The current popularity of Verdi's Don Carlo – and indeed the success of Royal Opera's recent run – may be traced, albeit obliquely, to one particular production at Covent Garden exactly fifty years ago.
It had previously been an awkward work, plagued by cuts and reinsertions and unproductive in box office terms, but attitudes changed with a new interpretation by Luchino Visconti.
The appeal of this live recording from 1958, released as part of the Royal Opera Heritage Series, is therefore twofold: not only does it boast a remarkable line-up but the production itself represents a significant milestone in the opera's own history.
The casting is exceptional by anyone's standards. Jon Vickers may have been a relative newcomer to the title role but he gives an astute performance, conveying Carlo's early optimism with grace and fluidity, and singing with increasing intensity as his fate unravels; his Act II and Act IV duets with Tito Gobbi's impressive Rodrigo are unquestionable highlights. Filippo II became a signature part for Boris Christoff and it's easy to see why: his deep bass voice resounds with charm and malevolence.
Floating above this melting-pot of male bravura is Gré Brouwenstijn's mellifluous soprano. Her Elizabeth of Valois is delicate but packs a punch when required: ‘Tu che le vanita' is a pillar of strength and flexibility. Add to the mix the renowned Italian conductor Carlo Maria Giulini, who extracts a measured and authoritative performance from the pit, and it is not surprising that this production has become the stuff of legend.
Of course the recording is not without its drawbacks. Although solo arias are generally crisp and lucid, the orchestral sound lacks depth and gradation, chorus sections come across as woolly – the auto-da-fé chant suffers particularly in this respect – and there is all the extraneous noise that is normal on live discs. It's also worth noting the presence of a light crackle (or aural foxing) of the sort that blemishes most antiquated recordings, even one such as this that has been lovingly translated into digital format.
Those in search of crystalline clarity should turn to other releases but for intense drama and a thrilling sense of immediacy this one's hard to beat – you can almost smell the greasepaint.
As with others in the series, the recording is luxuriously packaged (a gold-and-claret colour theme denoting its fine vintage) and includes a neat booklet containing the full libretto, an introductory essay by Andrew Porter and some fascinating production shots. In addition, the CD features a bonus track of a present-day discussion between Roger Beardsley and Lord Harewood, the then director of RO, about the provenance and production of the opera.
Despite its predictable weaknesses this recording stands not only as a historical curiosity, but as a benchmark of musical achievement: it is a must-have for all Verdians and indeed any serious opera fan.
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