Verdi - I Lombardi / Carreras, Dimitrova, Carroli, Bini, Gavazzeni, La Scala Opera

From the Editors

Verdi was commissioned to write I Lombardi as a direct result of the success of Nabucco the year before. When the opera was first produced at La Scala, Milan in 1843, Verdi's operas were becoming increasingly popular not only in Italy but also abroad. The cast of international opera stars is headed by Jose Carreras as Oronte, Ghena Dimitrova as Giselda, Carlo Bii as Arvino and Silvano Carroli as Pagano. Gabriele Lavia, one of Italy's most popular producers and the designer, Giovanni Agostinucci, have designed sets of awesome Spartan Grandeur which match Verdi's atmospheric score with unprecedented intensity.
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Customer Response

An embarassment of...embarassments
This opera must be based on the most inept libretto Verdi ever tackled. Coming after his great success with Nabucco which is full of wonderful things, this is certainly a let down. Obviously, Verdi agreed since he did a major revision years later which is available as "Jerusalem." However, a DVD of that work is so poorly sung that it has its own embarassments. Another reviewer has suggested waiting until a better version of Lombardi comes along but I fear that this will not solve the basic problem which is that the work is at best third rate. The present cast is not all that bad. Dimitrova has a large unwieldy voice but she is always extremely professional. Her singing can be thrilling. The third scene, however, proves her undoing; sloppy coloratura and flat high notes, things she should have considered more carefully before taking on the role. Later, with more legato lines she is fine. Carerras is fine although I have never found the voice as beautiful as others do. Carroli is also fine but beyond these three the caliber of singer drops off. Perhaps another performance will make the work seem more worthwhile but I'm not counting on anything saving this mess.

Pass on this and wait hopefully for the DVD of Anderson/Pavarotti
Hopefully one day soon, the Met will release the James Levine, I Lombardi featuring June Anderson in her best work, Pavarotti in outstanding form backed up by superb performances of Richard Leech and Samuel Ramey. If you have heard this CD you will want to see the performance. The Carreras, Dimitrova La Scala is satisfactory but not when compared to this performance. June Anderson and Pavarotti at their best.

Alan

La Scala comes up trumps with its 'Lombardi'
One of the most unjustly neglected operas in the Verdi canon is his fourth opera 'I Lombardi' premiered in 1843. After the success of 'Nabucco' another opera was commissioned by the La Scala impresario Bartolomeo Merelli. At this stage in his career Verdi was relatively insecure.Though 'Nabucco' was a furore the boos and hisses that had greeted 'Un Giorno di Regno' still rang in his ears. Consequently 'I Lombardi' largely rehashes the format of its predessor in the use of massive choral passages. The Act IV chorus 'O signore dal tetto natio' is clearly an attempt to repeat 'Va pensiero'. Critics have unjustly accused the composer of cynicism in sticking to a successful formula. I personally consider that insecurity played its part. The opera's premiere was more successful than that of 'Nabucco' largely because the Milanese identified more with the Lombards than with the Herbrews of 'Nabucco' but elsewhere 'Nabucco was the more appreciated opera.This DVD production comes from the theatre of its premiere and serves the opera very well. The La Scala chorus sing very movingly in the 2 big choruses 'Gerusalem' and the aforementioned 'O signore...' and thrillingly in the numerous battle hymns. The cast is not to be faulted. In the soprano role Ghena Dimitrova, a battleaxe as Abigaille shows her softer side and produces some lovely sounds. As Oronte Jose Carreras looks every inch the romantic hero and produces sounds to match. His death scene in the Act III trio 'Qual volutta trascorrere' (made famous from the 78 era by the 2 recordings Caruso/Alda/Journet and Gigli/Rethberg/Pinza) is not to be bettered. They are matched in dramatic ability and beauty of tone by Silvano Carroli a baritone Pagano rather than the usual bass. Carlo Bini is superb in the second tenor role of Arvino, a rather thankless part in some ways. (Imagine having to sing as much as he does and still end up as second fiddle!)Gianandrea Gavazzeni conducts superbly even if he does commit the (venial) sin of giving only one verse to the cabaletta della visione.The production captures nicely the period of the crusades

Only the music
This is yet another religious opera from Verdi's early years. The two sides, each calling the other infidels, kill for their respective gods. When Giselda cries (which she does several times) that god does not want blood, he wants peace, she is called sacrilegious (also several times) by the wise old holy man who carries a sword. The scenery was non-existent, just shieldlike symbols lowered and raised from the rafters. Carreras' voice was beautiful, though he didn't sing much. Dimitrova who sang lots was not right for the role. She had power and range and was soft a few times, but in the 4th act when she should have had facility, she didn't come through. My CD of this opera has June Anderson, and I had some misgivings about hearing Dimitrova fill her shoes. I did not like the choral music (Verdi hadn't reached his peak at this stage), but other than that the score (what I heard of it) was very beautiful, even for an early work. I started the thing a couple nights ago, was tired and slept through the first act. I shut it off, read the synopsis on the back of the box to see what I'd missed, and just now finished it. Except for the conversion of Oronte, and the holy wars (that should be a contradiction in terms, and I wanted to see the Muslims win for a change), I was totally lost. I have no idea what the story of this opera is. Just hurrah for Christianity and death to the infidels, is all I got out of it. All the infidels. When the wise old man (who sang beautifully) who seemed to galvanize these crusaders bit the dust at the end, I couldn't have cared less.

If you want subtle go elsewhere
But if you want thrilling early Verdi with all his flaws and with all his genius stop right here. I wonder if you could cast this opera today. Certainly not as well as this 1984 La Scala production. It is good to see Carreras, the 3rd tenor, at work. And Dhimitrova is at her straight out best. The production also deserves a word of praise. A full traditional production with real grandeur. The sound is a little thumpy but that's its age. All in all a welcome addition to the galley years of the Verdi canon.

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