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Puccini:
La Bohème / Beecham, Björling, De los Angeles, etc
[ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED] |
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Composer:
Giacomo
Puccini
Conductor: Sir
Thomas Beecham
Performer: Jussi
Björling, Fernando
Corena, et al.
Ensemble: RCA
Victor Chorus, RCA
Victor Symphony Orchestra
Emd/Emi Classics - #56236 / September 16, 1997
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here for more information
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Every so often in the recording industry, there's a miracle,
and this is one of them. This 1956 recording was organized
quickly in New York, not on the heels of a stage performance
and not even with a noted orchestra. All the right singers
were in town at the same time--some popping in to sing a few
bars before heading for the airport--and the result is the
single greatest recording of this oft-recorded opera. The
leads--Victoria de Los Angeles and Jussi Björling--would
make it special in...Read
more
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Puccini:
La Bohème / Serafin, Tebaldi, Bergonzi, Bastianini
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Composer:
Giacomo
Puccini
Conductor: Tullio
Serafin
Performer: Ettore
Bastianini, Carlo
Bergonzi, et al.
Ensemble: Santa
Cecilia Academy Rome Chorus, Santa
Cecilia Academy Rome Orchestra
Uni/London Classics - #25534 / April 9, 1991
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here for more information |
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This recording from the late 1950's is superb
in every detail. Carlo Bergonzi was a tenor of immaculate
quality, refined and romantically subtle. There are many singers
who today could learn at the feet of this glorious tenor.
Renata Tabaldi was one of most gloriously, full-voiced yet
refined sopranos of her day. She was definitely a Diva of
the first magnitude. Ettore Bastianini, as Marcello had such
wonderfully rounded sounds from a rich baritone voice. Serafin
conducts this opera with his accustomed devotion. Love oozes
from every bar of the score, brought to life with engulfing
affection by the master. Some make think his approach as 'schmultz'
all I can say is long may that be the case. But, really it
is devotion to romance that is probably the cause! When I
first listened to this recording, on disc, some 30 years ago,
I cried. It still has this power to do so today, and no other
rendition of this opera has done so. None other are anywhere
near to approaching the emotion as experienced in this recording
, now dating over 40 years.
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Callas
Edition - Puccini: Tosca / De Sabata, Gobbi, et al
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Composer:
Giacomo
Puccini
Conductor: Victor
De Sabata
Performer: Franco
Calabrese, Maria
Callas, et al.
Ensemble: Milan
Teatro alla Scala Chorus, Milan
Teatro alla Scala Orchestra
Emd/Emi Classics - #56304 / August 19, 1997
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here for more information |
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Little can be added to what's been written about this landmark
recording, except that Walter Legge's 1953 mono production
yields nothing to modern Tosca recordings for vivacity
and theatrical impact--especially Maria Callas's. The miraculous
Victor de Sabata conjures up a vibrant, inspiring orchestral
canvas that enables Callas and her stellar cohorts to work
their magic. Tito Gobbi and Callas spur each other on to heights
in which the characters take over from the singers in the
listener's...Read
more
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Puccini:
Madama Butterfly / Serafin, Tebaldi, Bergonzi et al
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Composer:
Giacomo
Puccini
Conductor: Tullio
Serafin
Performer: Carlo
Bergonzi, Virgilio
Carbonari, et al.
Ensemble: Santa
Cecilia Academy Rome Chorus, Santa
Cecilia Academy Rome Orchestra
Uni/London Classics - #452594 / March 9, 1999
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here for more information |
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| This is Tebaldi's BEST recording and also one
of the best recordings of this Opera.It is true that she does
not have the soprano voice ideal for the 15-year old Cio-Cio-San
but there is no other Soprano that has sung or performed this
role like Renata Tebaldi. I first heard "Un bel di"
sang by M.Freni,a famous Butterlfy but it wasn't until I heard
Tebaldi singing this aria that I realised it's beauty.(Freni
is constantly being suffocated by the orchestra).Strength
combined with sweetness produce deeply moving moments and
everyone knows that Puccini is all about emotions.This is
why I love Tebaldi's Butterlfy.She has always sung Puccini
like no other soprano ever has. In this edition the rest of
the cast is also SUPREME.The ideal lyric tenor Bergonzi,always
matches perfectly with Renata and of course Cossotto and the
others complete this beautiful cast.
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Puccini:
Il Trittico / Pappano, Alagna, Gheorghiu, Shicoff, Van Dam,
et al |
Composer:
Giacomo
Puccini
Conductor: Antonio
Pappano
Performer: Roberto
Alagna, Angela
Gheorghiu, et al.
Ensemble: London
Symphony Orchestra, London
Voices, et al.
Emd/Emi Classics - #56587 / April 6, 1999
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here for more information |
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Aficionados are familiar with Puccini's Il Trittico
or "Triptych," his three one-act operas that premiered at
New York's Metropolitan in 1918; everyday opera lovers should
know them as well. Here is Puccini at his most imaginative:
Il Tabarro, a shocker about the jealousy of an older
man towards his deceitful younger wife on a houseboat on the
Seine is dark and foreboding, and is, incidentally, probably
his greatest, tightest opera. It is given a superb performance
here, with Maria Guleghina and...Read
more
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Puccini:
Turandot / Molinari-Pradelli, Nilsson, Corelli
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Composer:
Giacomo
Puccini
Conductor: F.
Molinari-Pradelli
Performer: Franco
Corelli, Ida
Farina, et al.
Ensemble: Rome
Opera House Chorus, Rome
Opera House Orchestra
Emd/Emi Classics - #69327 / June 1, 1988
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here for more information
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| Birgit Nilsson is probably the best Turandot
ever. It seems like the role was made for her. Here, her cold,
steely timbre, which can sometimes be a bit unpleasant in
Wagner's operas, perfectly suits the icy Chinese princess.
Her loud, high notes are thrilling, and she portrays the character
very effectively. Corelli also fits his role of Calˆf hand
in glove. His enormous, even, gorgeous voice is heard to huge
advantage in this opera, and his "Nessun' dorma"
makes Pavarotti's sound pathetic. Needless to say, Nilsson
and Corelli blend fantastically in the climaxing duet (though
it is rather obvious that they are singing against rather
than with each other). Renata Scotto is great as Liû
- her voice is in its prime here, before it developed its
ugly wobble. Giaiotti does not have a very pleasant voice
for Timur, but he does OK. Molinari-Pradelli is not quite
in Mehta's league on the much more famous London set, but
he's more than adequate. Anyone seeking the definitive recording
of "Turandot" need seek no further. |
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