# Listening Focus: Verdi



## LouisMasterMusic (Aug 28, 2013)

Hi all

I would like to start a ''Verdi Challenge'' of listening to all of the operas. I was inspired after having seen another user on this site undertake one. Advice on recordings (both CDS and DVDS) would be helpful. I like to take things slowly, which I think is particularly important when exploring Verdi, so that one appreciates his musical and dramatic understanding as his operatic career progressed. I also don't like to get a ''listening overload'' all at one time. Here are the Verdi operas I already own (not in order of composition, sorry).

1) Falstaff:






and also







(I am thinking of purchasing this DVD:






)

2) La Traviata:






and also








3) Simon Boccanegra: Tito Gobbi (Boccanegra) Boris Christoff (Fiesco), Victoria De Los Angeles (Amelia), Giuseppe Campora (Gabriele). Rome Opera House Chorus and Orchestra/Gabriele Santini.

4) Nabucco: Matteo Manuguerra (Nabucco), Veriano Luchetti (Ismaele), Nicolai Ghiaurov (Zaccaria), Renata Scotto (Abigaille), Elena Obraztsova (Fenena). Ambrosian Opera Chorus, Philharmonia Orchestra/Riccardo Muti. (I also own two DVDs, one from La Scala with Bruson and Dimitrova, again under Muti, and the other from the Metropolitan Opera, with Juan Pons and Maria Guleghina, under James Levine).

5) Il Trovatore: Leontyne Price (Leonora), Placido Domingo (Manrico), Sherril Milnes (Il Conte Di Luna), Fiorenza Cossotto (Azucena). Ambrosian Opera Chorus, New Philharmonia Orchestra/Zubin Mehta. (I also own a DVD from the Metropolitan Opera with Sondra Radvanovsky, Marcelo Alvarez and Dmitri Hvorostovsky, under Marco Armiliato).

6) Aida: Zinka Milanov (Aida), Jussi Bjorling (Radames), Fedora Barbieri (Amneris), Leonard Warren (Amonasro), Boris Christoff (Ramfis). Rome Opera House Chorus and Orchestra/Jonel Perlea.

7) Rigoletto: Robert Merrill (Rigoletto), Jussi Bjorling (Il Duca Di Mantova), Roberta Peters (Gilda), Anna Maria Rota (Maddalena), Giorgo Tozzi (Sparafucile). Rome Opera Orchestra and Chorus/Jonel Perlea.

When providing recommendations, please keep in mind the following:

1) Admiration for tenors like Carlo Bergonzi, Nicolai Gedda, Alfredo Kraus, Jose Carreras and Placido Domingo. (Calleja and Kaufmann are also top-draw for me).

2) Preference for classic productions over more modern ones on DVD. Having said that, I have read positive reviews of recent productions. I also like staged rather than filmed opera.

3) I'd like to try maximum three operas at a time and am particularly fascinated by early Verdi, after having read about it.

4) Please also include recital discs of Verdi arias\duets. I know of ones by the likes of Jonas Kaufmann, Joseph Calleja, Krassimira Stoyanova (a voice I'm not familiar with), Sonya Yoncheva (not so sure!) and two by Placido Domingo (one as a tenor and one as a baritone).

5) I don't listen to Herbert Von Karajan. I have reasons which are not appropriate for this forum as they center on politics.

I hope this isn't too overwhelming for u to help me with. I'm bracing myself for the confrontations I may face being that I'm a slow listener.


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## Granate (Jun 25, 2016)

I have already made lots of Verdi challenges, some more extensive than others.

That you own so many of them on CD is excellent. I've been collecting many of them since January this year, and all of them were reviewed first so there's no dud for me:



















Give a shot to all of these on Stream or CD, especially Erede's Otello from Japan.

Other versions you should try:

_Rigoletto_ Giulini (WPO is superb)
_Rigoletto_ Gavanezzi (Alfredo Kraus as the Count)
_Aida_ Karajan EMI (Carreras is an aquired taste here, very idiomatic)
_Aida_ Muti EMI (Superbly sung, Muti probably too simplistic in the score and the music)
_Il Trovatore_ Mehta (I second you on that) 
_Il Trovatore_ Karajan 1st
_Don Carlo_ Solti (Bergonzi and company almost unbearably dramatic)
_Macbeth_ Abbado (Stellar cast in great package, although I have to do a more serious challenge with this opera)
_La Traviata_ Prêtre (Bergonzi as a competent Alfredo; my recent favourite for Caballé)
_La Traviata_ Kleiber (Patchy but incredibly well-sung. Domingo is spoiled by cuts)
_La Traviata_ Ghione Lisbon (Callas & Kraus in great mono sound make scepticals like me surrender)
_Attila_ Muti (I prefer it to Gardelli)
_La Forza del Destino_ Mitropoulos (Live mono recording in the Wiener Staatsoper, incandescent singing)

I don't know about others. I'm into French opera these days.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

I have CD recordings of all the Verdi operas, except *Oberto*, *Jérusalem* (the re-working of *I Lombardi*) and *Aroldo*. the re-working of *Stiffelio*.

When I started replacing LPs with CDs, I had decided that I would have only one representation of any work, but gradually I added a few others, because I wanted them for one reason or another. Live Callas is different from studio Callas, so I often end up with lots of Callas performances. Both Vickers and Domingo are a must for *Otello*, then there are all the different versions of *Don Carlo*.

*Un Giorno di Regno* - Pagliughi, Cozza, Oncina, Capecchi, Bruscantini; Simonetto *
- Cossotto, Norman, Carreras, Wixell, Ganzarolli; Gardelli
*Nabucco* - Callas, Bechi, Sinimberghi, Neroni; Gui (live 1949) * (if you can put up with the sound)
- Souliotis, Gobbi, Prevedi, Cava; Gardelli
*I Lombardi* - Deutekom, Domingo, Raimondi; Gardelli
*Ernani* - Price, Bergonzi, Sereni, Flagello; Schippers
*I due Foscari* - Ricciarelli, Carreras, Cappuccilli, Ramey
*Giovanna d'Arco* - Caballé, Domingo, Milnes; Levine
*Alzira* - Cotrubas, Araiza, Bruson; Gardelli
*Attila* - Deutekom, Bergonzi, Milnes, Raimondi; Gardelli
*Macbeth* - Callas, Mascherini, Penno, Tajo; De Sabata (live 1952) *
- Verrett, Cappuccilli, Domingo, Ghiaurov; Abbado
*I Masnadieri* - Caballé, Bergonzi, Cappuccilli, Raimondi; Gardelli
*Il Corsaro* - Caballé, Norman Carreras; Gardelli
*La Battaglia di Legnano* - Ricciarelli, Carreras, Manuguerra, Ghiuselev; Gardelli
*Luisa Miller* - Moffo, Bergonzi, Verrett, MacNeil, Flagello, Tozzi; Cleva
*Stiffelio* - Sass, Carreras, Manuguerra, Ganzarolli; Gardelli
*Rigoletto* - Callas, Di Stefano, Campolonghi; Mugnai (live 1952)
- Callas, Di Stefano, Gobbi, Zaccaria; Serafin *
*Il Trovatore* - Callas, Di Stefano, Barbieri, Panerai, Zaccaria; Karajan
*La Traviata* - Callas, Albanese, Savarese; Santini
- Callas. Di Stefano, Bastianini; Giulini (Live 1955)
- Callas, Kraus, Sereni; Ghione (Live 1958)
- Callas, Valletti, Zanasi; Rescigno (Live 1958) *
- Stratas, Wunderlich, Prey; Patané (Live 1965)
- Cotrubas, Domingo, Milnes; Kleiber 
*I Vespri Siciliani* - Callas, Kokolios-Bardi, Mascherini, Christoff; Erich Kleiber (live 1951) *
- Arroyo, Domingo, Milnes, Raimondi; Levine
*Simon Boccanegra* - De Los Angeles, Campora, Gobbi, Christoff; Santini
- Freni, Carreras, Milnes, Ghiaurov; Abbado *
*Un Ballo in Maschera* - Callas, Barbieri, Di Stefano, Gobbi; Votto *
- Callas, Simionato, Di Stefano, Bastianini; Gavazzeni (Live 1957)
*La Forza del Destino* - Callas, Nicolai, Tucker, Tagliabue; Serafin
*Don Carlo* - 5 Act version in Italian - Caballé, Verrett, Domingo, Milnes, Raimondi; Giulini *
*Don Carlo* - 4 Act version in Italian - Freni, Baltsa, Carreras, Cappuccilli, Ghiaurov; Karajan
*Don Carlos* - 5 Act version in French - Ricicarelli, Valentini-Terrari, Domingo, Nucci, Raimondi; Abbado
*Aida* - Callas, Dominguez, Del Monaco, Taddei; De Fabritiis (live 1951)
- Callas, Simionato, Baum, Walters; Barbirolli (Live 1953)
- Callas, Barbieri, Tucker, Gobbi; Serafin *
- Freni, Baltsa, Carreras, Cappuccilli; Karajan
- Harteros, Semenchuk, Kaufmann, Tézier; Pappano
*Otello* - Vickers, Rysanek, Gobbi; Serafin *
- Domingo, Scotto, Milnes; Levine
*Falstaff* - Gobbi, Schwarzkopf, Panerai, Moffo, Alva; Karajan

I also have 2 recordings of the *Requiem* - Schwarzkopf, Ludwig, Gedda, Ghiaurov; Giulini * and Scotto, Baltsa, Luchetti, Nesterenko; Muti

It's a shame you don't listen to Karajan, because I really think his versions of *Il Trovatore* and *Falstaff* are the best ones out there.


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## LouisMasterMusic (Aug 28, 2013)

GregMitchell said:


> I have CD recordings of all the Verdi operas, except *Oberto*, *Jérusalem* (the re-working of *I Lombardi*) and *Aroldo*. the re-working of *Stiffelio*.
> 
> When I started replacing LPs with CDs, I had decided that I would have only one representation of any work, but gradually I added a few others, because I wanted them for one reason or another. Live Callas is different from studio Callas, so I often end up with lots of Callas performances. Both Vickers and Domingo are a must for *Otello*, then there are all the different versions of *Don Carlo*.
> 
> ...


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## LouisMasterMusic (Aug 28, 2013)

LouisMasterMusic said:


> GregMitchell said:
> 
> 
> > I have CD recordings of all the Verdi operas, except *Oberto*, *Jérusalem* (the re-working of *I Lombardi*) and *Aroldo*. the re-working of *Stiffelio*.
> ...


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## Granate (Jun 25, 2016)

LouisMasterMusic said:


> LouisMasterMusic said:
> 
> 
> > In the course of my ''Listening Focus'' of Verdi,, is it necessary to listen to all of the operas chronologically, or can I pick and choose? The thing is, I have recordings and DVDS of some of the operas allready and I don't know how long I'll have to wait for my next orders. Also, aat what point should I investigate the Requiem, after all the operas, or in the middle? If someone can please give me answers to these questions, I'd be grateful. Thanks in advance!
> ...


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## LouisMasterMusic (Aug 28, 2013)

Granate;1457765
If you want to listen to the Requiem said:


> Solti WPO[/B] and Giulini PO, are terribly flawed with distortions.
> 
> I never listened to Verdi operas cronologically to enjoy them more. His repertoire is very prolific for an opera composer. You could do the most popular of them as I did and go little by little exploring the minor ones. I haven't tried Luisa Miller yet and I'm not keen on Falstaff.
> 
> ...


Hi. Thanks for this advice. I tend to make purchases a few operas at a time. I have Un Giorno Di Regno, I Due Foscari and Ernani coming, but I already have Nabucco and most other Verdi operas in my collection. Nabucco happens to be one of my favourite operas anyway, so I'll probably start with what I know before moving on. Will try and remember to purchase the Requiem after Simon Boccanegra, Don Carlo and Macbeth. I only like to order a small number at a time, otherwise it becomes a listening overload.


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## Granate (Jun 25, 2016)

LouisMasterMusic said:


> Hi. Thanks for this advice. I tend to make purchases a few operas at a time. I have Un Giorno Di Regno, I Due Foscari and Ernani coming, but I already have Nabucco and most other Verdi operas in my collection. Nabucco happens to be one of my favourite operas anyway, so I'll probably start with what I know before moving on. Will try and remember to purchase the Requiem after Simon Boccanegra, Don Carlo and Macbeth. I only like to order a small number at a time, otherwise it becomes a listening overload.


 

​
If you can afford the price on CD, haven't you thought of buying one of these EMI boxes? The Great Verdi Operas include almost every Verdi Muti recording except his excellent Aida, but the packaging is very cheap. The Complete Verdi recordings by Muti box has excellent packaging, it has one Requiem and a DVD, but it's quite expensive compared to the past year.


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## Belowpar (Jan 14, 2015)

If its Verdi you want, I think you should have at least one recording by Toscanini. 

He came to prominence when he was thrust out from the Orchestra, aged 19, to Conduct Aida when they rebelled and ejected the original choice. As ever this was from memory despite never having prepared as Conductor. Later he returned to the Orchestra at La Scala to play Cello at the Premier of Otello. Finally, his last ever trip to the recording studio was to ‘improve’ a few sections of an otherwise live for Radio, Aida. 

MY choice: His Otello explodes from the speakers and is a thing of theatrical wonder. I also have his Requiem and Aida.

Listening to Toscanini you are only one step from the man himself. Enjoy.


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## aussiebushman (Apr 21, 2018)

Pity you seem not to be able to play vinyl because there are still some wonderful performances not already on CD or if they are, they are hard to find. An example is the Muti recording of Aida on EMI SLS977. 

Domingo is superb in the role of Ramades and even though Caballe could double as a Tiger tank, the voice is magnificent. I noted that earlier in this thread, the version with Milanov and Bjorling was recommended - by a contributor with very good taste in singers!


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

aussiebushman said:


> Pity you seem not to be able to play vinyl because there are still some wonderful performances not already on CD or if they are, they are hard to find. An example is the Muti recording of Aida on EMI SLS977.
> 
> Domingo is superb in the role of Ramades and even though Caballe could double as a Tiger tank, the voice is magnificent. I noted that earlier in this thread, the version with Milanov and Bjorling was recommended - by a contributor with very good taste in singers!


You mean this one.......



or this one;


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

I had a phase of collecting Verdi operas, most of which were cheap second hand,

From memory the ones I have are

*Nabucco */ Gardelli
*Macbeth* / Schippers
/ Muti
/ Abaddo
/ de Sabata
*Luisa Miller */ Maazel
*Rigoletto* / Solti
/ Serafin
/ Sinopoli
/ Sonzono
*La Traviata */ Solti
/ Ghione (with Callas)
/ Kleiber
/ Levine
/ Serafin with de los Angeles
*Trovatore * / Karajan (3)
/ Mehta
/ Schippers

I am realising in this list there are far too many but they are all enjoyable. More later


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## aussiebushman (Apr 21, 2018)

Rogerx said:


> You mean this one.......
> 
> 
> 
> or this one;


Sorry - yes there IS a CD release - the first one pictured. In theory it is available at http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=525810 but is currently out of stock


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## Granate (Jun 25, 2016)

aussiebushman said:


> Sorry - yes there IS a CD release - the first one pictured. In theory it is available at http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=525810 but is currently out of stock


The new reissue is available but it was tough to find directly in Amazon (B017OHASGM).



Link for Amazon Australia


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## aussiebushman (Apr 21, 2018)

Interesting that Greg Mitchell includes the Philips Attila - Deutekom, Bergonzi, Milnes, Raimondi; Gardelli in his list.

Raimondi was at a early point in his career when this was recorded and while he displays the finesse for which he was famous, it can be argued that he lacks some of the authority needed for the title role. The earlier Gardelli version had Nesterenko in the title role and his huge, dark voice is not entirely suited to Verdi's conception of the role.

Many believe Cristina Deutekom was a poor choice as Odabelle due to her tendency to shrillness and insufficiently low register.

I do not know if it has been released on CD but the DVD features Russian bass Ildar Abdrazakov in Arturo Gama's production with Anna Markarova, Sulimsky and Skorokhodov. I have only heard the "trailer" at 



 but this account certainly appeals to me


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

aussiebushman said:


> Interesting that Greg Mitchell includes the Philips Attila - Deutekom, Bergonzi, Milnes, Raimondi; Gardelli in his list.
> 
> Raimondi was at a early point in his career when this was recorded and while he displays the finesse for which he was famous, it can be argued that he lacks some of the authority needed for the title role. The earlier Gardelli version had Nesterenko in the title role and his huge, dark voice is not entirely suited to Verdi's conception of the role.
> 
> ...


To be honest, the only other recording of *Attila* I've heard is the Muti, and I do prefer the Philips Gardelli. Though Deutekom is a weak Odabella, I am very happy with the other soloists. The _second_ (not earlier) Gardelli version with Nesterenko I haven't heard. I have no doubt Sass would make a better Odabella (though she would have been past her best by then), but Nagy and Miller have hardly ever commended themselves to me in some of the other Hungaraton Verdi issues. I very much doubt they would be an improvement on Bergonzi and Milnes.

That said, it's not one of my favourite early Verdis, so I'm quite happy with just the one recording, and the Philips will do fine for me.


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## aussiebushman (Apr 21, 2018)

Yes Greg, Attila is something of an acquired taste and it is no particular favorite of mine either. Of early Verdi, Nabucco has more to offer, especially even though it is full-on "Verdi-Gurdi" . The Muti performance with Pavarotti on Youtube is worth trying: 




Maybe anyone interested in early Verdi should consider Ernani that in my view is a superior work. There are several good recordings - especially the excellent Muti version with Domingo, Freni, Bruson, and Ghiaurov. Youtube has this too - at


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

aussiebushman said:


> Of early Verdi, Nabucco has more to offer, especially even though it is full-on "Verdi-Gurdi" . The Muti performance with Pavarotti on Youtube is worth trying:


Pavarotti in *Nabucco*???

My list was of audio only accounts, hence my preference (again) for Gardelli with Gobbi and Souliotis.

For *Ernani* (again, not really one of my favourites), I lean towards Schippers with Price, Bergonzi and Sereni.

Of early Verdi (ie up to *Rigoletto*), my favourites are

*Nabucco
I Due Foscari
Macbeth
La Battaglia di Lgnano
Luisa Miller
Stiffelio*


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

Attila is one of my favourite early Verdi works and the recording I would choose is the Muti (the prelude in that recording is the best thing he ever conducted IMO). I'm a huge Studer fan and Ramey's Attila isn't to be sniffed at. I also like the Gardelli recording, which I feel is a must as I have all the others in that series of early Verdi operas. I would probably swap Bergonzi and Milnes for Schicoff and Zancanaro, but I'm more interested in the bass and soprano roles in that opera.



My favourite early Verdi operas are:

Nabucco, I Lombardi (although the second half is no way as good as the first), Ernani, I due Foscari, Attila, Macbeth and Stiffelio. The others are all more or less ok except for Alzira, which I tend to call Verdi's dud.

N.


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## aussiebushman (Apr 21, 2018)

Pavarotti in Nabucco??? That was a total stuff-up on my part! Put it down to my age or the inability to clear the clipboard of an old entry when posting!


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## damianjb1 (Jan 1, 2016)

LouisMasterMusic said:


> Hi all
> 
> I would like to start a ''Verdi Challenge'' of listening to all of the operas. I was inspired after having seen another user on this site undertake one. Advice on recordings (both CDS and DVDS) would be helpful. I like to take things slowly, which I think is particularly important when exploring Verdi, so that one appreciates his musical and dramatic understanding as his operatic career progressed. I also don't like to get a ''listening overload'' all at one time. Here are the Verdi operas I already own (not in order of composition, sorry).
> 
> ...


This sounds like lots of fun. While I love CD's myself, don't forget the endless supply of recordings on the various streaming services. In particular recommend Primephonic and Idagio. They both specialise in Classical Music.

I'll start with these 3.


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## damianjb1 (Jan 1, 2016)

If anyone is after a recent Verdi Requiem this is one terrific. I know the piece backwards so it can be hard to hold my attention. This had me glued to my seat.


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## Saxman (Jun 11, 2019)

In the requiem, there are many good versions. A fairly good all rounder is on Naxos and not too expensive. 

As to the operas, Gardelli is generally quite good in the early operas. He certainly captures the feel and atmosphere of Verdi well. Any of his recordings is recommendable even if there are others that are good. 

A few other comments:
-Otello with Domingo/Mehta is outstanding, but there is some congestion on the highs/tuttis
-Rigoletto - quite a few good ones here, but if budget is an issue, I find the Schicoff/Sinopoli quite good, and I think Schicoff usually underwhelming
-Aida - Singing on the Perlea set is outstanding in every way (and perhaps the best singing of any set), but the orchestra sounds like it's in a bathtub (so not a first choice if that is a consideration for you), I'd go for the classic Price/Vickers/Solti, 
-Toscanini is certainly worth a listen, but the sound is not always that good. So I would not start with him


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

I've added a few more recordings to the fairly exhaustive list I posted in post #3

They are the Muti *Aida* with Caballé, Cossotto, Domingo and Cappuccilli, bringing my total recordings of the opera to six, which is probably a reflection of the fact that I find it hard to find a recording that satisfies on all levels.

I've also added the Serafin *Traviata* with De Los Angeles, which brings my total to seven, but this is mainly because I have four versions with Callas (the Cetra studio recording, and La Scala 55, Lisbon 58 and London 58), who is simply _hors concours_, but De Los Angeles is also a favourite singer and I do rather like her sensitive portayal.

Another addition was the Queler *Aroldo* with Caballé, as the opera differs in quite a few ways from *Stiffelio* and the Maazel *Luisa Miller*, which I got for Ricciarelli's affecting Luisa.

I haven't counted them all up, but it's around fifty sets.


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## damianjb1 (Jan 1, 2016)

They are the Muti *Aida* with Caballé, Cossotto, Domingo and Cappuccilli, bringing my total recordings of the opera to six, which is probably a reflection of the fact that I find it hard to find a recording that satisfies on all levels.

My favourite Aida is the Solti set with Price, Vickers and Gorr. I love the Muti as well but for the desert island - the Solti.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

damianjb1 said:


> They are the Muti *Aida* with Caballé, Cossotto, Domingo and Cappuccilli, bringing my total recordings of the opera to six, which is probably a reflection of the fact that I find it hard to find a recording that satisfies on all levels.
> 
> My favourite Aida is the Solti set with Price, Vickers and Gorr. I love the Muti as well but for the desert island - the Solti.


Love Price and Vickers but I can't abide Solti's thud and blunder conducting. I'm not much of a fan of Gorr's Amneris either. She just sounds matronly to me. I used to have it on LP, but when I moved to CD I looked elsewhere.


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## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

I've been listening to this box set -

*Arturo Toscanini Conducts Giuseppe Verdi*












> ... this set from the Sony Classical Masters Series features Arturo Toscanini conducting the NBC Symphony Orchestra in the works of Giuseppe Verdi, including La traviata, Un ballo in maschera, Aida, Otello, Falstaff and Messa da Requiem. Also featured are sopranos Licia Albanese and Herva Nelli, tenors Jan Perce and Richard Tucker and baritone Robert Merrill. (Naxos Direct)


I had kind of known that Toscanini knew Verdi, played cello in the pit orchestra for Otello, and at some point spent time with him discussing how the operas ought to be done. At least, that is what I had picked up from various books and articles, reviews, etc.

So, when I saw this box, I grabbed it up. And there is has sat, for literally years, unopened until today.

I am enjoying it.


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