Il Trovatore: Mackerras and the Royal Opera, 1973
Listen
About
In May 1973 the Royal Opera House revived its production of Il Trovatore. Charles Mackerras had recently conducted the opera at English National Opera, where he was Music Director, Unlike the English National Opera’s production, which was in English and used members of its company of singers, Covent Garden’s presentation brought together a staggering lineup of international superstars singing in the original Italian. This live recording captures an evening where bel canto elegance collided head-on with raw dramatic power.
Conductor Charles Mackerras brings his trademark analytical rigor and theatrical propulsion to the Covent Garden pit. Eschewing the sluggish tempos that often plagued mid-century Verdi revivals, Mackerras favors crisp, driving rhythms that emphasize the score’s psychological urgency. He treats Verdi’s orchestrations not as mere accompaniment, but as an active, volatile driver of the tragedy.
As Leonora sings with her signature velvety, expansive spinto soprano. Arroyo captures both the floating pianissimos of “Tacea la notte” and the desperate agility required for the Act IV cabaletta. Carlo Cossutta was a frequent visitor to Covent Garden at the time but his qualities have been somewhat eclipsed with time. An underrated powerhouse of the era. As Monrico Cossutta balances a genuinely heroic, bronze-toned squillo in “Di quella pira” with a deeply sensitive, lyrical line in “Ah! sì, ben mio”. Fiorenza Cossotto was widely considered the definitive Azucena of her generation. Her volcanic lower register and blazing chest voice turn “Stride la vampa” into a terrifying psychological masterclass. Ladislaus Konya brings a sharp, menacing urgency to the obsessive Count, matching the sheer vocal scale of his co-stars with dark, incisive phrasing.
This recording preserves a golden era of Verdi singing where massive voices could still negotiate the intricate nuances of bel canto phrasing under the baton of a master conductor.
Contents
Giuseppe Verdi (1813 – 1901)
Il Trovatore
Act 1
Track 1: Scene 1
Track 2: Scene 2
Act 2
Track 3: Scene 1
Track 4: Scene 2
Act 3
Track 5: Scene 1
Track 6: Scene2
Act 4
Track 7: Scene 1
Track 8: Scene 2
The recording was made at a performance of the opera at the Royal Opera House on May 23 1973.
The recording was donated to Music Preserved by Nigel Simeone.
Cast
- Leionora Martina Arroyo
- Manrico Carlo Cossutta
- Count di Luna Ladislaus Konya
- Azucena Fiorenza Cossotto
- Ferndo Ivo Vinco
- Ruiz Adrian de Peter
- Inès Elizabeth Bainbridge
- Old Gypsy William Clothier
- Chorus of the Royal Opera House
- Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
- Conductor Charles Mackerras
Digging Deeper: Charles Mackerras
Articles, podcasts and features connected to this artist
