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Donizetti wrote this one-act comedy, Il giovedì grasso (Fat Thursday), early in his career, in 1829, and while it contains no blockbuster arias or ensembles, it's entirely enjoyable and an excellent demonstration of the composer's comic sensibility. The stock characters of Italian comedy are strongly drawn and, lasting just an hour, the music and drama never lag. The recording, taken from a live 1961 performance in Lugano, features a fine cast that makes the most of the score's humor. Soprano Bruna Rizzoli as Nina and baritone Nestore Catalani as Sigismondo, the scheming lawyer, have especially powerful and supple voices, as well as strong comic timing. As Teodoro, the young man with whom Nina is finally united, tenor Rodolfo Malacarne sings beautifully in his middle register, but when the role takes him above the staff, as it often does, his voice is strained and out of tune, although he improves as the opera progresses. The Italian Swiss Radio and Television Orchestra, led by Edwin Loehrer, plays crisply and with gusto. Opera d'Oro's sound is generally very good, but the breaks between tracks are abrupt and tend to disrupt the flow of the drama.


Veel plezier hiermee..