VERDI: “LA FORZA DEL DESTINO.” Mirella Freni,...

VERDI: “LA FORZA DEL DESTINO.” Mirella Freni, Dolora Zajic, Placido Domingo, Giorgio Zancanaro, Paul Plishka; Chorus and Orchestra of Teatro alla Scala, Milan, conducted by Riccardo Muti. Angel DSC-3995 (three digital discs). This first new recording of Verdi’s 21st opera in more than a decade--another will follow shortly--boasts a complete edition and Muti’s consistently galvanizing conducting, which finds moments of quiet austerity in the midst of a tense, virile approach. The years have brought a sense of caution to Domingo’s impassioned Alvaro; he rarely allows the top notes their full values. Zancanaro brings a suitable snarl to the vengeful Carlo without the breath control or legato that spell a major Verdian. Plishka mouths Guardiano’s platitudes conscientiously, and Zajic, the American mezzo, who scored a huge success in San Francisco last year, sounds like a powerhouse Preziosilla with chest tones to spare. Freni’s sincerity, however, is no substitute for the dramatic temperament, weight and fearless top register that make Leonora di Vargas one of Verdi’s most sympathetic heroines.