"Richard Tucker- The Essence of Verismo" is probably my own personal favorite of all the recordings I have released since 1967. It shows the thrill and "risk taking" of Tucker, and this made him truly great, in addition to that gorgeous voice and melting legato, and ringing top tones.

Here is the program, as I am happy to give you the entire CD on today, August 28, the birthday of Richard Tucker. He was the best tenor I ever saw.

1.  Tosca- Recondita armonia- 1958

2.  Tosca- E lucevan le stelle- 1959

3.  Turandot- Nessun dorma- 1974

4.  Manon Lescaut- Donna non vidi mai- 1949

5.  Manon Lescaut- Guardate! Pazzo son- 1966

6.  Fanciulla- Three short excerpts from Act one 1962

7.  Fanciulla- Or son sei mesi- 1962

8.  Fanciulla- Ch'ella mi creda- 1965

9.  Gioconda- Cielo e mar- 1960

10. Andrea Chenier- Improviso- 1963 (Bernstein conducting!)

11. Andrea Chenier- Credi al destino- 1965

12. Andrea Chenier- Si, fui soldato- 1965

13. Andrea Chenier- Come un bel di- 1965

14. Cavalleria- Siciliana- 1964

15. Cavalleria- Brindisi- 1964

16. Cavalleria- Compar Alfio- 1974

17. Cavalleria- Addio alla madre- 1974

18. Pagliacci- Vesti la giubba- 1972

19. Pagliacci- No, Pagliaccio non son- 1972

20. Boheme- Che gelida manina- 1957

21. Boheme- Marcello, finalmente- 1968

22. Chenier- Final duet w. Inge Borkh- 1954

I am particularly thrilled to be able to share this rare Tebaldi material with you. These are all in pristine sound quality, and from the very prime of Tebaldi's career- 1955-1957. They were all from concerts broadcast in the USA. The singing is of a kind that I have not heard since Renata Tebaldi.  Here are the contents:

Gianni Schicchi- O mio babbino caro- Early 1955

La Wally- Ebben, ne andro lontana- December 12, 1955

Adriana- Poveri fiori- December 12, 1955

Traviata- Act 1 scena-- December 12, 1955

Forza- Pace mio Dio- January 23, 1956

Manon Lescaut- In quelle trine morbide- January 23, 1956

Spanish song- Cantares- November 19, 1956

Stabat Mater- (Rossini)- Inflammatus- November 19, 1956

Adriana- Io son l'umile ancella- March 18, 1957

L'amico Fritz- Son pochi fiori- March 18, 1957

This is an exciting find. Magnificent singing in superlative sound. Please leave your comments, and enjoy this most beautiful of podcasts. All podcasts are also available at www.premiereopera.com

Best wishes,

Ed

Renata Tebaldi gives one of her greatest performances ever in this Act 2 of Madama Butterfly from late December of 1960. The sound quality is very listenable, though there is some audio hum, and the prompter is very audible, since he probably taped this rare gem!!

Just listen and bask in the glory of this gorgeous sound and abounding passion and be thrilled! The final few minutes of the Act, the Humming Chorus, is not here, and was probably not recorded, so you cannot hear the prolonged and frenzy ovation that Tebaldi received. Think of the greatest ovation you have ever seen, and multiply it by 10, and you might be close!!

This is truly the performance of a lifetime!!

Ed