| Il Trovatore |
| by Giuseppe Verdi |
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| A recording of Verdi's Il Trovatore with Roberto Alagna, Angela Gheorghiu, and Thomas Hampson conducted by Antonio Pappano was released at amazon.fr on 26 August 2002, and was released at amazon.com on 17 September. Daniel Somerville wrote at q.co.za of this recording: "So what a pleasure it is that this is such a fine recording - due in no small part to the excellent control of the orchestra and soloists that conductor Antonio Pappano has. The pace is thrilling, just slightly held back giving an unerring sense of suspense and integrity." |
| Maria Callas's studio recording of Il Trovatore was made by EMI in Milan August 3 to 9, 1956. Herbert von Karajan conducted a cast including Giuseppe Di Stefano, Fedora Barbieri, Rolando Panerai, and Nicola Zaccaria, with the orchestra and chorus of Teatro alla Scala. The recording is available from amazon.com and from amazon.co.uk. John Ardoin wrote of this recording in The Callas Legacy: the Compete Guide to Her Recordings on Compact Disc, "Though her top is minus some of the solidity heard in the Naples and la Scala performances of Trovatore, and though the cabaletta to "Tacea" has an almost studied air about it, what remains is the most beautiful concentration of sound and poignancy ever brought to Leonora's music by Callas." Ardoin went on to say, "Unfortunately, di Stefano lacks the proper heft for Manrico's heroics, and Paneri and Barbieri are not at their known best. But Karajan is . . . a lofty partner . . .. The close rapport between himself and Callas, and between the pair and Verdi's music in this, their last collaboration, gives this set its importance and justification." |
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