Moffo did so many roles that she didn't get back to one of her best, Elvira in I Puritani, very often. There is a recording of her singing it in Philadelphia (?) circa 1967 or so, but Bellini's tuneful opera was not mounted a lot in her day. She recorded the Mad Scene in the studio, but not the entire opera. This 1959 RAI performance is a real treat. Moffo sings sweetly and memorably throughout the opera. Her coloratura is very good (especially the downward scales in "Vien diletto"); she interpolates all the traditional tonic and dominant high notes (though not the doubling of the orchestra to the high D in the Act 1 finale). She paints the character with gentle pastels rather than anything more specific, but she sings like a prima donna in the best sense.Her male colleagues are good too. Raimondi transposes most of his big moments down a half-step, yet sings with strength and beauty. Savarese is good, if not exceptional. This type of role was not his typical fare. He ends the big "Suoni la tromba" duet on a solid top A-flat, but is content to sing the end of his Act 1 aria as written. Arié sings Giorgio with warm, attractive tone and partners his colleagues well in their duets. Rossi makes the traditional cuts, but plays more of the opening than Bonynge did.The tape source is on pitch and mostly very good, even excellent on disc 2. There was some minor file corruption during the last five minutes of disc 2 (what Andy refers to as "skipping"). All Moffo fans should have this recording.

Some distortion on some cuts

a document of belcanto

Anna Moffo was in supurb vocal estate here in 1959, her voice distinctively beautiful, her top notes luminous. She makes a touching Elvira. There may be performances of greater insight but none more beautifully sung.(in my experience of the recorded legacy of this opera)Golden voiced Gianni Raimondi sings the high tessetura of this role effortlessly.Ugh Savarese makes a dull and lugubrious Riccardo singing with unvarying tone, in spite of a big well focussed voice. His opening scene has a little of a routine assignment about it. Raffaele Arie is a smooth and expressive Giorgio. The big duet between him and Savarese goes well though they have voices which are tonally similar, which makes things a little confusing.The sound in this, what seems to be a concert performance is excellent, (marred by the loss of one channel half way through the last track on side one).