Product: Donizetti - Roberto Devereux / Rudel, Sills, Alexander, New York City Opera (1975)
Rating: 4.0
Sills Below Par, But Still Remarkable
For those who would no more look at an opera star than stare at a radio, this performance is sure to disappoint. The primary problem is that Sills, for whatever reason, is not in her finest voice. Anyone who listens to her earlier recording of the role, or who was lucky enough to see her in her heyday in it at NYCOpera, will immediately hear that something is awry. Nevertheless, hers was from its conception a complete performance, from stance to requisite facial expression in every scene, and though she had done better in the part, it's better to have this four star version than none at all. What we have here is great acting in operatic melodrama, though the diva's voice is faded, much like a worn, though rich, tapestry.