Anna Moffo In Great Duets From Opera

★★★✰

   Anna Moffo was one of the greatest opera stars in the era of stereo hi fi vinyl records. Besides few early recordings for EMI like Coloratura Arias she recorded with Colin Davis in 1959, she was recording for RCA. Exclusive contract with RCA, for many artists would be fulfilling of their dreams, but Anna Moffo was already primadonna of best opera houses all over the world. And this cooperation of star and label of the stars* resulted in a series of great recordings in sixties. She was recorded with Italian orchestras conducted by Tullio Serafin, Fernando Previtali, Erich Leinsdorf, Franco Ferrara, Georg Solti, René Leibowitz, Leopold Stokowski, Fausto Cleva, Renato Fasano, Georges Prêtre and Francesco Molinari-Pradelli. The list of great singers she worked with is much longer. One can judge it from double LP selection published by RCA in 1975 as Anna Moffo in Great Duets from Opera.

   All recordings were taken from RCA recordings. Program starts with 1957 recording of Giacomo Puccini’s Madame Butterfly (scene from 1st Act) with Cesare Valletti and Rome Opera Chorus and Orchestra conducted by Erich Leinsdorf. The same orchestra and conductor took part in of Puccini’s La bohème 1961 recording. This time her partner in Act 1 was phenomenal Richard Tucker in role of Rodolfo. In scene from 3rd Act Moffo and Tucker are supported by soprano Mary Costa (Musetta) and baritone Robert Merrill (Marcello). B-Side of first record brings fragments of three operas: Puccini’s Manon Lescaut and Jules Massenet’s Manon recorded with The RCA Italiana Opera Orchestra and Chorus under direction of René Leibowitz, and Massenet’s Thais recorded with new Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Julius Rudel. In Manon Lescaut Anna Moffo was dialoguing with Flaviano Labo, in Manon she was singing with Giuseppe di Stefano and in Thais with Gabriel Bacquier.

Anna Moffo In Great Duets From Opera (1975)

   Third side comprises two scenes from Lucia di Lammermoor. Anna Moffo partners are tenor Carlo Bergonzi (Elgardo) in scene from Act 1, and baritone Mario Sereni (Enrico) in scene from Act 2 of Gaetano Donizetti’s masterpiece. The RCA Italiana Opera Chorus and Orchestra were conducted by Georges Prêtre. These recordings were made in 1965. Last side comprises fragments of two operas by Giuseppe Verdi, La Traviata in 1960 recording with Rome Opera Chorus and Orchestra conducted by Fernando Previtali, and 1963 recording of Rigoletto with The RCA Italiana Opera Chorus and Orchestra under the baton of Georg Solti. In La Traviata part of her partner Alfredo was sung Richard Tucker and in Rigoletto Robert Merill (Rigoletto), Alfredo Krauss (Duke), Mario Rinaudo (Ceprano) and Piero di Palma (Borsa).
   This choice of these fragments is clear. Although she was perfect in solo arias, the highest power of her opera performances is in dramatic scenes. She is not only beautiful voice singing, but also a responsive interpreter who can establish synergic relation on the scene. She is playing the stage role in depending of partner’s reactions. This album shows best sides of Anna Moffo. She was great bel canto singer, but even better dramatic performer. Perfect voice and appearance were the reason she was called La Bellissima, and by many she is still considered as most beautiful singer ever. In conclusion it’s worth to notice four stars is maximum for compilation album. Not only this album, also complete works she recorded are operatic must have.

Giuseppe Verdi Festival

THE 200th ANNIVERSARY OF GIUSEPPE VERDI'S BIRTH

   Among many musical theatre composers the two dominated the opera scene in 19th century were Giuseppe Verdi and Richard Wagner – both were born the same year and this was the only common point of these two. Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) was a child of the era. He was composer of extended romantic style with tendencies to popular music and in later works to the post-romantic ideas, partly as reaction to Wagner’s drama. He is probably most celebrated composer of the century. Main part of his work consists of nearly three dozens of operas and revisions. He has written also some songs and sacred works with highly valued Requiem. Although shortly after his death he was detronised by Giacomo Puccini, he should be remembered as the greatest opera composer of opulent era. 

   There are thousands of Verdi recordings, from life performances and complete opera albums to fragments in recitals of many composers and performers. And it’s negligible if there is full Verdi’s work or only short fragment. One of features of composers output is this simple fact, every work has highlights playing the role of hits in romantic music culture. No wonder there are many concert programs and records showing only these fragments. One of such was Verdi Festival published as the Capriccio Club Edition in 1985 with fragment of Giovanni Boldini’s famous portrait of 71 year old Verdi. This is very well pressed, introducing quite good performances and well edited choice, so it deserves three and a half of the five star scale.

Giuseppe Verdi Festival (1985)

   The Capriccio Verdi album is very good starting point for somebody who needs short introduction to best achievements of Giuseppe Verdi. It’s opened with La forza del destino overture in nice rendition of Budapest State Opera Orchestra conducted by Trikolidisz Karolosz. Than come full version of Va pensiero choir from Nabucco and ballet scene from Aida performed by London Symphony Orchestra with Laurence Siegel and Di quella pira from Il trovatore sung with brave by Ludovic Spiess. Second side comprises Intermezzo from La Traviata again with Budapest Opera and Karolosz, gypsy chorus from Il trovatore performed by Chor und Orchester Der Staatsoper Berlin conducted by Otmar Suitner and two fragments from Don Carlos – duet of Don Carlos and Rodrigo Carlo Bergonzi and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, air Ella giammai m’amo sung by Nicola Rossi.
   Second record of the album starts with Triumphal March from Aida continued with Zitti, zitti, noviamo a vendetta from Rigoletto and soldiers chorus from Il trovatore. These fragments were recorded by ensemble of Staatsoper Berlin under Otmar Suitner. In this choice there have to be some arias and great vocal performances. Nicola Herlea in Di provenza il mar from La Traviata, Eva Marton sings Pace, pace from La forza del destino and Sylvia Sass with Giorgio Lamberti duet from Ernani. The fourth part concluding the choice comprises three spectacular arias: Cortigiani from Rigoletto sung by Nicola Herlea, Mia madre aveva una povera ancella from Othello perfectly exposed by Anna Tomova-Sintov, and Studia il passo from Macbeth performed by Boris Christoff. These fragments are framed by Prelude to 3rd Act of Aida (Staatsoper Berlin, C. Litvin) and Matador Choir from La Traviata (Opera Bukarest, J.Bobescu). I have to admit it's quite a nice program for birthday celebration.