{"product_id":"puccini-tosca-nilsson-carreras-fredericks-ramey-rudel","title":"Puccini: Tosca - Nilsson, Carreras, Fredericks, Ramey; Rudel. Los Angeles, 1974","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"two-column-grid\"\u003e\n  \u003c!-- Left Column: Title, Composer, Description --\u003e\n  \u003cdiv\u003e\n    \u003ch1 class=\"title-header\" style=\"font-size: 18px; font-family: Baskerville; font-style: italic; color: #330065; font-weight: normal; text-transform: none;\"\u003eTosca\u003c\/h1\u003e\n    \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGiacomo Puccini (1858 - 1924)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \u003chr\u003e\n    \u003ch3 class=\"section-heading\" style=\"font-weight: bold; color: #330065; font-size: 21px;\"\u003eDESCRIPTION\u003c\/h3\u003e\n    \u003cp\u003eIn the 1970s, before Los Angeles had a permanent opera company, the New York City Opera routinely toured to the city. For its 1974 season, the opening night was to have been Donizetti’s \u003ci\u003eLucia di Lammermoor\u003c\/i\u003e, starring \u003cstrong\u003eBeverly Sills\u003c\/strong\u003e; however, Sills fell ill shortly beforehand, forcing the company to find a substitute title. They managed to secure \u003cstrong\u003eBirgit Nilsson\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eJosé Carreras\u003c\/strong\u003e for Puccini’s \u003ci\u003eTosca\u003c\/i\u003e, treating the audience to a rare intergenerational pairing of artists separated by nearly thirty years in age.\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \u003cp\u003eBy 1974, \u003cstrong\u003eBirgit Nilsson\u003c\/strong\u003e’s voice had lost some of its earlier flexibility, but it had gained substantially in power, creating something of an imbalance in the dramatic dynamic between her Tosca and the Scarpia of \u003cstrong\u003eRichard Fredricks\u003c\/strong\u003e. \u003cstrong\u003eJosé Carreras\u003c\/strong\u003e, then just 27, delivers a Cavaradossi of exquisite beauty and sublime lyricism; remarkably, he would make his Metropolitan Opera debut in the same role just five days later. \u003cstrong\u003eSamuel Ramey\u003c\/strong\u003e makes a strong impression as Angelotti, giving this remarkable performance a commanding start.\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \u003chr class=\"mobile-only-hr\"\u003e\n  \u003c\/div\u003e\n  \u003c!-- Right Column: Cast and Details --\u003e\n  \u003cdiv\u003e\n    \u003ch3 class=\"section-heading\" style=\"font-weight: bold; color: #330065; font-size: 21px;\"\u003eCAST\u003c\/h3\u003e\n    \u003cp\u003e\n      Floria Tosca – \u003cstrong\u003eBirgit Nilsson\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n      Mario Cavaradossi – \u003cstrong\u003eJosé Carreras\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n      Barone Scarpia – \u003cstrong\u003eRichard Fredricks\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n      Cesare Angelotti – \u003cstrong\u003eSamuel Ramey\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n      Il Sagrestano – \u003cstrong\u003eJames Billings\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n      Spoletta – \u003cstrong\u003eJoaquin Romaguera\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n      Sciarrone – \u003cstrong\u003eWilliam Ledbetter\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n      Un Cardinale – \u003cstrong\u003eRichard Park\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n      Un Pastore – \u003cstrong\u003ePuli Toro\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n      Il Carceriere – \u003cstrong\u003eDon Yule\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n    \u003c\/p\u003e\n    \u003chr\u003e\n    \u003ch3 class=\"section-heading\" style=\"font-weight: bold; color: #330065; font-size: 21px;\"\u003eDETAILS\u003c\/h3\u003e\n    \u003cp\u003e\n      Location: \u003cstrong\u003eLos Angeles\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n      Date: \u003cstrong\u003eNovember 13, 1974\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n      Conductor: \u003cstrong\u003eJulius Rudel\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n      Catalogue Number: \u003cstrong\u003eOD 12408-2\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n      Label: \u003cstrong\u003eOpera Depot\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n      Number of Discs: \u003cstrong\u003e2\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n      \u003cstrong\u003eIn Mono\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n    \u003c\/p\u003e\n    \u003chr\u003e\n    \u003ch3 class=\"section-heading\" style=\"font-weight: bold; color: #330065; font-size: 21px;\"\u003eBONUS\u003c\/h3\u003e\n    \u003cp\u003eBirgit Nilsson in Recital – Great Neck, New York, 1969\u003c\/p\u003e\n  \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Opera Depot","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":52179150766401,"sku":"12408-2","price":17.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"MP3","offer_id":52179150799169,"sku":"MP3 12408-2","price":9.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"FLAC","offer_id":52179150831937,"sku":"FLAC 12408-2","price":11.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0238\/9583\/files\/12408-2front.jpg?v=1788807397","url":"https:\/\/operadepot.com\/products\/puccini-tosca-nilsson-carreras-fredericks-ramey-rudel","provider":"Opera Depot","version":"1.0","type":"link"}