Chopin

Giacomo Orefice (1865–1922)

DESCRIPTION

Chopin, Giacomo Orefice’s affectionate—if largely apocryphal—portrait of the composer, presents a musically sincere but stylistically conservative narrative. As one might expect, familiar strains from Chopin’s nocturnes and études are interwoven throughout, offering moments of lyrical charm within a structure that lacks the daring of its contemporaries. Premiering the same year as Tosca, the work often feels curiously quaint by comparison. Yet this restraint allows for a tenor showcase, and in Ferruccio Tagliavini, the opera finds an ideal interpreter. Tagliavini’s golden-hued tenor lends warmth and credibility to a role that, for all its historical liberties, demands vocal elegance and emotional clarity.

The performance here is significantly cut, but it remains a noteworthy document of a composer whose voice, though overshadowed by Puccini, retains a distinct and lyrical individuality.

CAST

Chopin – Ferruccio Tagliavini
Flora – Pia Tassinari
Stella – Maria de Sá Earp
Melio – Paulo Fortes
Un frate – Americo Basso
Pianista – Maria E. de Oliveira

DETAILS

Location: Rio de Janeiro
Date: September 13, 1949
Conductor: Emidio Tieri
Catalogue Number: OD 12246-1
Label: Opera Depot
Number of Discs: 1
In Mono

NOTE

The last minute of the opera is missing.

Act I

Act II

Act III

Act IV