Search - Leoncavallo, Puccini, Domingo :: I Pagliacci / Il Tabarro

The Best Il Tabarro Recording Ever

James Walters | Seattle, Washington | 11/20/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This recording of Il Tabarro is headlined by Leontyne Price, and Placido Domingo. It is stunning. I have never heard Giorgetta better sung, the voice is of course beatiful, and the characterization is rapturous. Domingo is the best conterpoint to Leontyne. The Pagliacci is wonderful as well. Caballe has got to be the best Nedda on record, and again Domingo brings down the house. You must have this recording!"

A Pair of Unknown Treasures

Good Stuff | 12/02/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I imagine most people don't know these two recordings even exist. They were done in that period when RCA was trying to find projects for two of their biggest money makers.



This "Pagliacci" is early for Domingo. He did it better later on. But his youth and somewhat lighter timbre work to his advantage here. And, he has Caballe as Nedda. Talk about peaches and cream! Unfortunately, Mr Milnes is not terribly idiomatic, at least to my ears.



The "Tabarro" here is a different matter. I don't know if Price ever sang the role in the house, but she is absolutely on fire here. This role lies perfectly for her voice and dramatic as it is, she crawls around inside of it and hurls it out to us, magnificent, exciting sound on top of sound on top of sound. Simply put, one of Ms. Price's crowning achievements.



I always though it was odd that both of these recordings, which were not paired in the LP days, by the way, came and went so quickly. And, strangely, the same holds true for their CD incarnations. Pick them up if you can. They're great!"