Macbeth discography explained

This is a list of recordings of Macbeth, an opera by Giuseppe Verdi. The first performance of the work was on 14 March 1847 at the Teatro della Pergola in Florence. Verdi subsequently revised the work and the first performance of this version was on 21 April 1865 at the Théâtre Lyrique in Paris.

Some recordings[1] and some performances today incorporate both Macbeth's final aria before he dies (from the original version) and the revised version's ending with the soldiers' chorus.

1847 original version

YearCast
(Macbeth,
Lady Macbeth,
Banco, Macduff)
Conductor,
opera house and orchestra
Label[2]
1978Peter Glossop,
Rita Hunter,
John Tomlinson,
Kenneth Collins
John Matheson
BBC Concert Orchestra and BBC Singers
CD: Opera Rara
Cat: ORCV 301
2018Giovanni Meoni,
Nadja Michael,
Fabrizio Beggi,
Giuseppe Valentino Buzza
Fabio Biondi
Europa Galante
CD:Glossa Music
Cat:GCD923411

1865 revised version

YearCast
(Macbeth,
Lady Macbeth,
Macduff, Banco)
Conductor,
opera house and orchestra
Label
1947Francesco Valentino,
Margherita Grandi,
Walter Midgley,
Italo Tajo
Berthold Goldschmidt
Scottish Orchestra, Glyndebourne Festival Chorus
(Live recording from Edinburgh Festival, 27 August 1947)
CD: Classical Recordings Quarterly Editions
Cat: CRQ CD004-5
1951Ivan Petroff,
Astrid Varnay,
Gino Penno,
Italo Tajo
Vittorio Gui
Chorus and Orchestra of the Teatro Communale di Firenze
(Live performance May 6)
Operadepot-dot-com
Cat: CD-10939-2
1952Enzo Mascherini,
Maria Callas,
Gino Penno,
Italo Tajo
Victor de Sabata
La Scala Chorus and Orchestra
(Live recording of 7 Dec. performance)
CD: Myto
Cat: MCD 063 H 115
1959Leonard Warren,
Leonie Rysanek,
Carlo Bergonzi,
Jerome Hines
Erich Leinsdorf
Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra
LP: RCA Victrola
Cat: VICS-6121
CD: RCA Victor
Cat: 4516-2-RG
1960Giuseppe Taddei,
Leyla Gencer,
Mirto Picchi,
Ferrucio Mazzoli
Vittorio Gui
Teatro Massimo Chorus and Orchestra
CD: Great Opera Performances (GOP)
Cat: B00HYKI61Y
1964Giuseppe Taddei,
Birgit Nilsson,
Bruno Prevedi,
Giovanni Foiani
Thomas Schippers,
Accademia di Santa Cecilia Orchestra and Chorus
CD: Decca
Cat: 433 039-2
1970Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau,
Elena Souliotis,
Luciano Pavarotti,
Nicolai Ghiaurov
Lamberto Gardelli,
London Philharmonic Orchestra and Ambrosian Opera Chorus
CD: Decca
Cat: 440 048-2
1976 Piero Cappuccilli,
Shirley Verrett,
Plácido Domingo,
Nicolai Ghiaurov
Claudio Abbado,
Coro e Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala
CD: Deutsche Grammophon
Cat: 449 732-2
1976Sherrill Milnes,
Fiorenza Cossotto,
José Carreras,
Ruggero Raimondi
Riccardo Muti,
New Philharmonia Orchestra and Ambrosian Opera Chorus
CD: EMI
Cat: CMS 5 67128-2
1986Leo Nucci,
Shirley Verrett,
Veriano Luchetti,
Samuel Ramey
Riccardo Chailly,
Teatro Comunale di Bologna Orchestra and Chorus
CD: Decca
Cat: 417 525-2
DVD: Decca,
Cat: 073 4380 and 1040309 (US)
1986Piero Cappuccilli,
Sylvia Sass,
,
Lamberto Gardelli,
Hungarian Radio and Television Chorus and Budapest Symphony Orchestra
CD: Hungaroton
Cat: HCD 12738-40
1987Renato Bruson,
Mara Zampieri,
Neil Shicoff,
Robert Lloyd
Giuseppe Sinopoli,
Orchester und Chor der Deutsche Oper Berlin
(Live recording on video)
DVD: ArtHaus Musik
Cat: 100 141
2001 Franz Welser-Möst,
Chorus and Orchestra of the Zürich Opera House
(Live recording)
DVD: TDK
Cat: DV-OPMAC
2006Leo Nucci,
Sylvie Valayre,
Roberto Iuliano,
Enrico Iori
Bruno Bartoletti,
Teatro Regio di Parma (Performed in October)
(Directed by Liliana Cavani, video direction by)
Blu-ray: C Major[3]
DVD:
Cat: 722008
2008Željko Lučić,
Maria Guleghina,
Dimitri Pittas,
John Relyea
James Levine,
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Chorus, and Ballet
(Live recording of 12 January performance, production by Adrian Noble)
HD video


Met Opera on Demand[4]
DVD: EMI Classics
Cat: 2063049

2014Željko Lučić,
Anna Netrebko,
Joseph Calleja,
René Pape
Fabio Luisi,
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Chorus, and Ballet
(Live recording of 11 October performance, production by Adrian Noble)
HD video:
Met Opera on Demand[5]
Blu-ray: DGG[6]

Notes and References

  1. The 1976 Abbado version is one example.
  2. http://www.operadis-opera-discography.org.uk/CLVEMACB.HTM Recordings on operadis-opera-discography.org.uk
  3. Parma (October 2006): C Major, Blu-ray (2012)
  4. Met Opera (12 January 2008) CID:352297: Met Opera on Demand, HD video, UPC:811357011706, .
  5. Met Opera (11 October 2014) CID:355557: Met Opera on Demand, HD video, UPC:811357017623, .
  6. DGG, Blu-ray (2015): .