The notes to this three-disc set containing Rossini's opera La pietra del paragone (The Touchstone) announce that this recording is given the "first time (in) an original realization." On the contrary, this is the fourth recording of La pietra del paragone. The first was a justifiably famous studio version on Vanguard with
José Carreras and Justino Diaz in the cast and Newell Jenkins leading a pickup band.
But the Vanguard version and the two others (on Nuova Era and Bongiovanni, respectively) were all cut in some way to fit the package. This Naxos Opera Classics version is complete on two full and one short CD and is presented with a full libretto in Italian and an English-language summary. The recording is live from the 2001 Rossini in Wildbad Festival; the sound is a tad distant and occasional sound effects from the stage intrude, though not overwhelmingly so. Three of the principals,
Agata Bienkowska, Raffaele Costantini, and Alessandro Codeluppi, consistently under-sing throughout and are quite flat in pitch. Codeluppi in particular spends much of his time singing nowhere near Rossini's melodic line. It's a shame, really, as the rest of the cast is fine and the orchestral playing, under Alessandro de Marchi, is excellent. But three singers, all main parts, out of a cast of seven, adds up to too many cooks spoiling the broth.
With the Nuova Era and Vanguard packages gone and the Bongiovanni, as usual, expensive and difficult to find, listeners interested in La pietra del paragone will have this bargain-priced set as their main option for this opera. If Artemis ever brings the Vanguard version back, though, that would be your best option.