, a personal favorite, giving his usual fully committed ardent performance.However, Cavalli is her usual erratic self who's voice never seems to settle into an idiomatic performance.; a very puzzling career. Both Clabassi and Mastromeiare major assets to the performance. and Previtali knows how this opera needs to go. The sound is acceptable though it varies from act to act. This is a performance for Boccanegra fans mainly but it's always good to have another Labo performance on hand seeing that his discography is undeservedly so small.

Simon Boccanegra will never be as popular as Rigoletto or Traviata; it certainly doesn't lack for melodic music and, in its way, is no more "gloomy" than the other two operas plot-wise. But it's all rather dark in tone and the characters are perhaps not as accessible as others in the Verdi canon.This performance is a very good one. Taddei is superb as Simon, really living the role. He sounds genuinely happy when reunited with his daughter and terrifying in his rage at the end of Act One. Vocally he is marvelous. Other baritones may make a more mellifluous sound, but few sound as authoritative or so right in the role.Cavalli only had a brief career and one can hear why in this performance. Her actual tone is lovely, but there's no support. She tends to throw her voice at the music and that can only last so long before problems arise. She knows the style and has all the right interpretive ideas. Labo sings with passion and manly vigor. Clabassi always had a fine, distinctive voice that narrowed as it went down, rather than expanding. He is very fine Fiesco nonetheless. A young Mastromei is a great Paolo. Previtali conducts well though he also makes small, irritating cuts.The sound is generally excellent, but there are some weird, brief pitch glitches that should have been fixed before this was released. They are not deal breakers, however, and the performance is certainly listenable.