Richard Tucker – A Treasury of French Opera Arias

★★★

   Any success in artistic culture depends on so many elements, dedication and specialization are elements of a natural tendency. Exceptions to this rule are the more interesting they are rare and unusual. Nonetheless there were many examples of such combining many talents and different kinds of activity. One of famous artists who didn’t entirely devote to a one direction career was Richard Tucker, great opera tenor and famous cantor from New York recording religious and secular music. He was one of greatest tenor during three postwar decades. Singing in Metropolitan Opera during the last period of opulence era, when operatic world was lead by the bunch of best tenors ever recorded, he became one of brightest stars of opera stage, popular thanks to recording studio and live albums, giving radio performances and recitals.
   Richard Tucker (originally Rivn Ticker) was born August 28th, 1913 in Brooklyn. In period of school years he was successful in athletics as well as in singing. Later he was working as salesman and casually as a wedding singer, but also started to work in religious community. He raised a family but still was not sure what path to follow, he was hired as part time cantor in Passaic, New Jersey, and selling silk, until he was promoted to full time cantor in Temple Adath Israel in Bronx and Brooklyn Jewish Center. This made him to decide about being a singer. His brother-in-law was Jan Peerce, famous operatic tenor and favorite singer of Toscanini with NBC Symphony Orchestra recordings. Older and well recognized Peerce was openly skeptical about opera ambitions of Richard Tucker. Later Tucker’s successes led to a lasting rift in the family. 

Richard Tucker – A Treasury of French Opera Arias (1966)

   January 25th, 1945 Richard Tucker had debuted as operatic singer in Metropolitan Opera as Enzo in Ponchielli’s La Gioconda with such brilliant success, he stayed on stage for next three decades. Four years after he was already one of most recognized opera singers. In 1949 he performed in complete Columbia recording of Madama Butterfly under Max Rudolf and singing the part of Radames in complete NBC radio performance of Aida with Arturo Toscanini. In 1956 he recorded Aida again, this time for EMI in Teatro Alla Scala with Maria Callas, Fedora Barbieri and Tito Gobbi under Tullio Serafin. He recorded dozens of records, as well individual as complete opera productions. He recorded big part of basic opera repertoire, big choice of synagogue cantorial music and lots of popular and folk songs. Most popular arias from his repertoire were presented in various collections, but most popular part of his discography was a series of thematic albums with popular songs and arias.
   In 1966 Richard Tucker with The Vienna State Opera Orchestra and conductor Pierre Dervaux recorded for Columbia album A Treasury of French Opera Arias (MS 6231).  The choice is clear – most emotional arias from romantic French opera show the variety of the genre. First side opens George Bizet’s Flower Song famous air from opera Carmen. Then he sings airs from Jules Massenet’s Werther, Étienne Méhul’s Joseph, Giacomo Meyerbeer’s L’Africaine and famous father’s air Rachel! Quand du Seigneur from La Juive, opera by Jacques-François-Fromental-Élie Halévy, usually known as Fromental Halévy. Second side opens with Romance “Je crois entendre” from Bizet’s Les pêcheurs de perles (The Pearl Fishers) but next four arias are highlights from Massenet’s Manon, Werther, Hérodiade and Le Cid. Richard Tucker was here in his best. His clear and powerful voice, interpretative experience and comprehensive skills with strong emotional factor made this program a perfect recital. Four stars plus a half for the idea of celebrating Paris opera in Vienna.

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.