Title: A mediocre performance
Review: I don't find this recording to be at all satisfactory. The orchestral playing is good enough and Puccini's colorful score gets a vivid, if not truly exceptional reading. Unfortunately, the singing leaves much to be desired. Jane Eaglen's Turandot is underpowered and she sounds like the character's same old haughty self even when she's supposed to be won over by Calaf's love. This is a very one-dimensional and uninteresting characterisation. Dennis O'Neill is caught here past his prime. Some of the high notes (and high lying passages) are rather effortful and the tenor is not in very fresh voice. Mary Plazas gives a tender performance of Liu with some beautifully spin-out high notes. Hers is the best performance of the set. The other roles are adequately taken but it's good of have Gedda as the Emperor.
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