COMPOSERS: Puccini
LABELS: Decca
WORKS: Gianni Schicchi
PERFORMER: Leo Nucci, Mirella Freni, Roberto Alagna; Orchestra of the Maggio Musicale, Florence/Bruno Bartoletti
CATALOGUE NO: 444 395-2 DDD Reissue
The youthful Alagna as Rinuccio exults in his hymn of praise to the city of Florence, the amazing Freni sounds as young and vulnerable as ever in ‘O mio babbino caro’, and if Leo Nucci as the amiable rogue Schicchi is not quite the equal of Tito Gobbi on Sony, his is still a lively characterisation. The smaller roles are admirably performed, and Bartoletti keeps the action brisk. Charles Osborne
Puccini: Gianni Schicchi
The youthful Alagna as Rinuccio exults in his hymn of praise to the city of Florence, the amazing Freni sounds as young and vulnerable as ever in ‘O mio babbino caro’, and if Leo Nucci as the amiable rogue Schicchi is not quite the equal of Tito Gobbi on Sony, his is still a lively characterisation. The smaller roles are admirably performed, and Bartoletti keeps the action brisk. Charles Osborne
Published: January 20, 2012 at 3:06 pm