Claudio Abbado - Rossini: Il barbiere di Siviglia (1972/2018) [Hi-Res]

Deutsche Grammophon is proud to release this truly legendary opera recording from the golden age of stereo, remastered in 96kHz from the original analogue tapes, presented on HighResAudio. The Barber of Seville, or The Futile Precaution is an opera buffa in two acts by Gioachino Rossini with an Italian libretto by Cesare Sterbini. The libretto was based on Pierre Beaumarchais's French comedy Le Barbier de Séville (1775). The première of Rossini's opera (under the title Almaviva, o sia L'inutile precauzione) took place on 20 February 1816 at the Teatro Argentina, Rome.

Rossini's Barber has proven to be one of the greatest masterpieces of comedy within music, and has been described as the opera buffa of all "opere buffe". Even after two hundred years, it remains a popular work.

This particular recording commemorates the 150th anniversary of Rossini’s passing, presenting Abbado's 1971 reading of Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia with the London Symphony Orchestra, Teresa Berganza's tangy Rosina, Luigi Alva's stylish, nimble Lindoro and Hermann Prey.

"The orchestral playing and conducting are superb, offering both sparkle and a welcome hint of gravitas ... The casts, predominantly Italian, feature some wonderful singers ... Teresa Berganza, as Rosina and Angelina, is a softer-grained mezzo than we’re used to – no machine-gun coloratura here – but offers her own special charm" - (Gramophone Magazine)

"This is a nicely entertaining Barber, with just the right sense of fun running through it to avoid slapstick and still bring a sophisticated smile to one's lips. Teresa Berganza is so right, so unexaggerated, so pyrotechnically capable yet filled with good taste, that it's impossible to find fault with her Rosina. Luigi Alva's Count is classy and honey-toned up to the top of the staff, where the voice simply stops blooming; he's also not as good as one might wish with Rossini's difficult fast music. Hermann Prey's Figaro is similarly impaired--the coloratura is just not pristine--but his style, attitude, and intelligence are pure gold; he's vastly entertaining. The other low-voiced men are ideal Rossinians. Abbado holds the whole thing together--this is a very satisfying performance."

Hermann Prey, baritone (Figaro)
Teresa Berganza, mezzo-soprano (Rosina)
Luigi Alva, tenor (Almaviva)
Enzo Dara, baritone (Bartolo)
Paolo Montarsolo, bass (Basilio)
Stefania Malagù, mezzo-soprano (Berta)
Renato Cesari, baritone (Fiorello)
Luigi Roni, bass (Un Ufficiale)
The Ambrosian Opera Chorus
London Symphony Orchestra
Claudio Abbado, conductor

Digitally remastered