RIGOLETTO:Verdi
Original Air Date: 02/24/1990
Panni; Nucci, Anderson, Pavarotti, Furlanetto, Svendén, Held
MOD Audio SID.19100747
Rigoletto……………Leo Nucci
Gilda……………….June Anderson
Duke of Mantua……….Luciano Pavarotti
Maddalena……………Birgitta Svendén
Sparafucile………….Ferruccio Furlanetto
Monterone……………Alan Held
Borsa……………….Michael Forest
Marullo……………..Vernon Hartman
Count Ceprano………..Richard Vernon
Countess Ceprano……..Joyce Guyer
Giovanna…………….Sondra Kelly
Page………………..Maria Donaldi
Guard……………….Paul De Paola
Conductor……………Marcello Panni
This performance was of the new Otto Schenk production, catching both Anderson and Pavarotti in particularly good voice. Held is a solid Monterone (Sirius does not list, but I find it a very important, if short role). This performance is Pavarotti’s 3d Duke broadcast (the first was from 17 years earlier). As I remember this 1990 performance, he was in very good voice ; this performance is also available on Met Player. Nucci was a highly dependable Rigoletto, if not the crowd favorite Warren or MacNeil were at their best. I had forgotten that Furlanetto was the Sparafucile, and Alan Held the Monterone. Monterone is one of the shortest parts in opera, but a good one can really supercharge a Rigoletto. I would think Held would be well cast (I don’t remember his performance), but my two Monterones are Giaiotti and Morris (Giaiotti’s only broadcast is MacNeil’s first broadcast Rigoletto from 1960 and includes for further bass clef plush Tozzi– we need to hear this on Sirius!!!; Morris is available on Met Player with Pavarotti from 1973).