Verdi - Jérusalem / Mescheriakova, Giordani, Scandiuzzi,

Verdi - Jérusalem / Mescheriakova, Giordani, Scandiuzzi, L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Luisi (First Complete Recording)

Giuseppe Verdi's first big Paris hit, JÃ©rusalem is an 1847 rewrite of I Lombardi. Along with a new French text, the action is clarified, characters and scenes are dropped, the tenor role is beefed up, and the obligatory ballet is added, among other changes. It's a more coherent opera in this version, although Italian audiences have clung to I Lombardi, which is still mounted on the world's stages. The Philips team, however, makes a powerful case for this French grand opera story of betrayal, love, war and rescue, penitence, and vindication painted in primary colors on a canvas of Crusaders and villains, rousingly set to effective, if blunt, music.
Fabio Luisi conducts a vigorous performance and draws excellent work from orchestra and chorus. The smaller roles are generally adequately cast. Marina Mescheriakova is an excellent HÃ©lÃ¨ne, the plucky heroine who follows her exiled fiancÃ© to the Holy Land. Her lustrous soprano voice shines with true Verdian flavor. As Gaston, the tenor hero, Marcello Giordani, is first-rate, tender in his soft singing, tossing off ringing high notes in his heroic passages. An excellent performance of an opera well worth hearing. --Dan Davis
Country USA
Manufacturer PHILIPS
Binding Audio CD
ReleaseDate 2017-04-21
UnitCount 3
Format Box set
UPCs 028946261323
EANs 0028946261323

Verdi - Jérusalem / Mescheriakova, Giordani, Scandiuzzi, L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Luisi (First Complete Recording)