This Chandos recording
derives from the series of concert performances
given by Opera North whilst they were
'homeless' pending the major refurbishment
of their Leeds base at the Grand Theatre.
The soloists recorded here were the
lead cast at the first of those concert
performances. I caught up with them
on behalf of Seen and Heard at
Salford's Lowry Theatre on 6 October
2005 when there were cast-changes including
the replacement of Alastair Miles as
Zacharia review.
What was not initially scheduled was
the withdrawal of Susan Patterson as
Abigaille, a well-known killer role.
In the performance I saw Claire Rutter
substituted and she was quite outstanding.
I would have been very happy if she
had been included in the role in this
recording. Like Susan Patterson she
is essentially a lyric soprano with
heft. The fact that both women coped
with the fiendish vocal demands of the
role is highly commendable and as far
as Susan Patterson is concerned her
performance here is a significant improvement
on her Amelia in the Chandos A Masked
Ball in this same series (Chandos
CHAN 3116). Yes, Susan Patterson does
approach the demands of the role with
obvious vocal care and certainly not
with the viscerally exciting vocal abandon
exhibited by Elena Suliotis on the Decca
recording conducted by Gardelli (417
407-2). Her ascent to the climactic
note in the aria and cabaletta at the
start of Part 2, as Abigaille recounts
her birth, is not as smooth as it might
be, but she achieves the following fearsome
double-octave drop with aplomb and without
the obvious gear-change into her smooth
chest register which mars the Suliotis
interpretation. She also finishes on
a clean high note (Trs.16-19).
Whilst Verdi's first
two operas could be seen as Donizettian
in idiom, flavour and pace, Nabucco
- originally known as Nabucodonosor
- was something different. The forward
thrust and vibrancy of the music were
entirely different from anything that
had gone before and were to be the hallmark
of Verdi's subsequent early period works.
Rossini had used the chorus as a major
protagonist in a number of his works,
particularly the opera seria of his
Naples period and in a manner that his
successor, Donizetti, who was present
at the Nabucco premiere, did
not. In Nabucco, Verdi makes
full use of the chorus as a major protagonist.
Recognising the desirability of both
a full orchestral sound and a vibrant
full-bodied chorus, Opera North beefed
up both for the series of concert performances
and it sounds as if the policy was pursued
in this recording. The chorus of Opera
North are a very committed and involved
bunch in staged performances and they
bring those qualities to this recording.
Both in the opening chorus, normally
known as Gli arredi festivi (CD1
tr.2) and the famous Chorus of the
Hebrew Slaves (CD2 tr.20) they sing
with verve, vitality and sincerity.
David Parry's conducting is fine in those choruses and the more
lyric portions of the work, but he does tend to treat Verdi a
little too much as a verismo composer and misses the rhythmic
Verdian idiom in the dramatic scores. Far too often he lets the
brass and timpani off their leash to the detriment of the Verdian
line as well as, on occasions, his soloists. Solo prayers by
Zacharia follow both of those choral items as the High Priest
seeks to rally his charges, the children of Israel (CD 1 tr 2 and
CD 2 tr 21). If Alastair Miles' lean
bass lacks the gravitas and depth of
sonority of the perfect Verdian basso
cantante, he does sing with musicality,
fine legato and good characterisation,
all virtues not always readily to the
fore.
In the eponymous role,
Alan Opie is what he has been for some
time, the finest British dramatic Verdi
baritone since Peter Glossop, Michaels-Moore
notwithstanding. His vocal portrayal
takes in all the many facets of Nabucco's
character, from egocentric king through
insanity to a particularly fine rendering
of Son pur questa when Nabucco
prays to the god of Israel and regains
his sanity and which is particularly
well expressed (CD 2 tr. 11). The earlier
confrontation with his supposed daughter
Abigaille was the hair raising histrionic
and vocal highlight of the concert performance.
It wants that impact here partly because
of the balancing of the recording with
the solo singers set too far back on
the sound-stage. The young tenor Leonardo
Capalbo, an Opera North 'discovery',
portrays the role of Ismael with ardent
singing and ringing tone. Jane Irwin
as Fenena sings with beauty of tone,
steady legato and involvement. Her rendering
of Fenena's prayer is particularly expressive.
The booklet contains
an informative introductory essay by
Verdi scholar Roger Parker, singer biographies
and track-related synopsis in English,
German, French and Italian. There is
a full libretto in English. A picture
and statement by Sir Peter Moores, whose
Foundation makes possible these recordings
of opera in English issued by Chandos,
introduces the translation used and
which is that prepared by Tom Hammond
and Norman Tucker for the Welsh National
Opera's 1952 production. As a generality
I have always contended that the prosody
of the English language does not make
an ideal marriage with Verdian cantilena,
no matter how good the translation or
diction of the soloists and chorus,
neither of which could be faulted here.
I will backtrack on that contention
so far as this recording is concerned.
The translation fits the music well
without disturbing the flow, line or
sentiment of the words.
It has been a long
time since a new studio recording of
Verdi's first great success came from
any record company. I suspect it will
be even longer before there is another.
Although it does not displace Decca's
earlier recording, particularly for
Lamberto Gardelli's instinctive idiomatic
conducting and the better balance of
the soloists, this performance has many
virtues. Those who like to hear their
opera in English need wait no longer.
Robert J Farr
Opera North Orchestra and Chorus/David Parry
