Search - Verdi, Domingo, Karajan :: Un Ballo in Maschera

Karajan's Un Ballo came too late

Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 10/01/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Karajan died before he could bring this production to the stage at the Salzburg Festival, I believe. As was his wont, he recorded opera productions in advance and had the singers listen to themselves before they took the stage--an odd approach but one he stuck to. In this case they would have heard a failing conductor and excellent singers, for the most part, who were nowhere near top form.



There's not much reason to dissect this rather sad performance. Josephine Barstow doesn't come close to matching other Amelias vocally, especially Callas and Price, and Domingo isn't in good form, either, despite his commanding talent. The rest of the cast is good to better than good, but it hardly matters, since Karajan isn't able to give them the necessary spark."