2022 12 28 Ora

Maria Callas made this recording of La Gioconda, one of her signature roles, relatively late in her career after her vocal problems had begun, but this performance captures her at her best.

For a whole decade, spanning between the second half of the ’50s and the second half of the ’60s, jazz took over the Italian screens. 33 tracks from the CAM Sugar archive that go beyond music, telling the story of Italian cinema, society and of its unmistakable style and charm. A genre that even when nodding to Californian be-bop, to crime jazz or bossa nova still sounds surprisingly original and Mediterranean, elegant, and seductive, either with joyous peaks or with enigmatic and nearly dramatic nuances. The compilation also offers a precious insight into the Italian jazz scene of the times, with its string of formidable soloists and international stars like Chet Baker and Gato Barbieri.

For a whole decade, spanning between the second half of the ’50s and the second half of the ’60s, jazz took over the Italian screens. 33 tracks from the CAM Sugar archive that go beyond music, telling the story of Italian cinema, society and of its unmistakable style and charm. A genre that even when nodding to Californian be-bop, to crime jazz or bossa nova still sounds surprisingly original and Mediterranean, elegant, and seductive, either with joyous peaks or with enigmatic and nearly dramatic nuances. The compilation also offers a precious insight into the Italian jazz scene of the times, with its string of formidable soloists and international stars like Chet Baker and Gato Barbieri.

The first complete recording of the rarely performed Naples version from 1651 of Claudio Monteverdi's L'incoronazione di Poppea convinces with great joy of playing and shows the well-known story about love, seduction and power in a new light.

Tulio Serafin was one of the most respected Italian conductors of his day, especially in opera. His higher musical education was at Milan Conservatory, where he studied composition and violin. He debuted on the podium at Ferrara in 1898, and was hired by Arturo Toscanini as an assistant conductor at La Scala opera house in Milan. His career grew through guest conducting at major Italian opera theaters. He debuted in London in 1907 at London's Covent Garden. In 1909 he was appointed principal conductor at La Scala, serving a term interrupted during World War I (1909-1914, 1917-1918).

One of the greatest tenors of his time, Plácido Domingo particularly excelled in the Verdian repertoire, in which he rose to fame from the very beginning of his career. This collection gathers highlights from its major contributions to the repertoire, in the roles of Radamès, Don Alvaro, Otello, Don Carlo and Ernani. The list of major conductors and singers he rubbed shoulders with during this golden era is dizzying: Montserrat Caballé, Mirella Freni, Katia Ricciarelli, Ruggero Raimondi, Riccardo Muti, Carlo Maria Giulini, Lorin Maazel, James Levine and more.

The Vienna State Opera Orchestra is a unique ensemble in its sound culture as well as in its structure. It has a close, special relationship with the Vienna Philharmonic, because the musicians embody in (almost complete) personal union both the 148-member State Opera Orchestra and the private association of the Vienna Philharmonic.

In a career that lasted barely a decade, dramatic soprano Anita Cerquetti established an immense reputation that survives into the 21st century. Why did she retire at age 30? Countless explanations have been advanced to justify Cerquetti's early departure from the stage, ranging from heart problems to ennui, impending motherhood to an instrument about to collapse owing to overuse. Yet not one seems satisfactory. Spasms in the facial nerves were an initial cause cited by the singer. After retiring for a period to rest, she returned to the stage

Renata Tebaldi was one of the dominant lyrico-spinto sopranos of the 1950s and 1960s, with a large, powerful voice that, despite a severely flawed top, was described by many of her admirers as one of the most beautiful of the 20th century. In many ways she and Maria Callas were defined by one another, although often far too simplistically, assuming that what one had, the other did not. (Rather like the cats versus dogs debates among pet lovers, in which all dogs are loving but dumb and all cats are bright but treacherous.)

Renata Tebaldi was one of the dominant lyrico-spinto sopranos of the 1950s and 1960s, with a large, powerful voice that, despite a severely flawed top, was described by many of her admirers as one of the most beautiful of the 20th century. In many ways she and Maria Callas were defined by one another, although often far too simplistically, assuming that what one had, the other did not. (Rather like the cats versus dogs debates among pet lovers, in which all dogs are loving but dumb and all cats are bright but treacherous.)