Soloists - PUCCINI: Madama Butterfly

Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924)Madama ButterflyThe first complete studio recording of Madama Butterfly wasmade in 1922 in London using the acoustic recording process and was sung inEnglish featuring the New Zealand soprano Rosina Buckman and Welsh tenor TudorDavies in the two principal r?�??les. There followed two versions in the originallanguage, both recorded in Milan, the first with Rosetta Pampanini in 1928,quickly followed by a second with the Irish-born soprano Margaret Sheridan.Just before the outbreak of the Second World War, a fourth version was made inRome in July 1939 with Toti Dal Monte (a somewhat surprising choice for asinger who was regarded as the principal coloratura soprano of her time) andBeniamino Gigli (Naxos 8.110183-4).The first post-war recording of the opera was made inAmerica in 1949 with soloists of the Metropolitan Opera and included EleanorSteber and Richard Tucker in the main r?�??les. A little known and short-livedVienna-made recording with Daniza Ititsch, a Met favourite, followed in 1951,the year in which Renata Tebaldi made the first of her two recordings.Recorded in July 1951, the same month in which La Boh?�?�me(Naxos 8.110252-3) was also made, the venue used was that of the AccademiaNazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome. The hall in question was long and narrowbut with a high ceiling plus a balcony which contained seats. The control roomwas conveniently situated on the same ground floor level as the hall. It provedperfectly suited to the needs of mono recording at that time. Renata Tebaldi (b.1922) studied at the Boito Conservatorioin Parma, before making her debut as Elena in Mefistofele at Rovigo in 1944.She sang for Toscanini at the opening concert at the Teatro alla Scala, Milan,in 1946. Later that season she was engaged as Eva in Meistersinger and Mim?�?� in La Boh?�?�me. Her first appearance outside Italy was in Lisbonin 1949 and the following year Tebaldi made her London debut as Desdemona inOtello when the La Scala Company appeared at Covent Garden. Her internationalintroduction came through her first American engagement as Aida in SanFrancisco in 1950, soon followed by three seasons in Rio de Janeiro. TheItalian soprano first sang at the Metropolitan in New York in 1955, a house shewould grace for seventeen further seasons before retiring from the stage in1973 and the concert hall three years later. Tebaldi appeared regularly at theVienna State Opera and also sang in Chicago and Japan. As the most significantItalian lirico spinto soprano during her career, she also recordedprolifically. At the time of this recording Tebaldi had not sung the r?�??le ofButterfly on the stage but in no way is this evident from her wholeheartedinterpretation. The creamy richness of her tone and the exquisiteness of hereffortlessly floated pianissimi are indeed most captivating. Possibly she doesnot convey the schoolgirl bride but this is forgotten when her singing is sowell moulded and secure. She 'rides' the final scene most im