No dedicated baritone should be without this opera; not only because of the extreme beauty of the music, but because it skillfully employs the services of (count them) four baritones or basses in leading roles - each maintaining his separate and distinct identity, even to the listening ear. Indeed, one of the treasures of this opera is the duet for baritone and bass, between Boccanegra and Fiesco.
This opera, like "La Traviata," was a flop at its premiere in 1857. And as he did with "La Traviata," Verdi reworked it into a triumph, which finally claimed its public at La Scala in 1881. Such was Verdi's skill that he could revise the details of a masterpiece without altering its essential content; and like few others, he could put his finger directly on where he had fallen short and do something about it.Despite its skill, beauty and worthiness, "Boccanegra" has never attained the popular status of several other Verdi blockbusters; just why is hard to say. True enough, beyond the baritone aria "Il lacerato spirito" there are few frequent excerpts. But the solos and ensembles are strikingly beautiful in context, the orchestral interludes haunting, and the choral writing among Verdi's best. Particularly wonderful are the ethereal off-stage women's voices that recur from time to time.
Beyond the intrigue and villainy of life in a Renaissance court, the plot revolving around the devotion of a father and daughter; and one must have long acquaintance with this opera to understand the convolutions of a story that includes a lost orphan, much mistaken and masked identity, misunderstood intentions, and enough coincidental happenings to boggle the mind. Beside it, the plot of "Il Trovatore" seems a triumph of logic.
So, granted that you aren't likely to see many live performances, all the more reason to enjoy the aural pleasures of an excellent recording such as this. Solti's interpretation reinforces the fact that he is an operatic animal, and welcome back to the dramatic stage. He brings out the emotions, nuances and sensitivity in this lovely score, enhancing the abilities of his stellar cast as only a fine conductor can.
Lifting the lone female voice of consequence is Kiri Te Kanawa as Maria Boccanegra (Amelia Grimaldi), in a part seemingly made for her. The timbre and weight are ideal, and her interpretations joyous and touching.
Leo Nucci is a surprise in the heavy bass-baritone role of Simon, the Doge of Genoa. His timbre seems far deeper and richer than usual; and while it might not carry so in the house, for a recording he sounds fine and full, bringing his considerable interpretive powers to bear on the role of benevolent ruler and loving father.
Paata Burchuladze is Fiesco, Simon's longtime enemy who converts to friend in the end. He is genuinely, naturally endowed with one of the finest bass voices before the public, and style to match. Ably rounding out the bass clef contingent are Paolo Coni as the traitorous Paolo, and Carlo Colombara as his cohort, Pietro.
Lifting the lone tenor voice is an artist little heard from of late, the Spanish Giacomo Aragall - likewise a welcome return, for his bright, stylish voice well defines the character of the two-dimensional patrician, Gabriele Adorno.
What is happening to opera librettos in the compact-disc shuffle? The type on the multilanguage translations is as small as those little enclosures in patent medicine bottles; and rather than having the Italian, German, French and English read directly across two contiguous pages, you must flip from one page to the next for the English translation. One would like to know the logic, if any, underlying such an editing decision.