Alan Blyth’s original
review in The Gramophone of the complete
version of this recording, first issued
in 1993, makes fascinating reading.
Not only does he describe the recording
as ‘a delight from start to finish’
(a view with which I concur), but later
on in the review he goes on to talk
about the singer playing Nemorino, before
commenting on the singing he first has
to explain something of the singer’s
background as he might not be known
to the readers in 1993. How life has
changed; nowadays Roberto Alagna is
well known. One of the delights of this
recording, though, is how it has captured
his fresh and appealing Nemorino, before
he started singing more substantial
roles and thus rather darkening his
voice. His performance is youthful and
ardent and suitably Italianate. His
performance of ‘Una furtiva lagrima’
is quite stunning; it is sung pensively
and subtly, not as a barn storming crowd
pleaser.
As the heroine, Adina,
Mariella Devia is stylish and charming.
She is perfectly at home in the role’s
fioriture, using it to both characterise
Adina and to delight the ear. But she
sounds a little less girlish than some
singers, rather more mature. Combined
with Alagna’s naïve Nemorino, this
gives an interesting dynamic to the
opera with a slightly older, more mature
Adina seeming understandably a formidable
to Nemorino. This is one of the opera’s
delights; Donizetti never guys his characters
and though they amuse us, they can come
across as real people with real concerns.
As Dulcamara, the quack
who is the main focus of the comedy
element in the opera, Bruno Pratico
is vivid and lively, with a wonderful
feel for the text which is beautifully
immediate whether or not you speak Italian.
The drawback is that he does not have
as rich a voice as I would like. Pietro
Spagnoli is a rather correct Belcore;
he fits fine into the ensembles but
rather lacks something of the comic
swagger that the role requires.
The singers are ably
supported by Marcello Viotti and the
English Chamber Orchestra, who produce
a lively, sparkling account of the score
whilst remaining sympathetic to the
singers’ needs. The choir is the Tallis
Chamber Choir and it is rather curious
that such an idiomatically Italian cast
and conductor should produce a recording
using English choir and orchestra. Still,
it is of no matter when the choir and
orchestra are as responsive as they
are here and attuned to the work’s style.
Evidently the recording used a new edition
of the score by Alberto Zedda; something
which is to be welcomed even if the
innocent ear fails to detect any startling
differences.
If you feel that you
have too many versions of this opera
on your shelves then I can recommend
these potted highlights. They would
also serve as an ideal introduction
to this delightful opera. And if Donizetti’s
charming comedy does not really appeal
to you, then buy it anyway to hear what
the young Alagna could do.
Robert Hugill
Tallis Chamber Choir 
