The best La Fanciulla Del West, with a Minnie that possibly radiates

La Fanciulla Del West is not my favourite Puccini opera(a close call between Tosca and La Boheme) but because there is a lot of craftmanship in Puccini's score and a good sense of drama in Act 2 to make up for some possible implausibilities in the story it is his most underrated one. As well as the outstanding Neblett, Domingo and Milnes and Tebaldi, Del Monaco and MacNeil recordings, the opera has been well served by the 1992 Met, 1982 Covent Garden, 1991 La Scala and 2005 Torre Del Lago productions(the very recent Met production was also good). But this 1963 live performance is the one that tops them all.

It is however let down by Gastone Limarilli's Dick Johnson. I do feel Corelli, Del Monaco and especially Domingo sing with more attention to musicality and phrasing and cut a more romantic and heroic figure on film/stage than Limarilli. For my tastes, Limarilli sings with a cutting and also (I think) unappealingly nasal edge, maybe in an attempt to disguise the fact that the role is too heavy for him, and is too stolid and unkempt to convince as the kind of role Puccini requires.

On the other hand, the rest of the cast are spot-on. Anselmo Colzani is Jack Rance that proves to be menacing, somewhat sympathetic and altogether thrilling with a big biting voice necessary for Act 2 and the secondary ensemble cast especially in the roles of Sonora, Wowkle, Sid and Nick are utterly convincing. But the show belongs to Antonietta Stella, whose searing top and endearing radiance make her the finest Minnie I've ever encountered anywhere. 

The costumes and sets look lovely, evocative of the West, and well preserved on DVD with good video directing and picture quality. The orchestra perform the difficult but splendidly crafted score with crisp efficiency and the conducting is alive to both power and nuances. Overall, apart from Limarilli a really great Fanciulla. 9/10 Bethany Cox

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