Yuri Masurok Yuri Mazurok Giuseppe Verdi - Verdi Il Trovatore (39 tracks) +Album Reviews

BEST TROVATOR TODAY

moskvich | Moscow | 01/25/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is possibly the best Trovatore you can buy. Davis keeps the orchestra and chorus moving. Ricciarelli seems to be the only weak aspect in the recording. Her voice is good only in the middle register. Carreras is heroic and young. Toczyka is a little to young to play Azucena, but her interpretation is the best since Obraztsova. The besr performance comes from the low male voices. Mazurok, who I was lukcy enough to her live in the Bolshoi, is the most dramatic sounding Di Luna, and his experience in the role makes him the best bariton in this role. Lloyd is also making a positive contribution as Ferrando."

Awesome and Heroic!

08/12/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There have been a few Trovatores released featuring the greatest singers of the century. Who could forget a Del Monaco (Decca) or Domingo/Price (RCA) recordings? But having to make a favorite pick, I chose this one. It was the also first of some 90+ complete operas I've purchased over the years, once and for all convincing me never to settle for highlights and get the whole thing. The incredible Carreras/Ricciarelli collaboration makes this recording a real gem. They are easily the most romantic and involved Manrico and Leonora on record and on stage. Sir Colin Davis and the justly famous ROH Covent Garden create a hurricane of emotions, never overwhelming the singers, though. The early DDD recording is very good; the sound is spacious and clear. Manrico is one of his best roles, his powerful lirico spinto suites the role like a glove. His characterization is flawless: detailed, yet spontaneous at the same time. A listener would find it difficult to pick a favorite among the vast array of great Azucenas. Toczynska has a lovely voice and her narration is filled with great passion. Her encounter with Conte is superbly enacted. Speaking of Il Conte, here is, perhaps, the only weaker link in the cast: Yuri Mazurok (a Bolshoi star) sounds very evil and metallic, however it's hard to picture his di Luna capable of any other feeling aside from anger. Cappuccilli, Bastianini, Milnes or Chernov definitely bring more to the character, although his characterization is still valid and it's exciting to hear such a "win-at-all-cost" attitude. Robert Lloys is strong and commanding as Ferrando, his introduction is haunting. Now packaged without libretto but at a budget price (but what a nice original packaging had Philips once offered!), this set is an absolute necessity not only for every opera lover, but also for anyone who likes beautiful music. Get it and judge for yourself."

A troubadour in safe hands

Rudy Avila | 04/30/1999

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This is certainly not the most exciting version of the work, but perhaps would be a good place for the newcomer to begin. Sir Colin Davis and his forces concentrate upon musical values, at times at the expense of dramatic thrust, but things at least add up to a cogent whole. The cast is maybe not anyone's ideal choice, even circa 1980. Ricciarelli by and large sings well but is generally too effete. Carreras was just about reaching the point when the inadvisability of some previous casting decisions were becoming apparent, and it shows.....but not too often. Manrico was too heavy a role for him but he does manage some aplomb, even in "Di quella pira"... although the strain is evident too. Mazurok sounds the most involved whilst Tocyska gives a rather statuesque portrayal of Azucena. Sometimes I felt her singing was rather blank, as though the thought of participation in a stage work had temporarily fled from her mind. Still the result is less wearing than some of the forced characterisation available elesewhere. Recording is very fine early digital. Philips usually gave of their best techically for Davis recordings of this vintage (eg Tosca, Boheme, Werther) and this Trovatore is no exception. Might also be worth the consideration of the seasoned collector as a 2nd or 3rd alternative to Mehta, Levine, Giulini et al."

A "trovatore" to die for.....

PhantomOfTheOpera | Norway | 08/14/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"First of all I have a confession to make. At the moment I don't have the complete opera, only the highlights which was bought in error in a hurry at the airport in Athens two weeks ago. I thought that what I had bought was the complete opera and was really pleased that I had found it and my disappointment was even bigger when I realized it was only the highlights edition of the opera. And after listening to the highlights I have now ordered the "real stuff" because I can't go on without knowing what's supposed to be in between the arias on my disc......

This recording is from 1981 and all the singers are in good voice. In my opinion Katia Ricciarelli sings wonderful. Some critics have said that her voice was only good from the middle register and down, but I have to disagree. Even if her voice changed over the years it still kept its beauty and it never became shrill. (I have to admit that I'm allergic to sopranos that end up sounding shrill and squeaky.) So to my possibly untrained ears Ricciarelli sings the part of Leonora with emotion and involvement and a voice that it's more than pleasant listening to. Listen to "D'amor sull'ali rosee". Sheer beauty!!!

José Carreras sings the part of Manrico with his usual involvement, a heroic tone and a youthful ardour. His voice is strong and powerful with that irresistibly hint of honey..... Just listen to his "Di quella pira", "Mal regendo all'aspro assalto" or "Ah, si ben mio" or any other line he might have in the arias. It's sending shivers down my spine. He is actually the main reason why I'm getting the complete opera and not settling with the highlights. Even if his singing in the rest of the opera is only half as good as on my cd it's still singing to die for... And to those complaining about Carreras voice, saying it's not powerful enough - again listen to his singing in "Di quella pira". This is quite a difficult aria to sing and can very easily end up as one long shout. But not in the voice of José. He will most definitely knock your socks off...!!!

Stefania Toczyska is a singer I didn't know until I heard her on this disc, but so far her singing sounds more than fine to me. Yuri Masurok is really good in the role of Il conte. I like his rendition of "Il balen del suo soriso", and Robert Lloyd as Ferrando is also a very good choice. The whole cast contribute to making the opera worth while.

The only complaint I have is about the lack of libretto in "Philips duo" recordings. If you're not familiar with the opera in advance it's very hard getting to know it the way I would have preferred. But even without the libretto this opera is worth buying simply because of all the beautiful music and the even more wonderful singing, especially from Carreras and Ricciarellli.

At last, a word of praise to the conductor Sir Colin Davis. He is one of my favourite conductors because he doesn't let the singers get overwhelmed by the orchestra. And in this recording he lets the singers shine while the orchestra is following them beautifully. In my opinion this is the way it should be done. Bravo!

I'm so looking forward to getting the complete opera, I simply can't wait.....

PS. I've now gotten the complete opera and it's better than I could possibly imagine."

A First-Rate Trovatore

Rudy Avila | Lennox, Ca United States | 09/25/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This 1982-83 recording of Verdi's Trovatore is outstanding, and deserves more recognition by music critics and operaphiles. The sound is powerful and crisp, and the singing and the music of Verdi are married blissfully. The performers each sing virtuosically and Sir Colin Davis conducts the score with bravura. The stars of this recordin are Jose Carreras as Manrico, Katia Ricciarelli as Leonora, Stefania Toczyska as Azucena and Yuri Masuko as Count Di Luna. While Toczyska and Masuko are not famous interpretors nor provide any true depth to their portrayals - unlike say Sherill Milnes and Fiorenza Cossotto on the RCA Red Seal recording starring Placido Domingo and Leontyne Price- and while certainly they are not as great as Justino Diaz, Piero Cappuccilli or Dolora Zajick and Shirley Verrett- they still do a fine job with what they have. And to be fair, their voices aren't all that bad. But the real stars of the show are the tenor and soprano couple Jose Carreras and Katia Ricciarelli. Be mindful, listener, that the reason these two were electrifying and passionate on stage together, equipped with good looks and good voices was the fact that they carried on a hot love affair and may have been genuinely in love. This passion, this love, carried over to their performances, whether they were playing Radames and Aida, Rodolfo and Mimi, Tosca and Cavaradossi, Violetta and Alfredo or any other famous operatic pair. The music is sublime as played by the Orchestra of Covent Garden.

Katia Ricciarelli is a regal, splendid Leonora, without any harsh strain (not even in her higher registers as some critics would think). Her performance is beautiful, as her arias "Taci La Notte E Placido" "Di Tal Amore" and "Amor Sul Rose" as well as her powerful and moving Miserere aria and cabeletta that follows prove. While to me Leontyne Price's Leonora is still number one, Ricciarelli nailed the role herself and holds her own. She is just as good as Leontyne, with a beautiful and mannered performance that is true to Leonora's noble but passionate character. Her performance would not be complete without the great Carreras belting out his Manrico arias - "Di Quella Pira" is perfect on here as well as his Final Scene. This is a truly great recording and one that you should own if you are a fan of Carreras and Ricciarelli. Even if you own a dozen Trovatores already, add this one to your list."

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