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Sena Jurinac and Eberhard Wächter are not names synonymous with Italianate style, but they blow the roof off of the Wiener Staatsoper in this thrilling performance of Tosca. Jurinac is more attuned with Tosca's anguish than her moments of passion, but she is beautifully capable of rising to the role's many challenges and delivers a gorgeously spun “Vissì d’arte”. Wächter brings an elegance to Scarpia often found missing from the role, and treats him like a cerebral Don Giovanni. His smooth, supple baritone is well-suited to the Barone's moments of urbanity and if he gets a bit swallowed by the chorus during the Te Deum, I would blame the sound, which is not the best. Vladimir Atlantov is a lighter-than-normal, Cavaradossi, who does his best work in Act I opposite Jurinac and Erich Kunz's fussy Sagrestano. It should be noted that the opening minutes of Act III are missing from this recording, and the act begins with Cavaradossi's conversation with the jailer.

OD 11199-2