Verdi at La Scala

 

What more can one expect of such a recording?

After all, we have the La Scala orchestra and chorus, a theatrical team at the forefront of Italian opera. Plus, we have Riccardo Chailly at the helm, a dedicated Verdi interpreter.

Of course, these are great.

Nine operas are featured, spanning Verdi's opera career. The familiar is here, including the Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves and the Anvil Chorus. None of the selections and choral excerpts are very long, so there is a nice variety to the program as well.

Best yet, for those who don't get out to Verdi's operas often, plenty of other choruses are on offer of a full-throated quality opposite some lyrical offerings. In all, the La Scala Chorus is thrilling, and I appreciate their very apparent commitment to music which could be a mere run through for those involved. There is joy, thrills, and a freshness here, as if the music were being performed for the first time.

The orchestra is excellent as well. I really enjoyed some punchy low brass and wind features, which keep these performances from sounding too homogeneous or also-rans. Riccardo Chailly is celebrating his anniversary with La Scala in this recording, as well as his Decca recording history, so there is also a feeling of a special occasion on hand.

Hopefully, this will encourage this team to offer other composers recordings of their opera choruses as well.

Listen on YouTube

Works
Nabucco
    Gli arredi (6.05)
    Va Pensiero (4.53)
I Lombardi alla Prima Crociata
    Gerusalem (5.31)
    O Signore (4.07)
Ernani
    Overture (3.12)
    Si Ridesti (1.54)
Don Carlo
    Spuntato Ecco (7.27)
Macbeth
    Che Faceste (3.29)
    S'allontanarono (2.11)
    Patria Oppressa (6.34)
Il Trovatore
    Vedi (4.04)
La Forza del Destino
    Nella Guerra (2.19)
Aida
    Gloria all-Egitto (3.18)
    March & Ballet (6.10)
    Vieni (2.37)
Simon Boccanegra
    Viva Simon (1.11)

Performers
La Scala Theatre Chorus
La Scala Theatre Orchestra
Riccardo Chailly, conductor

Label: Decca
Year: 2023
Total Timing: 65.02

What more could one ask for?

More music I suppose... what we have here is excellent though.

Find more Verdi recording HERE!