Verdi: Nabucco / Manuguerra, Luchetti, Ghiaurov, Scotto, Obraztsova; Muti

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
This is a fine performance that could have been even finer if it had been recorded a few years earlier when Renata Scotto had a voice more comparable to her skill at characterization. It is still a good voice, but one perceptibly on the way to disintegration under the influence of unwisely chosen roles. Riccardo Muti's conducting is thoughtful and dramatic, the rest of the cast is in fine voice, and the total production is highly satisfactory for listeners willing to make a few allowances. --Joe McLellan

Verdi: Nabucco / Manuguerra, Luchetti, Ghiaurov, Scotto, Obraztsova; Muti, Music, Giuseppe Verdi, Riccardo Muti, Matteo Manuguerra, Renata Scotto, Philharmonia Orchestra, Ambrosian Opera Chorus, Veriano Luchetti, Elena Obraztsova, Robert Lloyd, Anne Edwards, Kenneth Collins, Classical, Classical Music, Italian Romantic Opera, Opera, Opera / Operetta / Oratorio, Opera/Operetta

Verdi: Nabucco / Manuguerra, Luchetti, Ghiaurov, Scotto, Obraztsova; Muti
Average customer rating:

still the best Nabucco available

Scotto is not to be missed

Scotto at her most exciting

Wise choice

Buy it for Scotto's performance

Verdi: Nabucco / Manuguerra, Luchetti, Ghiaurov, Scotto, Obraztsova; Muti
Giuseppe Verdi , Riccardo Muti , Matteo Manuguerra , Renata Scotto , Philharmonia Orchestra , Ambrosian Opera Chorus , Veriano Luchetti , Elena Obraztsova , Robert Lloyd , Anne Edwards , and Kenneth Collins
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Scotto, Renata | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000002ROG
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Nabucco: Overture
Nabucco - Part One: Coro d'Introduzione: 'Gli arredi festivi giu cadano infranti...'
Nabucco - Part One: Recitativo: 'Sperate, o figli!'
Nabucco - Part One: Cavatina: 'D'Egitto la sui lidi...'
Nabucco - Part One: Cabaletta: 'Come notte a sol fulgente'
Nabucco - Part One: Recitativo: 'Fenena!... O mia diletta!'
Nabucco - Part One: Terzettino: 'Io t'amava! Una furia e quest'amore...'
Nabucco - Part One: Coro: 'Lo vedeste? Fulminando egli irrompe nella folta!'
Nabucco - Part One: Finale I: 'Viva Nabucco!'
Nabucco - Part One: Recitativo: 'Che tenti? Oh trema, insano!'
Nabucco - Part One: Sestetto: 'Tremin gl'insani del mio furore!'
Nabucco - Part One: Recitativo: 'O vinti, il capo a terra!'
Nabucco - Part One: 'Mio furor, non piu costretto...'
Nabucco - Part Two, Scene One: Recitativo: 'Ben io t'invenni, o fatal scritto!'
Nabucco - Part Two, Scene One: Aria: 'Anch'io dischiuso un giorno...'
Nabucco - Part Two, Scene One: Recitativo: 'Chi s'avanza?'
Nabucco - Part Two, Scene One: Recitativo: 'Veni, o Levita! Il santo codice reca!'
Nabucco - Part Two, Scene One: Prayer: 'Tu sul labbro de'veggenti fulminasti, o sommo Iddio!'

Tracks:

Nabucco: Che si vuol?...
Nabucco: Il maledetto non ha fratelli...
Nabucco: Deh, fratelli, perdonate!
Nabucco: Sapressan gl'istanti d' un'ira fatale...
Nabucco: S'oda or me!
Nabucco: Chi mi togile il regio scetto?
Nabucco: El' Assira una regina...
Nabucco: Eccelsa donna, che d'Assiria il fato reggi...
Nabucco: Donna, chi sei?
Nabucco: Va, pensiero, sull' ali dorate...
Nabucco: Oh, chi piange?
Nabucco: Del futuro nel buio discerno...
Nabucco: Son pur queste mie membra!
Nabucco: Dio di Guida! l'ara, il tempio a Te sacro, sorgeranno...
Nabucco: Porta fatal, oh, t'apriral!
Nabucco: Cadran, cadranno i perfidi come locuste al suolo!
Nabucco: Funeral March
Nabucco: Va: la palma del martirio...
Nabucco: Oh dischiuso e il firmamento!
Nabucco: Viva Nabucco!
Nabucco: Ah, torna Isarello...
Nabucco: Oh, chi vegg'io?
Nabucco: Su me...morente...esanime...discenda il tuo perdono!

Amazon.com

This is a fine performance that could have been even finer if it had been recorded a few years earlier when Renata Scotto had a voice more comparable to her skill at characterization. It is still a good voice, but one perceptibly on the way to disintegration under the influence of unwisely chosen roles. Riccardo Muti's conducting is thoughtful and dramatic, the rest of the cast is in fine voice, and the total production is highly satisfactory for listeners willing to make a few allowances. --Joe McLellan

Customer Reviews:

still the best Nabucco available.......2004-12-11

In my opinion Nabucco is really difficult work for singers especially the three of main roles / King Nabuccodonosor, hight priest Zacharia and of course Abigail/. Furthermore it must be difficult / it is not a digital recording !/ to coop such amount of music and choruses in the recording / - the similar problem as Aida, Turandot etc.
All these difficult aspects are mastered here excellently.
The worst of the soloist is Ghiaurov, his voice really sounds tired here, but still is well acceptable. Manuguerra and Scotto perform the best recorded Nabucco and Abigail available. Both
their solo and duets are vivid, dramatic and real.
Muti conducts very well and choruses and orchestra sound absolutely perfect.
A lot of beauty for a very low price !
The four stars only ? Yes, Ghiaurov and Obraztsova would have been casted better, I think we had more eligible meyyo and bass at that time.

Scotto is not to be missed.......2001-04-02

I agree with those who find Manuguerra just a little boring, it's not a bad performance, but pales next to Scotto's magnificent Abigaile. Muti conducts very well, and he makes more of the Va Pensiero than Gardelli or Sinopoli. Forced to choose I would opt for this recording over the DECCA and the DG, it's just a pity that Renato Bruson was not chosen for the title role.

Scotto at her most exciting.......2000-10-26

Muti provides a powerful, though controversial reading of this early Verdi opera, with some deliberately chosen tempo speeds (all on the fast side) especially in the big, massive 'tutti' places. Since orchestration is pretty loud, with only hints at later Verdi masterpieces, this makes for some really brisk and noisy passages. Muti is nonetheless subtler in solo numbers, sensitive enough to realise that operatic characters have to be built through arias and cavatinas, thus giving some leeway to the singers at hand.

Abigaille has a murderous tessitura, with two-octave leaps up and down, and as such it had never been a natural to Scotto, smart enough to take it on only for the purposes of this recording, and she had yet to fabricate an Abigaille-like voice. The account is nevertheless thrilling, sincere and dramatically riveting, as always with Scotto, on the same scale like Decca's Turandot featuring Joan Sutherland in the title-role, equally taken on just for the recording. In places Scotto does sound a little strained, but the cutting edge of her voice just adds to the character.

Ghiaurov (Zaccaria) gives a commanding performance, his vocal acting being brighter than usual just to keep in line with the story, and it is a joy to listen to his famous bass contrasting with other voices. Nabucco is splendidly sung by Matteo Manuguerra, who provides a deeply felt performance, and he complies well with Muti's demands. But his voice lacks a kind of a luster, starry-like quality in the mould of Cappuccilli or Gobbi. The supporting cast sings well, with the exception of Obraztsova, the only real snag in this recording, for her singing is coarse and steely, but fortunately the part is not at all long. The Ambrosian Opera Chorus contribution is outstanding.

Though no digital recording, the sound is first-rate, beautifully rounded with no protagonist sticking out like this and the other one sticking out like that, and mixing of the orchestra and the soloists is equally well balanced.

Wise choice.......2000-07-12

An exciting and exacting recording, due to Muti's strength on the podium and Scotto's insight into the text, coupled with some shrill, yet exciting sounds she makes with the heroines music, makes this recording one of my favourites. However, Ghiaurov is really past it and Manuguerra is quite unsubtle, yet firm in tone. A wise choice if you want a decent recording of an early Verdi opera.

Buy it for Scotto's performance.......2000-07-02

I have to disagree with Joe McLellan's opinion on Scotto's performance as Abigaille. Everyone knows the price that Scotto had to pay for tackling roles like Norma, Gioconda, etc...in the 70's. Her essentially lyric instrument was not naturally made to sing those roles, however, aren't we glad she did ! By her artistry and her intelligence, she always brought life to those roles. Abigaille is one of these "unwisely chosen roles" (I don't think so !): Scotto does not naturally have the voice of a Dimitrova (DG) or a Souliotis (Decca), but her interpretation is so much subtler and she does so much more with the character than those two singers. Her "Anch'io dischiuso..." is a gem, even with the unpleasantly high notes in the caballetta "Salgo gia del trono". Only Callas in her recording of arias with Rescigno (EMI) does it better. Buy this set for Scotto and Ghiaurov : for them only, this set is worth it. Otherwise, Manuguerra is a boring Nabucco and Obraztsova a very unlikely Fenena.

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