Nimbleness and transparency of tone are essential in Rossini.
It is therefore gratifying that Alberto Zedda, the 82 year old
conductor on this recording, still has all the energy and insight
required to pull off an impressive reading. L'Italiana in
Algeri, a work written when its composer was 21, requires
a paradoxical mix of innocence and experience. It requires direct,
unmediated expression, but it also needs a deep understanding
of the operatic conventions of the day.
The combination is achieved here through the collaboration of
the senior conductor and a largely youthful cast. The standard
of singing is high, yet nobody really excels: this is very much
an ensemble performance. It is also a concert performance, which
has the advantage of appropriately placed microphones for the
singers. The recording was made for German radio, and while
it is not a dazzling display of audio fidelity, the sound is
perfectly serviceable, if not exactly absorbing.
The singing too falls into the serviceable rather than exceptional
category. Ruth Gonzalez takes a few minutes to settle into the
role of Elvira at the start of Act 1, but soon finds her pace
and delivers a very attractive performance. Lorenzo Regazzo
combines a richness of tone with a suppleness of phrasing as
Mustafŕ. He struggles with some of the patter passages, although
he can be forgiven when Rossini takes them into the lower bass
register.
Lively woodwind and brass solos are the highlight of the orchestra's
performance. Again, the concert performance serves the recording
balance well, and the interplay of wind and vocal soloists is
presented with clarity and excellent balance. The ensemble in
the strings is sometimes a little shaky, which occasionally
dulls the brilliance of some of the faster passages. They make
up for it, though, in the quieter passages, where they provide
an impressively secure foundation for the soloists. Curiously,
Zedda does not wade into the Rossini crescendos, he seems more
intent on maintaining an even dramatic texture, to take the
long view.
And if this is not the most dramatic reading of the opera in
the catalogue, there is still plenty of drama. Despite the concert
hall venue, the singers interact well, and the many ensembles
retain their fragile dramatic credibility.
As with many of the recent opera releases from Naxos, the value
of this one is well represented by its price tag. It's good,
and it is certainly an enjoyable listen, but the sound could
be much better, the orchestra could be better, and the cast,
serviceable as it is, would be much more impressive for the
inclusion of one or two big names to bring some bravado to the
main roles. On the other hand, there is a palpable sense of
authenticity in every bar of this music. Respect for the score
(in a new critical edition from Azio Corghi) and for its composer
are everywhere apparent. That suggests the real star of this
performance is its venerable conductor. Tradition matters in
Rossini, and Alberto Zedda comes across as a living embodiment
of the continuing Italian tradition of opera buffa.
Gavin Dixon
see also review by John
Sheppard
Lorenzo Regazzo - Mustafŕ
