So many bargain sets from the Naxos and Discover labels have recently been recommended that it is tempting to give a welcome to all new issues from these sources. This time I would suggest a degree of caution in the face of an uneven production. Rahbari once more shows his affinity with Verdi in a swift and dynamic interpretation; not as subtle as Abbado's nor, perhaps inevitably, as well played as that La Scala version but always attentive to the very many subtleties of scoring and rhythm that are this work's special delight, and thought through as a whole. Rahbari realizes Verdi's empathy with every aspect of Boccanegra's and Fiesco's rounded characters, nowhere more so than in their final meeting of reconciliation.
Tumagian nicely differentiates between the rough sailor of the Prologue, the authoritative ruler of the Council Chamber scene, and the troubled, grief-stricken man of Acts 2 and 3, cleverly changing his vocal timbre from a public to a private tone. Even so, his interpretation lacks the colours that Cappuccilli (Abbado) and, to an even greater extent, Gobbi (Santini) bring to the part. As Fiesco, Boccanegra's antagonist, Mikulas is too monochrome and makes little of the text, missing the strength and character that Christoff (Santini) and Ghiaurov (Abbado) achieve.
Once more on an issue from this source Miriam Gauci is the star of the show. Neither her singing nor her interpretation need fear comparison with either Abbado's Freni or Santini's de los Angeles. She burrows successfully into both Amelia's tender and resolute characteristics, and displays them in firm Italianate tone and line, projected on a long breath. But she is set beside the coarse, stretched singing, as Gabriele, of Aragall, who now finds it almost impossible to sing anything much below forte (altogether the set isn't notable for obeying Verdi's many pianissimo and sotto voce markings) and he finds it hard to keep up his pitch. Another veteran, Sardinero, does rather better as a saturnine Paolo. The chorus is well disciplined but somewhat small in size
The recording generally a shade hollow in sound, is unstable in the sense that voices are sometimes recorded with immediacy, then fade into the background, necessitating adjustment of the volume control. At mid price, the Santini set (still a wonder in spite of minor cuts and mono sound) is preferable, or—going further up the price range—so is the resplendent Abbado.'