Falstaff holds
the distinction of not only being Verdi’s
final opera but also his only successful
opera buffa; his first, written
at the age of 27, was a total failure.
Verdi and his librettist, Boito, at
first kept the composition of Falstaff
in complete secrecy, only revealing
it publicly after the completion of
the first act. This work displays Verdi’s
true versatility: the soaring melodrama
of his previous works is gone, replaced
by music ingeniously constructed to
display charm, wit, and light-heartedness.
This particular recording
is notable for several reasons. First,
the recording is not just of the opera;
instead, it is a recording of the Met
broadcast of February 26, 1949 and includes
commentary by Milton Cross. As the Richard
Caniell’s liner notes explain, this
production was one of the huge hits
of the 1948-49 season, due, in part,
to the illustrious conductor, Fritz
Reiner, as well as to the work’s rarity
before 1949 - at least at the Met. Leonard
Warren, Giuseppe Di Stefano and Licia
Albanese stand to this day as among
the best voices of the 20th
century. These "time capsule"
qualities alone make this recording
worth owning.
The recording holds
some incredible singing and playing.
The American baritone, Leonard Warren,
gives a great performance. His rich,
dark timbre is perfect for the bamboozling,
obese Falstaff. As usual, his upper
register is exciting — this voice is
rare in its naturally dark, yet resonant
timbre in combination with a virtually
unlimited top. Di Stefano sings beautifully.
Once again, the listener is rewarded
with a truly exceptional voice: full,
lyrical, completely focused, and produced
with extreme ease. He and Licia Albanese
make a remarkable combination. The young,
clandestine lovers sing sensitively
together, and their intermittent bouts
of flirting are refreshing, passionate
and quite hilarious. Other members of
the cast are equally adroit in their
singing and characterization. Giuseppe
Valdengo as Ford works well with Warren,
as their baritone voices are strikingly
different. Alessio de Paolis and Lorenzo
Alvary as Falstaff’s henchmen sing with
incredible spirit and hilarious inflection.
Reiner’s conception
of the piece is, at times, a bit haphazard.
He allows the orchestra to peak too
often and too regularly rather than
projecting the dramatic action in large-scale
phrases. The result is too much weight
and importance assigned to too many
different occasions.
We must not be surprised
at the fallibility of the sound given
the historical nature of this recording
of a live broadcast. An ambient hiss
is present more often than it isn’t,
and in many places, the orchestra is
somewhat obscured by a sort of haze.
For these reasons, it is difficult to
make many specific comments in regard
to the performance. However, there is
no doubt that this recording is top
notch. The questionable sound quality
prevents it from being one’s primary
recording of this work; however, it
offers much insight not only into Verdi’s
final opera but also into the operatic
achievements of a previous generation.
Jonathan Rohr
Chorus and Orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera/Fritz
Reiner 
