Barber Seville [Import]

This historic 1950 live Metropolitan Opera performance of "Il barbiere di Siviglia" is an interesting addition to the opera catalog. But its inclusion in the first four releases of Sony and the Met's historic recordings series is a little puzzling. Where the other three are certified great performances, this one is more like a snapshot of the Met on a good but routine day in the mid 20th century. Pons was one of the most beloved and glamorous opera stars of her time and this recording captures her in one of her signature roles with all of the charm and personality that made her a fixture at the Met for over two decades. But vocally it also finds her late in her career, alternating between flashes of her celebrated coloratura technique and some rather effortful singing.

This is definitely old-fashioned Rossini performance style from the pre-scholarly era, but the leads, particularly Valdengo and Baccaloni, are masters of Italian comic opera style and timing. The most engaging quality of this performance is the witty interplay of this well-routined ensemble cast. Their joy in performing make this delightful even today. Worth noting too is the chance to hear the very young tenor Giuseppe Di Stefano. Heard here, he is not yet quite the the artist he would soon become, but his uniquely lovely tenor voice is heard in all its freshness before too many heavy roles dulled its exquisite sheen.

Sony and the Met offer this recording in excellent restored sound in a stylish budget-package at a very reasonable price. Not the greatest "Barbiere" ever, for sure, but a valuable document of a moment in the history of the Met.

I find it hard to believe that with all the many fabulous MET broadcasts available to be released,they would release this quite awful Barber. I have always been a fan of Lily Pons, but by this date her singing was no longer what it had been. I have had this performance on LP and used to think Ms. Pons variations in the lesson scene verging on hysterically funny. Aspirates, lunging at pitches(often missed)and flat high notes do not denote a golden age. Charm, she still had, but this is not a performance to remember her by.
DiStefano certainly had at this date, one of the most gorgeous instruments around, but a Rossini singer he wasnt. The lyric portions are lovely, but he couldnt even muster the facility for the most basic coloratura lines.His interpolated high C in the last act recetative thrilled the MET audiences but would have made Rossini turn over in his grave.
Valdengo is really the best performance here. A manly, bright voiced Figaro with a really nice Italianate color to the voice. Hes really very good. Hines sounds 100 years old, and Baccaloni does his usual schtick.
If you want a performance that is fun to listen to and no where NEAR Rossinis intention with some really sloppy singing( by the way,didnt anyone notice Pons sings an extra roulade at the end of the opera by mistake), this is for you. but its indicative of the loss of quality that Rudilf Bing strated to correct. Actually, Lily pons rarely sang in the Bing regime.

We will NEVER hear Rossini's Il Barbiere di Siviglia performed as such in our lifetimes... NEVER! While there is much to lament in this performance... the corrupt orchestral parts (trombone, timpani, harp, etc.) and every cut in the book... there is also much to cherish.

First, the Rosina of Lily Pons... we just don't hear the part performed as such nowadays. Of course Miss Pons ignores virtually all of Rossini's mezzo based writing and recomposes the part for a high coloratura soprano. Unfortunately this recording captures her a bit past her prime, but there remains enough to enjoy. (To listen to Pons in her absolute prime, the non-commercially available 1938 MET broadcast is the one to own.) Still, her "bell song like" interpretation of "Una voce poco fa" must be heard to be believed, concluding as it does with her patented long held F in alt... so enough said. Still, it reminds me of Rossini's quip to Adelina Patti after hearing her rendition of the aria... something to the effect, "A nice aria, who wrote it?" Furthermore, she replaces Rossini's original aria in the lesson scene with a dazzling rendition of Adolphe Adam's infamous "Twinkle twinkle little star" variations elaborated with a glittering flute accompanied cadenza... but before one complains it must be noted that Rossini being a man of the theatre realized that such substitutions would invariably be the case and made a notation in the score that such replacements would be acceptable. Now whether he realized that his opera would be still be performed in an era that would give some wild stylistic choices is another matter indeed.

The Figaro is baritone Giuseppe Valdegno and he sings the part to the manner born if with some "emendations" to the vocal line. He and the legendary Salvatore Baccaloni bring a certain genuine Italian quality to the performance that is often imitated but only achieved by those for whom Italian is a first language. At times they can be a bit "over the top", but they do exude an authentic quality that can't be denied. The Basilio is Jerome Hines and his huge basso profundo is used to great effect in "La calunia".

However, the most surprising member of the cast is tenor Giuseppe DiStefano. He certainly was destined to sing grander roles and his voice is indeed more than a couple of sizes larger than we normally hear in the part. He seems to want to adapt the role to better fit his voice and in the process interpolates a couple of stentorian high C's in places normally not heard. Again Rossini would certainly not have endorsed such a decision... but heck he had the note and wanted to flaunt it... and the audience certainly approves! Incredibly he also includes some soft singing and even a mini cadenza to conclude the first section of his aria... nice touches indeed. Also, he somehow encompasses virtually all of Rossini's "little notes"... albeit with the help of some relaxed tempi (not to mention the traditional cuts)... so his performance can be deemed a reasonable success... if a more than a bit unorthodox.

Conductor Alberto Erede keeps things moving at a nice clip and an interesting feature is the use of what sounds like an old-fashioned parlor piano in the recitatives which gives the illusion of a fortepiano... a surprising harbinger to the original instrument era amid so much that is unauthentic.

So while I would not consider this as even a second Barber to place in your shelves, it is good to have as a document of how the opera was performed in a previous era. In fact the only "bad" old tradition not employed is the substitution of the aria "Manca un foglio" composed by Rossini's contemporary Pietro Romani as a replacement for Bartolo's "A un dottor della mia sorte". For that one must visit an even earlier era such as the above mentioned 1938 MET broadcast or the even earlier 1929 commercial version under Lorenzo Molajoli.

Incidentally the recorded sound is clear and undistorted monaural and as such is the equal of some commercial recordings of similar vintage. Of course this being a live performance there are some minor mishaps especially regarding ensemble along the way... but nothing major that would impede one's enjoyment of the proceedings.

So recommended as a souvenir of a bygone era... and as such I applaud the MET for making such a document available for study and enjoyment.