This type of hair-under-the-arms performance used to be considered routine for this opera and as such was taken for granted. No more. The verismo repertoire has largely been eschewed in our current age, a few warhorses (Tosca, Cav/Pag, Andrea Chenier) notwithstanding. Here it is alive and well. How fortunate we are that the Japanese recorded thes

How fortunate we are that the Japanese recorded these performances of the touring Rome Opera (?) for posterity. Simionato is in blazing form as Santuzza, her world of experience telling in every phrase and gesture. She knows all the traditions of the role and brings her own personality to it as well. Her top C at the end mightily impressive. Also impressive is her Turiddu, Angelo lo Forese. He also knows what he's supposed to do and matches Simionato every step of the way, singing with that kind of Italian slancio

...singing with that Italian slancio that now seems extinct. D'Orazi is a formidable Alfio and the other two ladies are just as good. Morelli was a master of this type of music and leads an electrifying account of the opera. It doesn't hurt that the sound is excellent throughout.If you love verismo, you must hear this and the Pagliacci with Del Monaco from the same evening. You'll immediately hear what you've been missing!

This is a fine performance from Tokyo. Simionato does an excellent job as Santuzza and the rest of the cast is more than adequate. The sound is fine although recorded at a low level. Without going into details, I would heartily recommend this fine verismo performance.