{"product_id":"bjorling-in-verdis-rigoletto-1945-paco143","title":"BJÖRLING in Verdi's Rigoletto (1945) - PACO143","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eVERDI \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eRigoletto\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eLive performance, 1945\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration 1hr 58:51\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eRigoletto - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eLeonard Warren\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eGilda - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eBidú Sayão\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eDuke of Mantua - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eJussi Björling\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eMaddalena - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eMartha Lipton\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eSparafucile - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eNorman Cordon\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eOrchestra \u0026amp; Chorus of the Metropolitan Opera\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econducted by \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eCesare Sodero\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFanfare Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fThis one from the Met has to be counted as one of the very greatest, and Pristine has given it its best treatment to date578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cdiv id=\"BodyDiv\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eI reviewed this historic 1945 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRigoletto \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eas part of a big Sony box, issued in cooperation with the Metropolitan Opera, in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eFanfare \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e37:4.\nI noted its long history on many labels (including Music \u0026amp; Arts,\nGrammofono 2000, Melodram, and Naxos), and commented that the Naxos\nversion had been the best restoration but that Sony’s was an\nimprovement. Now comes Andrew Rose’s XR remastering for Pristine, and it\nis yet a further improvement. It is only fair to note, however, that\nthe degree of improvement, while noticeable, is not great. If you\nalready own either the Naxos or Sony, it would be hard to make the case\nthat this is an essential purchase. But if you love the performance (and\nyou should) and want the very best version, then go ahead. Pristine’s\nXR process adds a nice touch of hall ambience without sounding phony,\nand there is additional clarity and focus to the voices. A monaural\nbroadcast from the end of World War II could hardly sound better. \u003c\/span\u003e\n\n\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThe performance itself represents one of those afternoons on a Saturday from the Met where the entire cast was \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eon\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e,\nand everyone seemed to be inspiring everyone else. Too bad that the\ngreat Ettore Panizza had left the Met’s conducting roster in 1942, as\nthe rather routine conducting of Cesare Sodero is the only limiting\nfactor here. Sodero is by no means awful—he just lacks that final degree\nof white heat and variety of inflection that Panizza brought to his\nVerdi at the Met between 1934 and 1942. Some of the minor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003e comprimario\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e roles are no better than adequate. Yet where it counts, this performance has nothing but remarkable singers. \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eIn the title role, Leonard Warren is triumphant.\nWarren’s magnificent rich baritone was so special that it is easy to\nforget that he was also an intelligent and caring vocal actor. This was\nalways more true of his staged performances than his studio recordings.\nHe takes risks onstage that he doesn’t on disc. The wonderful\ndecrescendo as Warren begins “Si, vendetta” perfectly depicts the\nbuild-up of fury in Rigoletto as the full weight of what has happened to\nhis daughter settles in. The snarling tone he brings to “Pari siamo”\nand the note of horror as Rigoletto first learns of Gilda’s\nkidnapping—all of these moments are vividly conveyed with a dramatic\nspecificity that few baritones could muster. At the same time, the voice\nis the Verdi baritone of one’s dreams. It rings out all the way up to\nthe top; it is even throughout the range; and when Warren sings softly\nhis voice retains its fullness of tone. If you only know Warren’s\nRigoletto from his RCA studio recording, you really don’t know it at\nall. This is a far more completely characterized rendering of the role,\nwhich can be described in a single word, overwhelming. \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eEven more of an improvement over the RCA studio\nrecording is the Duke of Jussi Björling. RCA’s Jan Peerce sang with keen\nmusicianship but a monochromatic and rather nasal timbre. Björling,\nagain showing more dramatic involvement than he did on studio\nrecordings, is as good as it gets as the Duke. His shaping of the music\n(listen to the opening of the Quartet for a model in Verdi phrasing),\nhis outpouring of glorious tone, the vocal beauty in his seduction of\nGilda (her succumbing is quite understandable)—all of these are examples\nof the art of operating singing at its highest. \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"B\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003eThe Brazilian soprano Bidú Sayão was a Met\naudience favorite for 15 seasons (1937–1952), and one can understand\nwhy. Her silvery voice, sensitive dramatic instincts, impeccable\nintonation, and limpid phrasing all served her well in a wide range of\nrepertoire: Mozart, Massenet, Gounod, Puccini, Verdi, and of course\nVilla-Lobos. Sayão’s is among the most beautifully sung Gildas on disc,\nand as with the men, dramatic interactions that come more strongly in\nstaged performances give her performance real urgency. Sayão may not\nmatch the remarkable imagination of Callas’s EMI recording, but she\nsurprises with the requisite coloratura technique in “Caro nome,” which\nis the equal of any other recorded Gilda. In secondary roles Norman\nCordon’s black basso is effective for Sparafucile, and Martha Lipton is a\nwell-above-average Maddalena. Some of the smaller roles are no better\nthan adequate, but none of this really matters. The performance utilizes\nthe traditional cuts of the period. \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"TIMESi\"\u003eRigoletto \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003ehas received\nmany fine recordings, starting in 1930 with Riccardo Stracciari’s\nclassic La Scala set. This one from the Met has to be counted as one of\nthe very greatest, and Pristine has given it its best treatment to date.\nA few snippets of Milton Cross’s broadcast announcements are included,\nbringing back lovely memories from my youth. Pristine provides a minimal\nprogram note, which makes the interesting point that Warren was born a\ncouple of months after Björling, in 1911, and the tenor died a few\nmonths after Warren’s dramatic onstage death in 1960, both of them\nbefore their 50th birthdays. I hadn’t really focused on that fact, and\nit did cause me to think about what we sadly missed. Such a loss\nunderlines the importance of this remarkable performance. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"Br\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMES\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan class=\"TIMESb\"\u003eHenry Fogel \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv id=\"dateBlockDiv\"\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 10px;\"\u003eThis article originally appeared in Issue 41:4 (Mar\/Apr 2018) of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 10px;\"\u003eFanfare\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 10px;\"\u003e Magazine.\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\n\u003c\/div\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PACO143.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003eAs Gramophone magazine explain, this classic matinee performance of Rigoletto is rightly regarded as one of the greatest ever recorded:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin-left: 25px;\"\u003e\"This performance marked the return of Bjorling to the Met after a\nwartime break of four years spent mostly in his native Sweden. And what a\nreturn: at 34 he was at the absolute peak of his powers and sings a\nDuke of Mantua imbued with supreme confidence and tremendous brio – try\nthe start of the Quartet to hear what I mean. He and the house revel in\nhis display of tenor strength, yet that power is always tempered by\ninnate artistry. If not a subtle interpreter, he is always a thoughtful\none, and never indulges himself or his audience.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin-left: 25px;\"\u003eSimilarly, Warren\nwas at the time at the zenith of his career. Vocally he is in total\ncommand of the role and the house. His reading, though slightly\nextroverted, evinces a firm tone, a secure line and many shades of\ncolour. He is at his very best in his two duets with Gilda (sadly and\nheinously cut about) and no wonder, given the beautiful, plangent\nsinging of Sayao, whose ‘Care nome’ is so delicately phrased, touching\nand keenly articulated. ‘Tutte le feste’ is still better, prompting Paul\nJackson (who in general is unjustifiably hard on the performance in \u003ci\u003eSaturday Afternoons at the old Met\u003c\/i\u003e,\nDuckworth: 1992) to comment that Sayao’s ‘lovely, pliant, fully rounded\ntones are immediately affecting’. Indeed, in spite of the merits of the\ntwo male principals, it is her truly memorable interpretation that\nmakes this set essential listening.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin-left: 25px;\"\u003eAll round, there are few\nrecordings that match this one for vocal distinction – perhaps only the\nSerafin\/Callas\/Gobbi on EMI (2\/56R) and the\nGiulini\/Cotrubas\/Cappuccilli on DG (11\/85). They are much more expensive\nbut, of course, boast superior sound (there are moments of distortion\nhere, though not too many). Bjorling and Warren both made later studio\nsets, but neither matches his live contribution here, off the stage.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI had four different source recordings to work from, the best of which was an open-reel copy of the original broadcast, including some of the radio announcements. what do survive I have included as much as possible.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe source wasn't perfect, however. Significant work was required, particularly in the last act, to correct pitch problems that had caused a gradual lowering of almost a complete tone across the end of the act. Elsewhere wow was also an issue that I've resolved as much as possible. The tape also suffered several gaps, some more obvious than others, and these have been patched from the other sources and blended to appear seamless to the listener. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eI should at this point state that none of the other sources was perfect either - each had its own flaws. However the overall sound quality from the tape reels gave them a clear edge over my other options. The frequency range here is limited to about 8kHz, and whilst voices are clear throughout and the balance with the orchestra well managed it will never resemble a true high fidelity recording. My role was to squeeze as much as possible out of what was available to me and to improve on previous issues, something I hope I've achieved.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Cast Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eVERDI \u003c\/b\u003eRigoletto\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCAST \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRigoletto - \u003cb\u003eLeonard Warren\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eGilda - \u003cb\u003eBidú Sayão\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eDuke of Mantua - \u003cb\u003eJussi Björling\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eMaddalena - \u003cb\u003eMartha Lipton\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eSparafucile - \u003cb\u003eNorman Cordon\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eMonterone - \u003cb\u003eWilliam Hargrave\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eBorsa -\u003cb\u003e Richard Manning\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eMarullo - \u003cb\u003eGeorge Cehanovsky\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eCount Ceprano -\u003cb\u003e John Baker\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eCountess Ceprano - \u003cb\u003eMaxine Stellman\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eGiovanna - \u003cb\u003eThelma Altman\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003ePage - \u003cb\u003eThelma Altman\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOrchestra \u0026amp; Chorus of the Metropolitan Opera\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003econducted by \u003cb\u003eCesare Sodero\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMatinee performance of 29 December 1945\u003cbr\u003eMetropolitan Opera House, New York City\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eXR remastering by Andrew Rose\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCover artwork based on a photograph of \u003cb\u003eLeonard Warren \u003c\/b\u003eas Rigoletto\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTotal duration:  1hr 58:51\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PACO143.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PACO143.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fSleevenotes578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\nJussi Björling and Leonard Warren shared a remarkably similar career path.\nBoth were born in 1911, Björling in Borlänge, Sweden and Warren a couple of\nmonths later in New York. Both had the major part of their careers at the\nMetropolitan Opera House, Björling making his debut in November 1938,\nWarren in January 1939. Warren died on stage at the Met during a\nperformance of \u003cem\u003eLa Forza del Destino\u003c\/em\u003e in March 1960, Björling died\nat home in Sweden a few months later. Neither reached fifty years old.\nAlthough it is tempting to muse on opportunities lost and roles never sung,\nit is better to focus on what both artists achieved both individually and\ntogether.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\nWarren appeared at the Met more than 600 times in his 21-year career, but\nwas partnered with Björling only twenty-six times. He was heard as\nRigoletto by the radio audience in nine matinee broadcasts between 1943 and\n1959, but this is the only one with Björling. Warren was, without doubt,\nthe supreme Verdi baritone of his generation. His warm, velvet voice was\ncapable of conveying subtleties of emotion and had the power to reach to\nthe back of the Old Met with ease. His high notes, and Verdi wrote plenty,\nwere unstrained and he could reach a high G or even A-flat without ever\nlosing the baritonal grounding of his voice. His portrayal of Rigoletto\nfocused on the paternal relationship with Gilda, and less on the court\njester. He recorded the role commercially with RCA in 1950.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\nJussi Björling’s last Met performance before the war had been in \u003cem\u003eRigoletto\u003c\/em\u003e on 27 February 1941. He spent the next four years in his\nnative Sweden and his first Met performance on his return, on 29 November\n1945 was once again \u003cem\u003eRigoletto\u003c\/em\u003e. Björling was 34 in 1945, and\nalthough he recorded the opera commercially in 1956 with Robert Merrill in\nthe title role, this broadcast captures him as the ideal Duke with the\nadded excitement of a live performance. His bright youthful tone seems just\nright for the Duke’s callous playboy image, and his arias in the first and\nlast acts are wonderfully carefree.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\nGilda is sung by Brazilian soprano Bidú Sayão. Sayão was older than both\nWarren and Björling and would live to be 96. She made her major\ninternational name as a lyric-coloratura soprano in Milan and Paris in the\nearly 1930s before arriving in the US in 1935. Sayão sang at the Met\nbetween 1937 and 1952, most notably as Massenet’s \u003cem\u003eManon\u003c\/em\u003e, Mimì in \u003cem\u003eLa Bohème\u003c\/em\u003e and Susanna in \u003cem\u003eLe Nozze di Figaro \u003c\/em\u003eand was heard\non matinee broadcasts thirty-seven times\u003cem\u003e. \u003c\/em\u003eShe only sang Gilda on\nseven occasions at the Met, two of which were broadcast, but judging from\nthis broadcast she had a touching vulnerability that was well-suited to the\nrole. She would partner Björling in broadcasts of \u003cem\u003eLa Bohème\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eRoméo et Juliette\u003c\/em\u003e but the only other broadcast with Warren was a\n1943 \u003cem\u003eLa Traviata\u003c\/em\u003e.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\nItalian-born Cesare Sodero conducts the opera. Sodero had come to the US in\n1906 as a twenty-year-old and spent most of his career conducting opera and\nconcerts on the radio. In 1942 he joined the conducting staff the Met and\nwould conduct more than two hundred performances before his death in 1947.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab5_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fContemporary Reviews578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab5_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab5_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003eOPENING NIGHT REVIEWS - 29 NOVEMBER 1945\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cu\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eReview of Noel Straus in The New York Times\n\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/u\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 20px;\"\u003e'RIGOLETTO' GIVEN AT METROPOLITAN\n\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eBjörling Returns After 4-Year Absence - Warren Sings Title Role, Bidu\nSayao is Gilda\n\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nVerdi's \"Rigoletto,\" the first Italian work presented this season at\nthe. Metropolitan Opera House, received a performance that aroused\nfervent enthusiasm from the large audience gathered to hear this\never-popular masterpiece. Jussi Björling, the Swedish tenor, who\nreturned recently to this country after a four-year absence, made his\nreappearance with the company at this presentation, and special\ninterest centered in his portrayal of the Duke.\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nThis role was not one in which Mr. Björling was particularly well cast\nand failed to set forth his gifts in the brightest light. It demands a\ngraceful, suave type of approach less congenial to his temperament than\nparts asking a more robust and vigorous style. He could bring warmth\nand vibrancy to his delivery of the music, but not a sufficient degree\nof the elegance and finesse that are its prime requisites.\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nThe deficiency was at once noticed in the tenor's treatment of his\n[first] aria, \"Questa o quella,\" and again in the \"Parmi veder le\nlagrime.\" Both were too heavily projected to convey the essential\ncharacteristics of the nobleman's nature as Verdi has depicted them in\nthese solos.\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eVoice Retains Volume\n\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nMr. Björling's tones had lost none of their volume since last heard\nhere, but last night there was less velvetness to the voice than of\nold, and the top had a wiry quality not formerly in evidence. But he\nmust be heard in a role more suited to him before his present vocal\nstate can be fully judged, one in which he can more legitimately employ\nthe upper register in the full-throated manner he used too often in\nthis opera.\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nIn the title role Mr. Warren showed a definite step forward in his\ninterpretation. This was markedly the case in the first two acts, which\nhad gained in dramatic intensity and vividness of detail. The duet with\nGilda in the second act evinced a far deeper feeling of tenderness and\npaternal affection than in the past and the fluctuating moods of the\n\"Pari siamo\" outburst were handled with a new skill.\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nAt its best Mr. Warren's singing was remarkable in its tonal richness\nand solidity. But there were times when it became breathy, as in the\nsecond half of the \"Cortigiani\" aria, which did not match the first\nhalf either tonally or in effectiveness of interpretation. The first\nhalf had great power and appeal and in it, as in most of the rest of\nhis work, there was definite strength and conviction.\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eMiss Sayao the Heroine\n\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nMiss Sayao sang with her usual skill and expressiveness as Gilda. But\nthe role makes too great demands on her light voice. The \"Caro nome\"\nwas admirably clean and secure in its every phrase, but could not\nachieve real brilliance, nor was it possible for the artist to lend her\ntones the weightiness wanted for such an outburst as the final duet of\nthe third act.\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nThe Monterone of William Hargrave was vocally acceptable, although his\nvoice, too, was not big enough to lend his malediction of the jester in\nthe first act its full need of impressiveness. All the other roles were\nin capable hands. Notably the Sparafucile, Nicola Moscona, who made\nmuch of his first and most important contribution. The performance\nmoved along smoothly under Mr. Sodero's direction.\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cu\u003e\u003cb\u003eReview of Robert Bagar in the World-Telegram\n\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/u\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 20px;\"\u003eJussi Bjoerling Returns with \"Rigoletto\" at Met\n\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nThe return of Jussi Bjoerling, Swedish tenor, after an absence of four\nyears was a provocative aspect of last night's \"Rigoletto\" at the\nMetropolitan. Mr. Bjoerling, it was quite plain, has lost none of his\nfreedom in singing. His voice is a mite less luscious than formerly,\nthough he let out beautiful tones many times during the evening. But\nthe effortless quality of his work was again a major attribute of it.\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nIt may be that the Duke of Mantua is not entirely in his grasp at the\nmoment. For some of the subtler sides of the part escaped him - and,\nnaturally, the listener. However, his delivery of \"Parmi veder le\nlagrime\" in Act III and some of the music in the previous scene added\nup to as fine a bel canto style as you'll hear at the Metropolitan this\nseason. And maybe better.\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nAt any rate, Mr. Bjoerling's Duke is a boyish, prankish philanderer,\nand who finds the chaos more absorbing than consummation, or\nthereabouts. And the unwonted energy of his singing, the spontaneous\nquality, the warmth, provided compensation enough for any lacks.\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eMiss Sayao as Gilda\n\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nA familiar Gilda appeared in the person of Bidu Sayao. And like before,\nMiss Sayao artfully built up the character of the young girl as the\nopera wore on, until suddenly one realized she had been a true Gilda\nall the while. Her coloratura was precise and believable as something\nsymbolizing very young youth. Her voice , not always at its best, she\nfirmly controlled. Of course, she sang \"Caro nome\" very musically, and\nit was all pleasing and enjoyable to hear, even if she chose to forgo\nthe high E at the end, as well as the traditional passage leading up to\nit.\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nIn the way \"La Traviata\" is Violetta's opera, \"Rigoletto\" virtually\nbelongs to the tragic jester. So Leonard Warren, disclosing an\nimproved, dramatically mature characterization, took the proceedings\naway from his colleagues. In the first place, he was generous, but not\nextravagant with the gold that lies in his tones. He used the voice\nmostly as an interpretive medium, and in so doing got right down to\nfundamentals.\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nThere were some exciting contrasts in \"Pari siamo\" that he had never\nmade before, and with time he'll be sure to make them all. If Mr.\nWarren had not been tempted to hold the [first] note of \"Ah, si\nvendetta!\" too long, the song would have had more effect.\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nOne of the special pleasures of the evening was Nicola Moscona's\nSparafucile, an impersonation whose villainy eluded no one, nor whose\nmusical side could be questioned. Also worthy, operatically speaking,\nwere the efforts of William Hargrave, the Monterone; Alessio de Paolis,\nthe Borsa; and George Cehanovsky, the Maurillo.\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nIt would have added a lot in the Quartet to hear Martha Lipton sing out\nthe \"Ha ha's,\" which, by the way, comprise the anchorage of the piece.\nAs she did them, weakly and casually, that number lost a good deal of\nthe four-square solidity it is supposed to possess. Otherwise she was\nan acceptable Maddalena. The cast also held Thelma Altman, Giovanna;\nJohn Baker, Ceprano; Maxine Stellman, the Countess; and Miss Altman,\nagain, the Page.\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nAs a whole the performance was commendable for its drive, constant\nfluency and frequent scintillating moments, all of which were owing to\nthe masterly conducting of Cesare Sodero. With him in the pit Verdi's\nmelodies always avoid the barrel-organ conventionality that they seem\nto get in some other hands. And furthermore, he conducts the work as a\ncomplete thing and not as a series of ear-wooing episodes.\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\nThere was a huge audience and, you've guessed it, a highly enthusiastic\none.\n\n\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab5_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab5_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab5_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab5_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab5_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab5_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab5_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab5_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab5_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Ambient Stereo 24-bit FLAC","offer_id":54932321042771,"sku":"cdd1789302156728","price":23.39,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ambient Stereo 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":54932321075539,"sku":"uax1789302156729","price":17.11,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Ambient Stereo MP3","offer_id":54932321108307,"sku":"frh1789302156730","price":14.83,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1068\/1833\/9155\/files\/bjorling-in-verdis-rigoletto-1945---paco143_1.jpg?v=1789302165","url":"https:\/\/vendnora.com\/products\/bjorling-in-verdis-rigoletto-1945-paco143","provider":"luckagni","version":"1.0","type":"link"}