This Great Recordings
of the Century revival of Puccini’s
last opera is very welcome, although
the performance has been reissued
a number of times in various guises.
Its virtues are a dynamically paced
and thoroughly idiomatic account of
the score from Serafin, and a highly
imaginative performance from La
Divina of the icy Chinese princess.
On record at least,
performances of Turandot have
been notable in giving listeners two
prima donnas for the price of one.
Thus on Erede’s 1955 set we have the
hochdramatisch Inge Borkh paired
with Renata Tebaldi; the latter also
appears on Birgit Nilsson’s first
recording, with Leinsdorf
for RCA. Joan Sutherland’s later Decca
set featured a memorable Montserrat
Caballė as Liu, causing one reviewer
to suggest that the two divas could
have exchanged roles to equally good
effect. Indeed Caballė herself
later recorded the title role
for EMI, although this time with Mirella
Freni as Liu. Here on the 1957 recordings
we have grand dames of the
calibre of Callas and Schwarzkopf,
no less, neither of whom might be
thought to be obvious casting in their
respective roles. Both had in fact
sung their roles on stage in the past
and reprised these for the purposes
of the recording. The booklet includes
a charming photo of the two ladies,
who were mutual admirers, relaxing
over a coffee, perhaps at the time
of the sessions.
Callas sang the taxing
role of Turandot a number of times
early in her career, at a time when
she was singing heavier roles than
her later repertoire. In the intervening
years her star had been very much
in the ascendant and Walter Legge
had quickly contracted her to record
much of the core Italian repertoire
for EMI at La Scala. Turandot
was scheduled for July 1957 alongside
Manon Lescaut, which she never
sang on stage. Callas had not performed
the role of the formidable princess
for eight years, but her first entrance
in In questa reggia is commanding,
softening for the central section
as she recalls the fate of her ancestress
and the cause of her hatred of men.
Towards the end of the aria the taxing
high tessitura seems to pose her relatively
few problems. She is equally memorable
in the subsequent riddle scene with
Calaf; first implacable as she announces
the riddles, then increasingly desperate
as Calaf guesses them correctly one
by one. Her pleading with her father
not to be given over to the Prince
is most moving, her cruelty in the
Third Act at Liu’s torture menacing,
her subsequent softening and final
acceptance of love for once made almost
believable. Not a role that was central
to Callas’s repertoire but a good
example of her ability to breathe
new life into an old warhorse.
Schwarzkopf as Liu
similarly had not sung the role for
some time (she made an early 78 of
Liu’s two arias). She sings the part
with her customary sensitivity to
words and beauty of tone. Signore,
ascolta is beautifully poised,
with hushed dynamics; but as so often
with this artist it seems a rather
manufactured affair. In her Act 3
aria one cannot see (or hear) the
wood for the trees of Schwarzkopf’s
admittedly meticulous attention to
dynamics and word-painting, so that
the overall flow of the music
is lost. Ultimately, for all her vocal
perfection, she does not tug at the
heartstrings like a Tebaldi or Caballė
and one cannot escape the feeling
that she is not entirely idiomatic
in the role.
Eugenio Fernandi
sings an imposing if unsubtle Calaf,
characterising well throughout, especially
in the riddle scene. Nessun dorma
is given a traditionally big-boned
performance, and the final duet with
Turandot is suitably exultant. Smaller
roles are taken by the likes of Nicola
Zaccaria as Timur and the comprimario
parts of the three courtiers are sung
to perfection. There is a touching
link with the past in that the singer
portraying the old Emperor, Giuseppe
Nessi, sang the role of Pong in the
opera’s premiere in 1926. Here he
sounds suitably venerable.
Serafin conducted
one of the earliest performances of
Turandot back in 1926 and his
conducting here evinces a lifetime’s
acquaintance with the work. He paces
the opera with great skill, allowing
the scherzo-like moments to come as
a welcome contrast to the big set
pieces. The end of the first act,
for instance, builds to an impressive
climax, with Puccini’s exotic Chinoiserie
given its head.
Overall the remastering
is good, although the balance favours
the orchestra and solo voices; at
times the chorus, by contrast, sounds
rather distant and the big ensembles
do not always make the desired impact.
It’s a pity that Walter Legge was
unable to record the work in stereo;
Decca had done it for its recording
of the selfsame opera two years previously,
to good effect.
There are notes on
the recording and artists, and a track-by-track
synopsis. For those with access to
a computer, the libretto can be downloaded
from a PDF file on the second CD.
Ewan McCormick
