Il Trovatore

The 17th release in the ongoing Tutto Verdi series presents the composer's 1853 warhorse opera in a 2010 production from the Teatro Regio de Parma, featuring a cast that is strong if not quite the equal of the starry ensemble of Von Karajan's recent Vienna mounting (VL-5/10). Marcelo Álvarez sings powerfully as Manrico, the titular troubadour who is also the rival (as well as the presumably dead brother) of the Count di Luna for the hand of the beautiful Leonora. Those roles are handled well by Claudio Sgura and Teresa Romano, with Mzia Nioradze equally fine as Azucena, the gypsy whom Manrico believes is his mother. All are supported by passionate playing from the company orchestra under Yuri Temirkanov, along with excellent choral work, and spare but elegant staging by Lorenzo Mariani. In terms of plot, Il Trovatore is admittedly even more contrived than most operatic melodramas, but there is much more to the score than just the famous “Anvil Chorus.” Presented in DTS 5.1 (DTS-HD 5.1 on the Blu-ray release) and PCM stereo, extras include an introduction to the opera. Recommended. (F. Swietek)