威尔第：唐·卡洛 　　by Armindo 　　 　　Somewhat overshadowed by the more famous and balanced Guilini recording, this earlier performance has some greater strengths but also a few noticeable weaknesses. The greatest strength is the vitality of its cast's performance in cooperation with Solti's powerful conducting. 　　Regarding the cast, Bergonzi makes a stylish, yet always attentive to the drama Don Carlo. I used to believe this role needed a larger voice but now I find Bergonzi ideal, in fact peerless! He has both thrust and warmth to make Don Carlo a multidimensional character. What never ceases to amaze me is how idiomatically he approaches the recitatives and dialogues, perfectly describing the emotional situation of his hero. 　　 　　Considering that this was made during the second period of her career, Tebaldi is vocally not as glorious as she was in the 50s. She would have made the ideal Elisabetta back then! Her powerful chest register and steely upper notes during the mid- and late 60s were great for Gioconda and Adriana Lecouvreur (both roles receiving huge acclaim all around the world) but not equally enjoyable for Verdi. In any case however, I prefer her to the lighter sopranos who have tackled this role. Tebaldi moreover phrases exquisitely and is a vibrant Elisabetta. 　　 　　I never understood why Fischer-Diskau recorded so many Verdi roles in a time when genuine Verdian baritones were in abundance. Bastiannini, Cappuccilli, Merrill, MacNeil, Taddei, Colzani, Paskalis even the aged Gobbi sound all much more suitable than Dietrich. He nevertheless sings with his usual warmth. Bumbry performs with the same flare as Verrett does for Guilini although their smoky voices never appealed to me but that is a matter of personal taste. 　　 　　Eveyone agrees that Ghiaurov and Talvela rank among the best Filippo - Inquisitor duos ever!