Tosca

Giacomo Puccini (1858–1924)

DESCRIPTION

If nothing else, this recording of Tosca serves as a testament to the level of fanaticism that great singers inspire. That atmosphere is evident even before the opera begins, when the general director announces the indisposition of Franco Corelli. The audience response suggests a near riot. Fortunately, the evening was more than salvageable, given that Zinka Milanov was singing the title role.

Only two years after this performance, Milanov would quietly retire from the operatic stage. This performance, however, calls that decision into question, as her voice remains ravishing even as she nears sixty, and she navigates the role with remarkable ease. The audience responds with rapturous gratitude. Giovanni Consiglio, stepping in as Cavaradossi, offers a respectable instrument, though one marred by occasional wayward intonation. Cesare Bardelli brings both menace and glamour to Scarpia.

CAST

Tosca – Zinka Milanov
Cavaradossi – Giovanni Consiglio
Scarpia – Cesare Bardelli
Angelotti – Robert Faulk
Sacristan – John Lawler
Spoletta – Marshall Stone
Sciarrone – William Beck
Jailer – William Beck

DETAILS

Location: Philadelphia
Date: March 3, 1964
Conductor: Anton Guadagno
Catalogue Number: OD 12325-1
Label: Opera Depot
Number of Discs: 1
In Mono

NOTE

Even though the performance is not complete, all of Milanov’s music is intact.