Here's the great news: Mike Richter is issuing, in about a month, the
second in his series of MP3 CD-ROMs with material from Buenos Aires'
Teatro Colon. The first disc was Wallberg's 1962 "El Anillo de los
Nibelungos." This one consists of Italian operas, some with exceptional
cast:
Bellini: I Puritani - 30 June 1961
Argeo Quadri - Gencer, Raimondi, Ausensi, Mazzoli - monaural
Donizetti Lucia di Lammermoor - 6 August 1972
Juan Emilio Martini - Sills, Kraus, Mastromei, de Narke - stereo
Leoncavallo: Pagliacci - 21 June 1968
Bruno Bartoletti - Vickers, MacNeil, Carlyle - stereo
Mascagni: Cavalleria Rusticana - 21 June 1968
Bruno Bartoletti - Bumbry, Bergonzi, Mastromei - stereo
Ponchielli: La Gioconda - 24 June 1966
Bruno Bartoletti - Suliotis, Tucker, Elias, MacNeil - monaural
Puccini: Manon Lescaut - 13 July 1966
Bruno Bartoletti - Caballe, Tucker, Mastromei - monaural
Puccini: Tosca - July 1962
Carlo Felice Cillario - Crespin, Raimondi, Taddei, Zanin - stereo
Puccini: Turandot - 11 September 1965
Francesco Molinari Pradelli - Nilsson, Caballe, Uzunov, De Narke - stereo
Rossini: Il barbiere di Siviglia - 8 August 1969
Bruno Bartoletti - Bruscantini, Berganza, Casellato, Tozzi - stereo
Verdi: Aida - 8 June 1968
Bruno Bartoletti - Arroyo, Bergonzi, Cvejic, MacNeil - stereo
Verdi: Don Carlo - 9 June 1967
Oliviero de Fabritiis - Craig, Bacquier, Hines, Jones, Cossotto - stereo
Verdi: Otello - May 1963
Berislav Klobucar - Vickers, Kabaivanska, Quilico, Valori - monaural
Verdi: Rigoletto - 16 June 1961
Argeo Quadri - MacNeil, Gencer, Raimondi, Algorta - stereo
Verdi: Simon Boccanegra - 28 June 1964
Bruno Bartoletti - MacNeil, Gencer, Cossutta, Mastromei, Wildermann -
monaural
Verdi: Il Trovatore - 5 June 1969
Oliviero de Fabritiis - Price, Bergonzi, Cossotto, Cappuccilli - stereo
No final plans are made yet for a second Italian disc, but it's likely
to include "Puritani" with Kraus and Deutekom, a Scotto "Butterfly,"
plus "Ernani" and "Vespri." An all-German disc and Leitner's 1967 "Ring"
with Nilsson may follow, then a French-Slavic combination, and Spanish
opera plus zarzuela... if Mike and his large staff (of one) can keep up
with the work.
From the introduction:
In the nineteenth century, Argentina was a rich country, with a
large number of European immigrants. This stimulated visits by
touring opera companies and the building of ever grander opera
houses. The first Teatro Colon opened on April 25, 1857 with
Traviata and presented important Italian singers, including Patti
and Tamagno. After its demolition in 1888, operatic activity
centered on the Teatro de la Opera, which opened in 1872 and
attracted notable performers, including Toscanini. Other opera
houses, including the Coliseo and the Argentina, provided keen
competition in terms of repertoire and casts.
At the turn of the century, a group of wealthy citizens decided
to rebuild the old Teatro Colon with the avowed purpose of
importing nothing but the best operatic talents Europe had to
offer. For many years, they and their successors had the money
and the knowledge to do it.
The sumptuous new Colon, with excellent acoustics and stage
facilities, opened on May 25, 1908 with Aida. Since its seasons
coincided with the northern hemisphere's summer, thc Colon was
long able to attract the finest singers and conductors from both
Italian and German theaters, though the growth of European summer
festivals since World War II has gradually increased the
competition.
Among those who appeared there in the past were Caruso, Muzio,
Ruffo, Chaliapin and Callas; Richard Strauss and Saint-Saens;
Beecham and Weingartner. Under municipal administration since
the early 30's, the theater's fortunes have reflected surprisingly
little of Argentina's volatile political climate.
Janos Gereben/SF
www.sfcv.org
[log in to unmask]
|
