La fanciulla del West – "The Girl of the West" – isn't, today, one of the best-known of Puccini's later works. Is that because Hollywood westerns have made us so familiar with cowboys and saloon girls who speak in English rather than Italian? Pulp spaghetti westerns might have brought us round somewhat to the idea of Italian spoken out west, only they tend not to be shown in Italian. Regardless, this verist tale, set in California and with a proto-Hollywood musical theme (it's a tad post-Debussyist at points) is not without its charms, and its characters are well-rounded. This new recording, made from a live performance at the Teatro di San Carlo, brings together the American Emily Magee as the tender Minnie, Italian tenor Roberto Aronica in the role of Johnson, the bandit-turned-good who will ride off with the belle at the end of the film – narrowly escaping the gallows – and our Sheriff is baritone Claudio Sgura. It's a fine distribution, with solid supporting roles. © SM/Qobuz