Verdi: Aida - Välkki, Svanholm, Ericson, Björling; Ehlring. Stockholm, 1960

$4.48



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This performance of Aida is about as Italian as Swedish Meatballs.  However it has a lot to recommend it and shows the wonderful tradition of Swedish singers in a very positive light.  Anita Välkki sings the title role.  Her voice is attractive and slender and she can unleash the power when it calls for it.  Set Svanholm was a seasoned veteran of the great Wagner roles by 1960.  Still he delivers a magnificent performance here as Radames.  His voice has all the heroic qualities that one associates with a true Heldentenor and he uses it like a trumpet.  Surprisingly he is able to scale it back considerably and he actually pulls off a remarkable piano b flat in the tomb scene.  Barbro Ericson seems the most at home in this style.  She delivers a forceful Amneris reminiscent of Fiorenza Cossotto or Giulietta Simionato.  She had a terrific chest voice.   The sound is very good.

OD 10366-2

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