Verdi: La forza del destino (The Force of destiny) - download (MP3 & FLAC)

“This is a fascinating, unmissable set both in historic and musical terms. Marinuzzi, a Toscanini coeval at La Scala, was chosen as conductor, and it's his only complete recording of an opera. The recording took place in May 1941 and was issued on 78rpm discs by Cetra. After the war Parlophone, which was then in charge of Cetra recordings in Britain, issued – in desultory fashion – a few separate discs. Sadly the whole version has never had the currency its great merits deserve, not at least as the first complete set (bar one traditionally cut scene) of the work and one with an entirely Italian cast. Now we have it to enjoy at superbudget price and in admirable transfers from original Cetra pressings, by Ward Marston.
For the recording Marinuzzi had assembled a vintage cast of Italian singers of the day. Caniglia herself rightly considered her Leonora here as one of her finest recordings: one can hear why in her committed, vibrant and often very sensitive singing: she even attempts some of the refined pianissimos that graced the reading of this role by her near-contemporary, Zinka Milanov. It's a performance imbued with spiritual yearning – exactly what's wanted. By her side Masini's Alvaro is obviously a man of action with his blade-like, spinto tenor and sense of desperation at Alvaro's plight.
If he's occasionally too lachrymose that's only a sign of his empathy with his role. As Alvaro's implacable antagonist, Don Carlo, Tagliabue provides dependable tone and an authentically styled interpretation of a kind seldom heard today.
The pair's final and fatal encounter is one of the score's and the set's highlights.
Stignani, in her absolute prime, is a formidable Preziosilla, full in tone and clear in her passagework, exemplary in every way. Marston has made the recording as amenable as is possible. In any case it would be worth suffering much worse sound than this for such a satisfying traversal on all sides of this inspired score.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010

“thanks are due to Gergiev for making us aware all through of the score's dramatic eloquence, its marvels of instrumentation, its subtlety of characterization in a reading that has one eagerly anticipating each scene. His timing of episodes as a whole and numbers within them is well-nigh faultless...It is an interpretation of formidable achievement.” Gramophone Magazine, April 1997

“Gorchakova is a creamy toned Leonora, Borodina a flirtatious Preziosilla, and Grigorian and Putilin magnificent as the Dons.” BBC Music Magazine, June 2012 *****

“There has never been quite so electrifying a Forza as Walter's vital, brilliantly executed reading, which encapsulates the essence of the forthcoming drama. It confirms what few may know today, that Walter was a superb interpreter of Verdi. Yet this was the first time he had conducted Forza, so his lithe, finely honed reading is all the more remarkable. The other revelation is the Leonora of Stella Roman, a greatly underrated soprano brought to the Met in 1941, who yields few points to such notable interpreters of the part as Ponselle, Milanov and Tebaldi. They apart, you would go far to hear a Leonora so well equipped for the role, and so committed to it, one who uses her warm, generous voice to unerring effect in projecting the woman's dire predicament.
Padre Guardiano appears in the guise of Pinza, none better, and sounding, one uncertain high E apart, secure, concerned and authoritative. Jagel as Don Alvaro passes easily the test of the taxing aria of sad recollection at the start of Act 3. Tibbett as Don Carlo compels attention at every entry with his distinctive timbre and faultless style, but truth to tell the glorious tone had dulled since his great days in the 1930s and at times he sounds stretched by the part. Both his arias suffer cuts. Carlo's second (of three) duets with Alvaro is also excised as was then the custom, and strettas throughout are foreshortened. Baccaloni enjoys himself hugely as Melitone and obviously relishes his encounters with his superior, the Padre Guardiano, the two Italians revelling in the text.
Petina is a lively but lightweight Preziosilla.
The sound is a bit crackly and restricted but good enough to enjoy an absorbing account of the score. This vivid version has much to commend it at the price.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010