Verdi: Falstaff / Corena, Oncina, Miller, Giulini, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

$20.99
Label
ICA Classics
Release Date
March 27, 2012
Format
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    Featuring ⌄
    • COMPOSER
      VERDI
    • ORCHESTRA / ENSEMBLE
      Glyndebourne Opera Chorus, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
    • PERFORMER
      Giulini
    Product Details ⌄
    Works ⌄

    1. Act I Part I: Falstaff! … Ola! (Dr. Caius, Falstaff, Bardolfo, Pistola)

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Dermot Troy, Fernando Corena, Daniel McCoshan, Marco Stefanoni

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    2. Act I Part I: So che se andiam, la notte

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    3. Act I Part I: Ma e tempo d' assottigliar l'ingegno (Falstaff, Pistola, Bardolfo)

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Fernando Corena, Marco Stefanoni, Daniel McCoshan

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    4. Act I Part I: L' onore! Ladri! … Io stesso, si, io, io (Falstaff)

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Fernando Corena

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    5. Act I Part II: Alice! … Meg! … Nannetta! (Meg, Alice, Quickly, Nannetta)

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Fernanda Cadoni, Anna Maria Rovere, Oralia Dominguez, Eugenia Ratti

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    6. Act I Part II: Fulgida Alice! amor t' offro

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    7. Act I Part II: Ripeti … In due parole (Meg, Alice, Quickly, Nanetta, Caius, Bardolfo, Fenton, Pistola, Ford)

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Fernanda Cadoni, Anna Maria Rovere, Oralia Dominguez, Eugenia Ratti, Dermot Troy, Daniel McCoshan, Kevin Miller, Marco Stefanoni, Walter Monachesi

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    8. Act I Part II: Psst, psst, Nannetta … Vien qua … Labbra di foco! (Fenton, Nannetta)

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Kevin Miller, Eugenia Ratti

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    9. Act I Part II: Falstaff, m'ha canzonata (Alice, Meg, Nannetta, Quickly)

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Anna Maria Rovere, Fernanda Cadoni, Eugenia Ratti, Oralia Dominguez

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    10. Act I Part II: Torno all' assalto … Torna alla gara (Fenton, Nannetta)

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Kevin Miller, Eugenia Ratti

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    11. Act I Part II: Udrai quanta egli sfoggia magniloquenza altera (Bardolfo, Ford, Pistola)

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Walter Monachesi, Daniel McCoshan, Marco Stefanoni

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    12. Act I Part II: Del tuo barbaro diagnostico (Caius, Pistola, Bardolfo, Alice, Meg, Nannetta, Quickly, Fenton, Ford)

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Dermot Troy, Marco Stefanoni, Anna Maria Rovere, Fernanda Cadoni, Eugenia Ratti, Oralia Dominguez, Kevin Miller, Walter Monachesi

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    13. Act II Part I: Siam pentiti e contriti (Bardolfo, Pistola, Falstaff)

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Daniel McCoshan, Marco Stefanoni, Fernando Corena

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    14. Act II Part I: Reverrenza! (Quickly, Falstaff)

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Oralia Dominguez, Fernando Corena

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    15. Act II Part I: Va, Vecchio John (Falstaff, Bardolfo)

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Fernando Corena, Daniel McCoshan

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    16. Act II Part I: Signore, v' assista il cielo! (Ford, Falstaff, Bardolfo, Pistola)

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Walter Monachesi, Fernando Corena, Daniel McCoshan, Marco Stefanoni

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    17. Act II Part I: Ve lo diro. C'e a Windsor una dama

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    18. Act II Part I: Lo conoscete? … Il diavolo se lo porti all'inferno (Ford, Falstaff)

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Walter Monachesi, Fernando Corena

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    19. Act II Part I: E sogno? o realita? (Ford)

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Walter Monachesi

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    20. Act II Part I: Eccomi qua. Son pronto (Falstaff, Ford)

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Fernando Corena, Walter Monachesi

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    21. Act II Part II: Presenteremo un "bill" per una tassa al parlemento (Alice, Quickly, Meg)

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Anna Maria Rovere, Oralia Dominguez, Fernanda Cadoni

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    22. Act II Part II: Giunta all'albergo della Giarrettiera

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    23. Act II Part II: Gaie comari di Windsor! E l'ora! (Quickly, Alice, Meg, Nannetta)

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Oralia Dominguez, Anna Maria Rovere, Fernanda Cadoni, Eugenia Ratti

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    24. Act II Part II: Alfin t' ho colto, raggiante fior

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    25. Act II Part II: T'immagino fregiata del mio stemma (Falstaff, Alice)

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Fernando Corena, Anna Maria Rovere

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    26. Act II Part II: Quand' ero paggio del Duca di Norfolk (Falstaff, Alice, Quickly, Meg, Ford, Bardolfo, Pistola)

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Fernando Corena, Anna Maria Rovere, Oralia Dominguez, Fernanda Cadoni, Walter Monachesi, Daniel McCoshan, Marco Stefanoni

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    27. Act II Part II: Vien qua … Che chiasso! (Nannetta, Fenton)

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Eugenia Ratti, Kevin Miller

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    28. Act II Part II: Al ladro! (Caius, Ford, Pistola, Bardolfo)

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Dermot Troy, Walter Monachesi, Marco Stefanoni, Daniel McCoshan

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    29. Act II Part II: Facciamo le viste d'attendere ai panni (Quickly, Caius, Ford, Meg, Bardolfo, Pistola, Falstaff)

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Oralia Dominguez, Dermot Troy, Walter Monachesi, Daniel McCoshan, Fernanda Cadoni, Marco Stefanoni, Fernando Corena

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    30. Act II Part II: Bella! Ridente! (Fenton, Nannetta, Ford, Bardolfo, Pistola, Servi, Caius, Falstaff, Meg, Quickly, Gente del vicinato, Alice)

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Glyndebourne Chorus, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Kevin Miller, Eugenia Ratti, Walter Monachesi, Daniel McCoshan, Marco Stefanoni, Dermot Troy, Fernando Corena, Fernanda Cadoni, Oralia Dominguez, Anna Maria Rovere

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    31. Act III Part I: Ehi! Taverniere! … Io, dunque, avrò vissuto tant'anni

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    32. Act III Part I: Buono. Ber del vin dolce (Falstaff)

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Fernando Corena

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    33. Act III Part I: Reverenza! La bella Alice (Quickly, Falstaff, Alice, Ford, Nannetta, Meg, Caius)

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Oralia Dominguez, Fernando Corena, Anna Maria Rovere, Walter Monachesi, Eugenia Ratti, Fernanda Cadoni, Dermot Troy

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    34. Act III Part I: T' aspettero nel parco real (Falstaff, Quickly, Ford, Alice, Nannetta, Meg)

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Fernando Corena, Oralia Dominguez, Walter Monachesi, Anna Maria Rovere, Fernanda Cadoni, Eugenia Ratti

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    35. Act III Part I: Brava! Quelle corna saranno la mia gioia! (Ford, Alice, Meg, Fenton, Nannetta)

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Walter Monachesi, Anna Maria Rovere, Fernanda Cadoni, Kevin Miller, Eugenia Ratti

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    36. Act III Part I: Avro con me dei putti (Alice, Meg, Nannetta, Fenton, Ford, Caius, Quickly)

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Anna Maria Rovere, Fernanda Cadoni, Eugenia Ratti, Walter Monachesi, Dermot Troy, Oralia Dominguez

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    37. Act III Part II: Dal labbro il canto estasiato vola (Fenton, Nannetta)

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Kevin Miller, Eugenia Ratti

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    38. Act III Part II: Nossignore! Tu indossa questa cappa (Alice, Fenton, Nannetta, Quickly, Meg)

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Kevin Miller, Anna Maria Rovere, Eugenia Ratti, Oralia Dominguez, Fernanda Cadoni

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    39. Act III Part II: Una, due, tre, quattro, cinque, sei (Falstaff, Alice, Meg)

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Fernando Corena, Anna Maria Rovere, Fernanda Cadoni

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    40. Act III Part II: Ninfe! Elfi! Silfi! Doridi! Sirene! (Nannetta, Fate, Falstaff, Alice)

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Eugenia Ratti, Fernando Corena, Anna Maria Rovere

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    41. Act III Part II: Sul fil d'un soffio etesio (Nanetta, Fate)

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Eugenia Ratti

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    42. Act III Part II: Alto la! (Bardolfo, Pistola, Falstaff, Quickly, Alice, Meg, Nanetta, Chorus, Ford)

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Glyndebourne Chorus, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Daniel McCoshan, Marco Stefanoni, Fernando Corena, Oralia Dominguez, Anna Maria Rovere, Fernanda Cadoni, Eugenia Ratti, Walter Monachesi

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    43. Act III Part II: Ahime! Tu puzzi come una puzzola (Falstaff, Chorus, Alice, Quickly, Meg, Caius, Ford, Bardolfo, Pistola)

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Glyndebourne Chorus, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Fernando Corena, Anna Maria Rovere, Oralia Dominguez, Fernanda Cadoni, Dermot Troy, Walter Monachesi, Daniel McCoshan, Marco Stefanoni

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    44. Act III Part II: Un poco di pausa (Falstaff, Quickly, Ford, Meg, Alice, Chorus)

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Glyndebourne Chorus, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Fernando Corena, Oralia Dominguez, Walter Monachesi, Fernanda Cadoni, Anna Maria Rovere

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    45. Act III Part II: Ogni sorta di gente dozzinale (Falstaff, All)

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Glyndebourne Chorus, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Fernando Corena, Kevin Miller, Walter Monachesi, Dermot Troy, Daniel McCoshan, Marco Stefanoni, Anna Maria Rovere, Eugenia Ratti, Fernanda Cadoni, Oralia Dominguez

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    46. Act III Part II: Un coro e terminiam la scena … Tutto nel mondo e burla (Falstaff, Ford, All)

      Composer: Giuseppe Verdi

      Ensemble: Glyndebourne Chorus, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Fernando Corena, Walter Monachesi, Kevin Miller, Dermot Troy, Daniel McCoshan, Marco Stefanoni, Anna Maria Rovere, Eugenia Ratti, Fernanda Cadoni, Oralia Dominguez

      Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini


A wonderfully relaxed and good humoured performance in which nearly everything seemed to have gone right.

There is a small but important group of operas that are essentially ensemble works, and in which the presence of a few star singers is less important than the quality of the team as a whole. Die Meistersinger, From the House of the Dead and Peter Grimes are prime examples but surely Falstaff comes at the top of the list. Everyone involved, including the chorus and orchestra as well as the many smaller parts, needs to be aware of their part in the work as a whole and in the chosen approach. If this is the case any small weaknesses in the main parts can easily be forgiven and the nature of the work can be triumphantly realised. That is surely the ambition of any opera company serious about its task, and is clearly the case here. I would not want to suggest that the present set is superior to all its many distinguished predecessors but it is certainly another vindication of the importance of ensemble in opera.
 
Glyndebourne took its productions to the early Edinburgh Festivals right from the first Festival in 1947 onwards. In 1955 it took Falstaff in a production originally intended to be conducted by Vittorio Gui but taken over by Giulini when the former became unwell. A later Glyndebourne version of the opera conducted by Gui with Geraint Evans, the original choice as Ford, has now been released on Glyndebourne’s own label. The usual very thorough rehearsal which has always been a feature of this company’s work is especially relevant to this opera. The result is a single-minded approach to its musical and dramatic character that is very striking. Whether this is due to the conductor’s efforts, to the long rehearsals or to careful casting I do not know but the result is a real overall success.
 
The individual casting is admirable. Fernando Corena’s recordings of buffo music by Donizetti and Cimarosa had shown his ability in this field. It is surprising that this production appears to have been his first performances as Falstaff. The part is often given to a baritone but a bass voice does have the advantage of suggesting the character’s scale without needing to resort to “funny” voices. He does not play with the words in quite the detailed way of, say, Tito Gobbi or Geraint Evans, but instead he exudes a more general good humour. I found it wholly convincing, especially when set within a cast all of whom display their character’s individual “humours” musically and without exaggeration. Walter Monachesi has a voice very different from Corena’s, which helps a lot in their scene together, and if the Merry Wives are not so well distinguished from each other, neither are they in most performances of the opera or indeed in Shakespeare. The role of Mistress Quickly is a gift for a singer with the necessary power in the lower register and ability of characterisation. Oralia Dominguez has both of these qualities and stands out even in such distinguished company. All of the other, by no means minor, parts are well filled. One oddity is that Kevin Miller takes over in Act 3 from Juan Oncina as Fenton. He may lack the same lyrical beauty of voice but there is no serious loss.
 
As I explained earlier, it is the quality of the ensemble that distinguishes this recording. All of the big complicated ensembles which can sound simply confused or untidy are here clear and transparent. Even with a recording which is adequate for a broadcast of the period but little more there is no real loss to the music. There are occasional stage noises, including what is probably the prompter at times, and some obtrusive applause but this simply makes the listener even more aware of what must have been a tremendous theatrical occasion. There is no libretto or even a synopsis which is regrettable but understandable in a version likely to appeal mainly to collectors who have more modern versions in their collections already. I would happily have exchanged the seven pages of listing of the ICA catalogue for more pictures of the original production - or indeed a more detailed description of it.
 
There are many distinguished recordings of Falstaff in the catalogue, including those conducted by Karajan (with Gobbi), Toscanini, and (some years later) Giulini in Los Angeles. The present set takes its place with them, like them offering hours of pleasure and delight. If the opera has a lesson it is the composer and librettist’s sheer delight in the varied character of humanity and its many frailties. This recording captures that varied character to perfection in a wonderfully relaxed and good humoured performance in which nearly everything seemed to have gone right.
 
-- John Sheppard, MusicWeb International