5.0 out of 5 stars
Exceptional Performance, 3 Jan 2012
By John G. Gleeson Sr. - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Donizetti: Maria di Rohan (Audio CD)
Maria di Rohan was Donizetti's third to last opera, to be followed by Dom Sebastien and Caterina Cornaro. It was written when the maestro was at the peak of his musical composition skills, but before he descended into the mental condition which ended his life. It is a tale, as are many of Donizetti's operas, of love gone wrong, when Maria, who is married to Enrico (the baritone) seeks the help of a former lover, Riccardo (the tenor) to help Enrico, who is in trouble over a duel he fought with a relative of Cardinal Richelieu. Of course, those old feelings rise to the surface and create the dramatic tension that moves the plot forward.
All I can say about the score is that is flawless, and exceptionally melodic. It is well performed in this 1997 recording, which affords the listener with a technically perfect reproduction.
Maria is sung by Edita Gruberova, of whom much has been written. To me, her coloratura soprano voice was made for this kind of bel canto role and she brings it off without a hitch. Runs, trills, crescendos, decrescendos and those lovely floating pianissimi abound.
Riccardo is sung by Octavio Arevalo, with whom I was unfamiliar before hearing this recording He, too, has the lyric tenor voice to execute the vocally demading role he sings nearly perfectly.
Enrico is Ettore Kim, who has sung with Gruberova on other Nightingale Classics. He does an excellent job is this role, and in the others I have heard.
The packaging is a no frills version of the earlier boxed set and has no libretto, although there is a little pamphlet with an article about the opera's background. Opera Rara has recently released this opera, but I have not heard it yet. If they follow course, there will be a very informative, scholarly essay on the opera and a libretto and a hefty price tag. To thoroughly enjoy this magnificent work, you need go no further than this offering however.
Buy it and experience Donizetti's music in an exceptionally rendered performance.