Suppe: Boccaccio

Anneliese Rothenberger, Adolf Dallapozza, Edda Moser, Hermann Prey, Walter Berry Willi Boskovsky

The waltz and the Viennese Singspiel tradition are just as present in Franz von Suppé's operettas as French and Italian influences: his Boccaccio of 1879 carries the audience off to 14th century Florence. The turbulent comedy about poet Giovanni Boccaccio’s love life, well-known as something of a roué, offers plenty of space for situation comedy and at the same time the opportunity to show up the era’s prevailing double standards. This 1974 recording delights with a vocal line-up that features big names even in the minor roles. And Boskovksy's conducting is "full of verve and good spirits" (Gramophone).