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RECORDINGS
Video
DONIZETTI: L'ELISIR D'AMORE
 Noni; Tagliavini, La Porta, Montarsolo; NHK Symphony Orchestra, Tokyo Broadcasting Chorus, Osaka Broadcasting Chorus, Nikikai Chorus Group, Fujiwara Opera Chorus, Erede. Production: Nofri. VAI 4492, 107 mins., subtitled
How fortunate we are to have this delightful performance of Donizetti and Felice Romani's most human of comic operas. The folks at VAI continue to delve into the archives of opera (mostly Italian) broadcast in Japan from the late 1950s on, and this release from 1959 is particularly interesting, as it presents Ferruccio Tagliavini and Alda Noni in their only complete filmed roles — roles for which they were justly celebrated. Also in VAI's catalogue is the Bergonzi–Scotto Elisir from Florence in 1967 (a Hardy Classics DVD), and one should really own both versions to savor the kind of singing and comic antics that abounded in those times. This was a postwar world, but a natural ease of delivery and unconscious sense of fun pervade. Tagliavini and Noni are both in their forties and veterans of the stage by this time, but they are still able to thoroughly charm the viewer as Nemorino and Adina, and they certainly know their way around Donizetti's score.
If these singers have limits, they are well known to those acquainted with their work. Noni's bright, agile lyric coloratura cannot compete with Scotto's instrument in terms of coloration; the latter is an example of a later generation more steeped in the dramatic operas of the bel canto revival. Tagliavini's vocal approach is modeled after that of predecessors Beniamino Gigli and particularly Tito Schipa. Although he croons gloriously, with a ravishing head tone, and makes some robust forte sounds, his weakness was in joining the two. By 1959, the disparity was well in evidence. Never mind! Both singers are blessed with an ability to offer effortless delivery of Romani's text and join it to their vocal resources skillfully, with an appealing lack of affectation.
The balance of the cast is also quite wonderful. Paolo Montarsolo as Dr. Dulcamara is the soul of hamminess — and of style. Unfortunately, the video for his entrance aria is missing, although the audio is intact. (Still photos fill the nine-minute gap.) Montarsolo brings levity to his duets with Tagliavini and Noni and, of course, has more voice than in later years — although even in 1959 he was already taking a good number of buffo-esque liberties with the printed note. Baritone Arturo La Porta is a peacock of a Belcore, blustery in manner but vocally ingratiating, with a splendid high G inserted into "Come Paride." Even the Giannetta, Santa Chissari, is excellent.
As expected, Tagliavini sings a lovely "Una furtiva lagrima" and wastes no time in breaking character, smiling and bowing. Noni's "Prendi" is delivered tenderly and fluently, but a live horse upstages her with some rather vivid noises, and one can see the soprano struggling to keep it together. The aria is preceded by some endearing stage business for the couple. (Stage director Bruno Nofri does well with his soloists, but the poor man has a Götterdämmerung-sized chorus to deal with.) Other highlights include Noni's duet with Montarsolo, "Quanto amore," her coloratura fleet and sparkling, her emotional commitment very present. The practice of cutting Adina's final cabaletta, in evidence as well on the Scotto version, is unfortunately taken even further here, with the slicing out of the preceding recitative in which Adina confesses her love for Nemorino!
Despite other traditional cuts, what remains is an idiomatic performance of an Italian work by Italian principals, rendered lovingly. Alberto Erede provides direct and adequate accompaniment; one might wish for a bit more of the play employed by Gianandrea Gavazzeni on the Bergonzi– Scotto set. The filming is primitive black and white but catches most of what needs catching.
IRA SIFF
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