I encountered Scotto and Kraus‚ both of them little known‚ a couple of years before these recordings were made. That was in La traviata in London‚ and their burgeoning talent was there for all to hear and see. Their partnership as Gilda and the Duke of Mantua is the best reason for acquiring this Rigoletto. There are few finer performances of ‘Caro nome’ on disc than Scotto’s – and that’s saying something: both in vocal accomplishment (her voice poised between the lyric and the dramatic is perfect for the role) and dramatic intentions she is near­ideal and just as interesting in the duets with both her partners. She is almost but not quite as good in the Kubelík set on DG (9/91). Kraus partners her excellently with his dashing‚ forthright Duke‚ and on his own his weight of tone and ever­sure sense of style are always to the fore. He is granted‚ unusually at the time‚ his Act 2 cabaletta‚ or at least one verse of it‚ and sings it with tremendous aplomb‚ unwritten high D and all. Unfortunately Bastianini‚ for all his splendid baritonal attributes‚ is a brash‚ insensitive Rigoletto‚ wanting the pathos of the role‚ but he underpins the Quartet well. With the youthful Cossotto as a seductive Maddalena‚ this is one of the set’s highlights. There is an imposing Sparafucile from Vinco‚ Cossotto’s husband. Gavazzeni is secure rather than inspiring. BMG Ricordi does itself no favours by issuing the set without proper track listing and provides no notes or texts. The recording itself is good but a shade too reverberant. Still‚ at mid­price‚ this is worth investigating for Scotto’s and Kraus’s contributions. The Pergolesi has an essay and text‚ but only in Italian. This delightful if insubstantial piece benefits from the art of Scotto and Bruscantini‚ who both know exactly how the piece ought to go‚ and deliver the goods. Fasano is a great asset; so are his Virtuosi di Roma.