Toscanini Collection 58

Ramon Vinay may not have the robust, focused top one yearns for in the title role of Otello, but his total immersion and unflagging involvement cannot be denied. Whereas Herva Nelli's Desdemona rarely rises above sweet- toned and contentious (not bad attributes to begin with), Giuseppe Valdengo brings more complexity to the evil, manipulative Iago. The glue that binds the performance together, of course, is the venerable Arturo Toscanini, who learned Otello from the horse's mouth, so to speak. The maestro's youthful enthusiasm, raw-nerve sensitivity to every nuance, dramatic acuity, and boundless imagination are as timeless as Verdi's music. Mono, schmono, you must own this. --Jed Distler