I almost didn't make it through this performance. The singers are great. Del Monaco retired Pinkerton pretty quickly from his repertoire. His "Addio, fiorito asil" is excellent erand he partners Gonzalez well in their big duet. Gonzalez was a big star in Mexico and other Latin America countries. She has a beautiful voice that she uses very well. Her top notes are powerful and she interprets Cio-Cio-San very sympathetically. She skips the D-flat option at her entrance, but ends the act on a superb top C. There was probably little rehearsal type given the forgotten lines Dominguez and

There was probably little, if any, rehearsal time given the missed entrances and sloppy ensemble. Morelli and Dominguez are both fine, but everyone's efforts are all undermined by the terrible sound.This performance was derived from a set of very worn acetate discs. There are volume drops, skipped grooves galore, and missing music. Pitch is also inconsistent. Maybe a better source will become available, but I doubt it. Recommended only to die-hard Del Monaco or Gonzalez fans.

This recording contains what could possibly be the best ever Addio, fiorito asil. A shame that heavier roles affected del Monaco's voice production. What he gained in volume he lost in flexibility and in singing softly. Good performance from Oralia Dominguez too.