A common failing of recent Falstaff recordings is the hole in the middle--the larger-than-life Sir John sung by baritones several sizes too small for the role, both vocally and dramatically. That

Falstaff

A common failing of recent Falstaff recordings is the hole in the middle--the larger-than-life Sir John sung by baritones several sizes too small for the role, both vocally and dramatically. That problem doesn't exist here. Bryn Terfel's outsized singing personality perfectly matches Verdi's conception. Whether bellowing in rage, preening in praise of his fleshly abundance, or crooning sweet nothings to his intended conquests, Terfel dominates this performance as a Falstaff should. As his adversaries, Thomas Hampson's Ford is outstanding, well-sung and characterized, and Adrianne Pieczonka's Mistress Ford is quite good, too. Indeed, there's little to complain about with the rest of this well-assembled cast. If some older recordings of the opera boast more distinctive touches (e.g., the way Cloe Elmo's Mistress Quickly relishes her repeated "reverenzas" for Toscanini), few are as well-matched. Claudio Abbado gets the Berlin Philharmonic to play well in music it can't have done before. The engineering is adequate, if opaque, with orchestral details too often fading into the background. In sum, while Abbado's Falstaff doesn't match the classic Toscanini (RCA), Karajan (his first), or Solti, it's by far the best of the current crop and indispensable for Terfel's and Hampson's performances. --Dan Davis
Country USA
Brand UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP
Manufacturer Deutsche Grammophon
Binding Audio CD
ItemPartNumber 028947119425
Model 1992338
ReleaseDate 2001-08-14
UnitCount 2
UPCs 028947119425
EANs 0028947119425

Country	USA
Brand	UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP
Manufacturer	Deutsche Grammophon
Binding	Audio CD
ItemPartNumber	028947119425
Model	1992338
ReleaseDate	2001-08-14
UnitCount	2
UPCs	028947119425
EANs	0028947119425

Falstaff

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