Decca: 4780385

“All credit to Decca for capturing in vivid digital sound, well-balanced, and with the audience rarely intrusive (except of course in the vociferous applause), the performances given in gala concerts earlier this year [1981] … with Horne giving a dazzling display [in La donna del lago] … still superbly agile, and with gloriously tough chest tone … in the Masnadieri aria … [Sutherland’s] agility remains amazing, and commandingly at the end she prolongs her trill so long that the orchestra has to wait and the audience too seems to catch a breath before the launching of the ringing, absolutely true and steady top C. The real point of the collection lies in the ensembles, most of them with all three singers … choice rarities include the Ernani trio (starting the concert) with Horne taking the baritone role, as Alboni evidently did at Covent Garden in 1847. It makes a splendid item, with Horne’s chest tones again magnificent … the Norma trio is interesting in that Pavarotti has yet to be persuaded to sing the role of Pollione … Sutherland is at her finest too. The Otello duet brings treasure with another role which as yet Pavarotti refuses to tackle in the opera house … the firmness and heroic power certainly have one thirsting for more … Sutherland first sang Desdemona at Covent Garden in 1957 … she has been singing the role again in Australia recently. I don’t wonder; because the voice, though mature for Desdemona … rides the phrases gloriously and “Amen risponda” is treated with sweet expansiveness. A flaw or two is inevitable in live performances … what matters is the vigour and realism of live communication and, with the help of digital sound, there is no lack of that.” (Gramophone)