Title: Lucia Aliberti, La Straniera
Review: The only uncut Straniera (I think), this fine recording finds Aliberti a bit subdued. Her singing is accurate and tasteful, but not fiery (as it is on a pirate Straniera from Catania where she cuts loose to spactacular effect). Her big double arias in the first and final act are beautifully but introspectively sung -- she solidly delivers the goods. Unfortunately, the tenor, whose role is vital in this opera, is not up to the role. His dry voice, with plenty of vibrato, fails to supply the seductive caress the role (and all other Bellini roles) calls for. Solid conducting. This is a live recording from Trieste, but the audience is amazingly quiet and the few stage noises actually contribute to the dramatic effectiveness of the recording.
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