Renata Tebaldi(S)

This compilation of live performances recorded between 1951 and 1960 captures Renata Tebaldi in the blush of vocal youth. Hearing her sing the title role in Guiseppe Verdi's 'Giovanna d'Arco' ('Joan of Arc') is a rare treat. Originally written for the great Erminia Frezzolini, the extraordinary vocal demands of this role, which ask of the singer both heft and suppleness, have pushed the opera outside the standard repertory. Still in her twenties at the time of this recording, Tebaldi already exhibits the rich lyric soprano voice and dramatic conviction that will become her trademarks. In all of the excerpts gathered here, she is joined by singers, conductors, and orchestras that reflect the best of Italian opera performances during the post-war years. This is especially true of the great 1953 recording of Verdi's 'La Forza del Destino,' conducted by Dimitri Mitropoulos. In a performance that pairs Tebaldi with the superb Mario Del Monaco, the listener should be grateful that these excerpts dominate this disc.