DON CARLO

DON CARLO:Verdi
Original Air Date: 03/05/1955
Adler; Tucker, Steber, Bastianini, Thebom, Hines, Moscona
SID.19290422
Surprisingly, Stiedry is not in the pit for this, and Adler is a rung lower and it counts in this opera. Steber lets the end of ‘Tu che le vanita’ get away from her, and the part is lower than ideal, but this is a very good house Don Carlo, Tucker a bit better than that and well matching Bastianini’s rich tones. Hines sings well enough but he is some distance from the Siepi/Ghiaurov/Christoff (not at Met) standard. You don’t want to hear Bastianini in his final two Met broadcasts (both 1965) of Forza del Destino and Don Carlo. Though his prime at the Met (1953-1960) was short most of the 70+ performances at the Met including five broadcasts are worth hearing for sampling one of the premiere post-WW2 Italian baritone voices. I’ve never heard his Traviata with Albanese from 1955, and career listers speak with reverence about his Carlo Gerard from 1960; certainly his CG with Tebaldi and Del Monaco in the studio is a classic. This performance is also available in MOoD and a good way to experience it.