Marina (Arrieta)
María Bayo, Alfredo Kraus,
Juan Pons, Enrique Baquerizo. Coro de Cámara de Tenerife, Coro del
Conservatorio Superior de Música de Tenerife, Rondalla de Tenerife,
Orquesta Sinfónica de Tenerife, c. Víctor Pablo
Pérez Naïve V 4896 (2
CD)
Pilarín Álvarez,
Alfredo Kraus, Francisco Kraus, Enrique Yebra. Agrupación Coral Magerit,
Orquesta Sinfónica de Madrid, c. José Olmedo
Carillon CD 1-2 (2 CD Box)
Victoria Canale, Jaime Aragall,
Antonio Blancas, Víctor de Narke. Coro de Cámara del
Orfeón Donostiarra, Orquesta Filarmonía de España, c.
Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos BMG
Alhambra WD 71586 (2) (2 CD Box)
María Caballer, Luis
Sagi-Vela, Fernando Bañó, Joaquín Deus. Orquesta de
Cámara de Madrid, c. Montorio, Navarro & Estevarena
Novoson Z-554 (2 CD)
Mercedes Capsir, Hipólito
Lázaro, Marcos Redondo, José Mardonés. Coro General ,
Orquesta Sinfónica, c. Daniel Montorio Aria 1007 (2 CD Box) / or / Blue Moon BMCD 7502 (1
CD)
[part digest from the full Auvidis/Naïve
review]
For textual fidelity alone the Naïve(originally
Auvidis) stands head and shoulders above its rivals. In particular, the
restoration of the heroines last scene cavatina, and excision of
the infamous flute/soprano cadenza, ripped off without much ado from
Donizettis Lucia, give the conclusion of Arrieta's opera an
integrity it lacked in all the alternative recorded versions.
Why then the lingering sense of disappointment? Some of this
comes from the work itself. Arrieta couldnt quite make up his mind
whether he wanted a lightweight romantic zarzuela, or a heavyweight Italian
opera, and the result is unsatisfactory, despite some stirring passages. Some,
too, comes from the stellar cast. Bayo's intelligence sorts ill with
such an opaque heroine as Marina, and her singing is bland at best.
Kraus no longer had the vocal guns to cope with the demanding tessitura
of his role, and Pons is dull. It is left to Baquerizo's boorish
suitor to take the vocal honours, and there's little wrong with
Pérez's limpid direction of Arrieta's fading flower of a
score.
If pride of place otherwise goes to the
Carillón, this is solely down to one great performance, with
Kraus in his prime as a trumpet-toned Jorge. He brings the music to life
most excitingly, and the set is worth the price for this alone. The rest of the
cast are not up to Kraus's level, but Álvarez's Marina is secure
enough, and Olmedo's direction tight and efficient.
Playing, direction and recording are much better on the
BMG set under Frühbeck, and his soloists are a much more
consistent team. Canale sings sweetly, but blandly; something of the
sort can be said for Aragall, disappointingly tame after Kraus.
Blancas is the best modern Roque on CD by some margin, and de
Narke is on a level with Baquerizo as Pascual. The bad, old edition rules
this out of court as a first recommendation, but in its own way it's an
acceptable performance.
The historic 1929, electrically recorded set under Montorio
gives us a near-complete version, with singers of the international calibre of
Lázaro, Mardones and Redondo. Capsir's
Marina doesn't quite come across with the 'face' of her colleagues, but
Lázaro in particular sings with a ringing intensity which is
unforgettable. The Blue Moon version just fits onto one CD, whilst the
smoother but not necessarily superior Aria transfer slides onto 2 discs
(with attractive additional later extracts starring Fleta,
Revenga and Sagi Barba) and costs more than twice as much.
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