Verdi: Rigoletto

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This performance marked the return of Björling to the Met after a wartime break of four years spent mostly in his native Sweden. And what a return it was: at 34 he was at the absolute peak of... — Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010 More…

Catalogue No: 8110051-52
Label: Naxos
Series: Historical, Great Opera Recordings
Length: 1 hour 55 minutes

Verdi: Rigoletto, Act I

Work length55:08

$15.00

$19.50

Jussi Björling, Bidú Sayão, Leonard Warren, Norman Cordon, Martha Lipton, Thelma Altman, George Cehanovsky
Metropolitan Opera
Cesare Sodero

Prelude

Track length2:18

$1.00

$1.30

Della mia bella incognita (Duke, Borsa)

Track length1:48

$1.00

$1.30

Ballata: Questa o quella (Duke)

Track length2:03

$1.00

$1.30

Partite?...Crudele! (Duke, Countess Ceprano, Rigoletto, Borsa)

Track length2:20

$1.00

$1.30

Gran nuova! Gran nuova! (Marullo, Borsa, Courtiers, Duke, Rigoletto)

Track length3:09

$1.00

$1.30

Ch'io gli parli (Monterone, Duke, Borsa, Rigoletto, Marullo, Ceprano)

Track length4:23

$1.00

$1.30

Quel vecchio maledivami! (Rigoletto, Sparafucile)

Track length4:25

$1.00

$1.30

Pari siamo!...Figlia! - Mio padre!... (Rigoletto, Gilda)

Track length5:49

$1.00

$1.30

Deh non parlare al misero (Rigoletto, Gilda, Giovanna, Duke)

Track length8:08

$2.00

$2.60

Giovanna, ho dei rimorsi...E il sol dell' anima (Gilda, Giovanna, Duke)

Track length8:51

$2.00

$2.60

Gualtier Malde...Caro nome (Gilda, Borsa, Ceparno, Courtiers)

Track length7:00

$2.00

$2.60

Riedo!...Perche?...Zitti, zitti (Rigoletto, Borsa, Ceprano, Courtiers)

Track length4:54

$1.00

$1.30

Verdi: Rigoletto, Act II

Work length29:10

$8.00

$10.40

Jussi Björling, Bidú Sayão, Leonard Warren, Norman Cordon, Martha Lipton, Thelma Altman, George Cehanovsky
Metropolitan Opera
Cesare Sodero

Ella mi fu rapita!...Parmi veder le lagrime (Duke)

Track length5:31

$1.00

$1.30

Duca, duca? (Borsa, Marullo, Ceprano, Courtiers)

Track length2:03

$1.00

$1.30

Povero Rigoletto! (Marullo, Rigoletto, Borsa, Ceprano, Page)

Track length3:27

$1.00

$1.30

Cortigiani, vil razza dannata (Rigoletto)

Track length4:43

$1.00

$1.30

Mio padre? (Gilda, Rigoletto, Borsa, Marulllo, Ceprano)

Track length2:00

$1.00

$1.30

Tutte le feste al tempio (Gilda, Rigoletto)

Track length7:44

$2.00

$2.60

Compiuto pur quanto...Si, vendetta (Rigoletto, Gilda, Herald, Monterone)

Track length3:42

$1.00

$1.30

Verdi: Rigoletto, Act III

Work length31:18

$7.00

$9.10

Jussi Björling, Bidú Sayão, Leonard Warren, Norman Cordon, Martha Lipton, Thelma Altman, George Cehanovsky
Metropolitan Opera
Cesare Sodero

E l'ami? - Sempre (Rigoletto, Gilda, Duke, Sparafucile)

Track length2:00

$1.00

$1.30

La donna e mobile...E la il vostruomo... (Duke, Sparafucile)

Track length2:58

$1.00

$1.30

Un di, se ben rammentomi...Bella figlia dell' amore (Duke, Gilda, Maddalena, Rigoletto)

Track length6:03

$1.00

$1.30

M'odi! Ritorna a casa... (Rigoletto, Gilda, Sparafucile, Borsa, Duke, Maddalena)

Track length4:57

$1.00

$1.30

Somiglia un Apollo (Maddalenda, Gilda, Sparafucile)

Track length5:02

$1.00

$1.30

Dalla vendetta alfin giunge l'istante! (Rigoletto, Sparafucile, Duke)

Track length4:30

$1.00

$1.30

Chi e mai, chi e qui in sua vece? (Rigoletto, Gilda)

Track length5:48

$1.00

$1.30

Reviews
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Reviews

2010

This performance marked the return of Björling to the Met after a wartime break of four years spent mostly in his native Sweden. And what a return it was: at 34 he was at the absolute peak of his powers and sings a Duke of Mantua imbued with supreme confidence and tremendous brio – just try the start of the Quartet. He and the house clearly revel in his display of tenor strength, yet that power is always tempered by innate artistry. If not a subtle interpreter, he's always a thoughtful one, and never indulges himself or his audience.
Similarly, Warren was, at the time, at the zenith of his career. Vocally he's in total command of the role and the house. His reading, although slightly extroverted in some areas, evinces a firm tone, a secure line and many shades of colour. He's at is very best in his two duets with Gilda (sadly and heinously cut about) and no wonder, given the beautiful, plangent singing of Sayão, whose 'Caro nome' is so delicately phrased, touching and keenly articulated. 'Tutte le feste' is still better, prompting Paul Jackson (who in general is unjustifiably hard on the performance in SaturdayAfternoons at the old Met, Duckworth:1992) to comment that Sayão's 'lovely, pliant, fully rounded tones are immediately affecting'.
Indeed, in spite of the merits of the two male principals, it's her truly memorable interpretation that makes this set essential listening.
All round, there are few recordings that match this one for vocal distinction – perhaps only the Serafin-Callas-Gobbi on EMI and the Giulini- Cotrubas-Cappuccilli on DG. They are much more expensive but boast superior sound. Björling and Warren both made later studio sets, but neither matches his live contribution here, off the stage.
The final virtue of this absorbing experience is the conducting of the little-known Sodero.
His moderate – but never sluggish – tempos allow for almost ideal articulation on all sides, and his insistence on letting us hear the score so clearly makes one regret even more all those excisions then common in the opera house and the studios.

Verdi: Rigoletto

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