Amilcare Ponchielli (1834-1886)
La gioconda (1876)
La gioconda, Maria Callas (soprano); Laura, Fiorenza Cossotto (mezzo-soprano); La Cieca, Irène Companeez (mezzo-soprano); Enzo, Pier Miranda Ferraro (tenor); Barnaba, Piero Cappuccilli (baritone); Alvise, Ivo Vinco (bass)
Chorus and Orchestra of La Scala/Antonino Votto
rec. 1959, Teatro alla Scala, Milan
Pristine Audio PACO 208 [3CDs: 166]

Ponchielli’s La gioconda has attracted some starry casts over time. The first recording (Naxos 8.110112-14 link to review ) from 1931 features the outstanding Giannina Arangi-Lombardi and equally superlative performances from Ebe Stignani, Gaetano Viviani and Alessandro Granda, the only let-down being a slightly less imposing than ideal Alvise in Corrado Zambelli. Just as, if not more, successful is a white-hot Met performance (IPCD 1012-3 link to review ) starring the young Zinka Milanov, Bruno Castagna, Giovanni Martinelli, Carlo Morelli and Nicola Moscona. Giandrea Gavazzeni recorded the opera (Decca 4828597 link to review ) with Anita Cerquetti, Giulietta Simionato, Mario Del Monaco, Ettore Bastianini and Cesare Siepi. The late-career Renata Tebaldi leads another Decca version (4870142 link to review ) alongside Marilyn Horne, Carlo Bergonzi, Robert Merrill, Nicola Ghiuselev and the brilliant Oralia Dominguez as La Cieca all led by Lamberto Gardelli. Then in the early 80s, though some of the casting is vocally on the lighter side than previous efforts, Caballé, Baltsa, Pavarotti, Milnes and Ghiaurov make for another all-star cast under Bruno Bartoletti (Decca 4785277).

Compared to these casts, Callas’s sets could seem a little lacking and, in truth, neither is as uniformly effective as the first four mentioned above. Gianni Poggi is something of a let-down in her first Cetra set now available on Warner Classics (2564634108 link to review ). His voice didn’t record well and although it’s a serviceable instrument, any of the tenors already mentioned are preferable. Paolo Silveri, a respectable baritone of the period, seemed to be having an off day and sounds unsteady and not particularly interesting as a character. (For a truly superb account of Barnaba’s music, vocally resplendent and seething with villainy, look no further than Gaetano Viviani on the aforementioned Molajoli set.) However, Callas herself is vocally fresher on her earlier recording and Giulio Neri and Fedora Barbieri both make valuable contributions that can’t be overlooked.

As for the performance in question, Callas does not have the security and almost inhuman amplitude of her Cetra assumption, but she is in remarkably good shape for 1959. She is still in possession of an instrument of dramatic proportions, albeit with a noticeable beat in some top notes and a more noticeable disconnect between her registers. For my money her voice was never a natural instrument for this role, she thrived in the dramatic coloratura repertoire (Norma, Anna Bolena, Medea, Violetta even) whereas La gioconda ideally requires a voice of more even production. Arangi-Lombardi, Milanov and Cerquetti more naturally suited in that respect. Arangi-Lombardi and, surprisingly, especially Milanov are also very effective vocal actresses in this role and under Panizza Milanov really sets fire to the music. But in the end neither compares to Callas in terms of subtle vocal inflection and refinement in phrasing which is, in many places, even more striking here than in her earlier set. Which type of voice and approach appeals most to you is entirely subjective, as all have their merits here.

But La gioconda is more than just a vehicle for soprano and this opera requires an entire ensemble of dramatic and dynamic voices to make its best effect. Pier Miranda Ferraro has a full, resonant instrument, the likes of which we would be extremely lucky to have today. Although he is preferable to Gianni Poggi, I don’t find him to be a particularly interesting artist and for sheer voice there’s always Del Monaco on Decca. Martinelli, even at such a late stage of his career, makes far more of the music and character with a dramatic inflection and aptness in long-breathed phrases that brings the part to life in vivid colours. Bergonzi on Decca is more elegant than all of them put together.

As Laura, Fiorenza Cossotto is a worthy partner to Callas. Her incisive timbre projects a younger character than Barbieri. Although Cossotto and Callas don’t produce quite the same thrills in the central duet as Callas and Barbieri on the earlier set, this is a solid, vocally assured interpretation if maybe lacking in the last drop of imagination. I would put her on equal footing with Barbieri and Simionato, though she is outdone by both the glorious voice of Ebe Stignani and the intense drama of Bruna Castagna in the two earliest recordings.

Piero Cappuccilli has the voice for Barnaba and in this remaster by Pristine I found more villainy than I had remembered. But there is not the stamp of authority you get from Robert Merrill in what is one of his best and most interesting outings in the studio, nor the fantastic Gaetano Viviani who provides a masterclass in villainous baritonal plotting. Bastianini and Morelli are also a step above Cappuccilli in dramatic credibility, though I don’t mean to imply he is bad, there are just so many good recordings of this opera available and many great baritones. Ivo Vinco’s dark and resonant bass is much the same, very fine, but not a match for Siepi or Neri who lend the part the dominance that it needs. The final principle to consider is Irène Companeez who is a fine though slightly wobbly Cieca. This is not a role that is ever going to make or break a La gioconda, but Oralia Dominguez, Anna Kaskas and Camilla Rota all bring a superior voice to their respective recordings.

As for Antonino Votto, he knows how the music should go and the prelude is finely sculpted as is much of the opera. I prefer his more flexible approach to the usually excellent Gianandrea Gavazzeni on Decca, who rushes some sections that I wish would be granted more repose. But compared to the white-hot intensity of the Toscanini-like Ettore Panizza you realise that there is some potential for drama that is missed. Nevertheless, he is far from poor and is often given short-shrift, which I think is unfair, though in my experience he did his better work in front of a live audience.

If I had to live with just one performance of this pre-verismo pot-boiler, then it would probably have to be the Panizza set, despite the poor sound. It is a superbly exciting performance that fuses brilliant vocalism with an intensity that is unmatched by later accounts. But, of course, it’s not the ideal introduction to the opera and for a regular stereo recommendation the sets by Gavazzeni and Gardelli, as well as this Votto set, all have their merits. The Votto is the least evenly cast, but you have the special bonus of Callas’s Gioconda which outdoes both Cerquetti and Tebaldi in terms of sheer drama and character. But Tebaldi, at a late stage of her career, delivers one of her most committed and affecting performances on disc and Cerquetti offers vocal beauties that just weren’t part of Callas’s arsenal by this point.

This set has always had very fine stereo sound and whether you think you need this new remastering is probably down to how important audio quality is to you. It sharpens some details, the sound is marginally fuller and the voices have more space. I think it does help to add a little more theatricality to proceedings, but if you are happy with previous Warner issues, then at least sample before you buy.

Morgan Burroughs

Previously reviewed by Göran Forsling (March 1, 2024) and Ralph Moore (April 17, 2024)

Other cast members:

Zuane – Leonardo Monreale
Cantore/Pilota – Carlo Forti
Isepo/Prima voce lontana – Renato Ercolani
Seconda voce lontana – Aldo Biffi
Un barnabotto – Bonaldo Giaiotti