Mara Zampieri

The exotic setting of Fanciulla places the opera in California during the 1849-50 gold rush and is one of Puccini’s most innovative scores - both harmonically and orchestrally. It was a great success from the start and offers great opportunities for spectacle as well as requiring a team of singers with great acting abilities. This live recording from La Scala is headed by Mara Zampieri and Plácido Domingo as Minnie and Dick Johnson, under veteran Puccini conductor Lorin Maazel.

Montserrat Caballé, Samuel Ramey, Ileana Cotrubas, René Kollo, Eva Marton, and Ruggero Raimondi were amongst the many opera stars from all over the world who came together at the great Arena in Verona on 8th August 1988 to support José Carreras and the establishment of his foundation to fight leukaemia. The much-loved tenor had recently recovered from this life threatening illness and the recordings included in this special two-CD set are the aural documents of this memorable gala.

Although Placido Domingo was unable to take part that evening, he too supported his friend, providing a recording of a song by zarzuela composer Jacinto Guerrero at Carreras’s disposal for the concert in aid of foundation and this album. The discs include highlights from La Bohème, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Manon Lescaut, La Giaconda, Otello, La Traviata and many other operas.

August 8th, 1988 was a great evening for José Carreras. It went on until after two o’clock in the morning, but the packed audience in the Arena in Verona did not want to go yet. They held aloft signs and banners on which they hailed the singer, who had returned to life, with heartfelt words in many languages. He was the last to perform after the greats of opera had sung for him throughout the evening. For the first time since his convalescence Carreras again stood in front of an orchestra. His strength was only sufficient for a single song - Lara’s Granada - with which his voice could outshine the waves of the instruments.

Galuppi was a very accomplished composer and harpsichord player by the age of twenty with a reputation in both Venice and Florence. He was a pupil of Marcello and played for Vivaldi. He composed many serious and comic operas as well as much sacred and keyboard music. During his 79 years he travelled to St Petersburg and was well-known to the Tsar‘s family. He collaborated with the famous Italian playwright Goldoni in many projects. Goldoni‘s epigram on Galuppi: “What music! What style! What masterworks!”

It is a truism that each evening in the theatre is a unique event that cannot be repeated, even as part of a run of performances. One such exceptional performance was the first of three concert performances of Saverio

Mercadante's rarely performed Il Giuramento, threatened with cancellation when the tenor scheduled to sing the main role fell ill and it seemed impossible to find a replacement.

In the event, Plácido Domingo sang the part flawlessly after only a day in which to learn the role, thereby underscoring what, even then, was the exceptional position that he has maintained in the operatic world ever since.

Recorded live in 1980