Due to technical conditions of registration, general impression is very good ! Thanks for those wonderful souvenirs ! Jean-Pierre Lariviere

This recording is of great historical value, if for nothing else but to hear a Del Monico singing a lyric role.

Mario del Monaco singing Boheme is as intriguing and interesting an occurrence as di Stefano singing Otello (also available on Opera Depot) Del Monaco's powerful metallic unique voice was for many the first choice of spinto tenors, and he recorded much of the Puccini canon. The only item of La Boheme in his large discography is a single track of Che Gelida Manina from 1954 in which he eschews the high C for the easier B flat, as he does here. His first act aria here is hardly the persuasive story telling designed to get Mimi into bed that it is, and one would be forgiven if Mimi excused herself and left the same way she came it. Fortunately she doesn't as she is the delightful Elena Rizzieri whose attractive and provocatively girlish voice recalls Toti del Monti.Del Monaco is wayward in the duet where he chooses the high C ending with Rizzieri, although the written lower alternative for Rodolfo is a far better choice. A key change in the coda means the C again becomes a B flat which is then cut short in a most ugly fashion. Go figure!The great rough hewn voice of Gino Bechi is the perfect foil for Del Monaco's Rodolfo and their act 4 duet goes very well with a persuasive pianissimo end.This is a stary cast which includes the famous buffo baritone Saturno Meletti as Schaunard and the lugubrious Luciano Neroni who delivers a very expressive Coat Song.The sound not good but is problematic only in ensembles which mostly become a congested cacophony, but there is more than enough of these great voices, clear and shining to satisify the collector.