Published Reviews
By Ira Siff
Opera News
01-Oct-2011
One can only sigh at the thought of being able to choose between vintage 1955 performances by Callas and Tebaldi—surely a chore that any opera fan of today would love to tackle.
For this performance, broadcast by the BBC, Covent Garden boasted not one but three Italian stars: Tebaldi was partnered by Ferruccio Tagliavini as Cavaradossi and Tito Gobbi as Scarpia. Tebaldi practiced some of the Tosca traditions shared by her distinguished Italian predecessors, including a number of extraneous sobs and sounds favored by sopranos of the verismo tradition. In some instances, these effects sound applied but nonetheless lend atmosphere; in any case, these expressive devices add to our awareness that this sort of idiomatic Italian Tosca is just about extinct today.
In 1955, the Tebaldi instrument was still fresh and largely pliant: she easily meets the demands of the role…
Gobbi is in superb voice here. Covent Garden regulars Howell Glynne, Michael Langdon and Ronald Lewis are excellent as the Sacristan, Angelotti and Spoletta respectively. Francesco Molinari-Pradelli may not be a De Sabata musically, or a Mitropoulos dramatically, but the performance gives a nod to all the important moments, which is essential in this opera. The BBC sound is quite listenable…
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