Reply With Quote
Conductor/orchestra: Gianandrea Gavazzeni, RAI Orchestra and Chorus, Torino
Cast: José Carreras (Gaston), Katia Ricciarelli (Hélène), Siegmund Nimsgern (Roger), Alessandro Cassis (Count of Toulouse), Licia Falcone (Isaura), Giampaolo Corradi (Raymond), Leonardo Monreale (Papal Legate), Eftimios Michalopoulos (Emir of Ramla), Vinicio Cocchieri (Herald)
I’m finding Jérusalem, the 1847 French revision of I Lombardi alla prima crociata (1843) to be much more interesting and enjoyable than the last early Verdi opera with which I got acquainted, the patriotic chest-thumping La Battaglia di Legnano. Carreras and Ricciarelli are among my favorite duos, and both are in stellar voice here. I’ve admired Siegmund Nimsgern in a number of roles, and for the most part, he copes well with Roger’s music, though the extreme low notes take his bass-baritone to its limits. Roger is actually written for a bass, and while bass-baritones aren’t unheard of in the part (i.e., Ruggero Raimondi), I would have probably preferred Sam Ramey, who recorded the part’s Italian equivalent. The sound quality is surprisingly good for this budget label. There seems to be only one significant cut in the score, with the 25-minute ballet at the beginning of the third act excised. At some point, I’ll probably want to acquire a recording of I Lombardi just to compare the two versions musically. In terms of the plot, things have been tightened up in the revision, with a couple of characters dropped. The original romantic rivalry is between the two sons of Lord Folco over Viclinda, who married Arvino. A tenor in I Lombardi, Arvino morphs into the baritone Count of Toulouse in Jérusalem, the father of Hèlène, who is engaged to Gaston, Vicomte de Béarn (the tenor hero). There is no equivalent to Viclinda. The Count’s brother, Roger (Pagano in the Urfassung), is romantically interested in her and tries to have his rival killed. In Lombardi, Arvino’s daughter Giselda falls in love with Oronte (tenor), son of the ruler of Antioch, who converts to Christianity for her sake. The ruler of Antioch becomes the Emir of Ramla in the revision, and the character of Oronte is dispensed with. Apparently, no one seems to have realized that the revised plot has Roger with amorous designs on his own niece (Héléne). Oops . . . Oronte dies from his wounds before the end of I Lombardi, but both operas end with the death of the reformed Roger/Pagano, presumably leaving Gaston and Hèlène to live happily ever after in the revision.
Originally Posted by Florestan
It's in my Rossini top 3, along with L'Italiana in Algers and La Donna Del Lago. I actually found myself dancing in the kitchen during Act III, first time an opera ever had me dancing!
Bookmarks