Verdi: Luisa Miller - Ricciarelli, Domingo, Obraztsova, Bruson, Howell [Maazel] [2 CD]

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Verdi: Luisa Miller - Ricciarelli, Domingo, Obraztsova, Bruson, Howell [Maazel] [2 CD]

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If you're a Verdi enthusiast and own several Verdi operas (and I'm quite sure La Traviata, Il Trovatore, Aida, Don Carlos and Otello are on that list) you will also want to collect this early Verdi masterpiece Luisa Miller. The bel canto influence is heavy here, and Verdi is already showing a flash of the musical power to cut through the beautiful music and reveal character psychology. Luisa Miller is a tale of a young woman's thwarted love amongst political intrigue during the late Renaissance. This 1980 studio recording stars Placido Domingo, Katia Ricciarelli, Renato Bruson and Elena Obraztsova. The conductor is Lorin Maazel leading the forces of London's Covent Garden. The strength of this recording is the genius of Maazel and the strong cast. Placido Domingo in 1980 was still in excellent shape, in fact entering the stage of his life in which he gained most notoriety. It was in the 80s when he appeared in the Franco Zefferelli opera films of Traviata (1982 with Teresa Stratas) and Otello (1986 with Katia Ricciarelli and Justino Diaz). His only true competitors then were Luciano Pavoratti and Jose Carreras. Domingo's talents were such that he was able to take on more roles than both Carreras and Pavarotti who sticked with the Italian repertoire. Domingo has sung in Spanish, Russian, German and French. Here is evident his gift for Verdi, which he still considers the composer who most helped his career.

Katia Ricciarelli as the titular heroine is extraordinary. Her voice is a mixture of beautiful high soaring lines and rich mezzo di voce and lower. Her dramatic strengths have never been more succinct than on this recording. Aria after aria, she proves she can master Verdi's smooth legato and bouncy coloraturas. But even more impressive is how well she sings with Placido Domingo in long-winded duets. Placido Domingo and Katia Ricciarelli worked well together, and in order for you to hear this for yourself just listen to their 1986 Otello and their studio recording on Deutsche Grammophone of the French version of Verdi's Don Carlos. Ricciarelli IS Luisa Miller, without any question as to how wonderfully she delivers. The only other soprano who is her equal was Anna Moffo, with a slightly more acrobatic voice than Ricciarelli and who recorde the role in the 60's opposite Carlo Bergonzi, Shirley Verrett, Reri Grist and is available on Amazon.com. Elena Obrazstova is a sensational, richly endowed mezzo soprano who makes the mezzo role sound even more electrifying than Ricciarellis limpid singing. Obraztsova also sounds great opposite Domingo and she sang a Carmen only about a year earlier in the Salzburg Festival in a Zefferelli production. Renato Bruson's baritone voice and style is incomparable and here he really proves how he could sound beautiful too. So there you have it. Go for this recording for the best modern Luisa Miller. – Amazon customer