Rossini: Vorrei spiegarvi il giubilo (from La cambiale di matrimonio)

A 1961 concertante performance of Vincenzo Bellini's Beatrice di Tenda was of lasting importance in the careers of the two prima donnas. It was here that they met each other and performed together for the first time, and thereafter they formed a brilliant partnership who starred together in many performances and concerts of works from the bel canto repertoire. This recording of a gala concert at Sydney Opera House offers a varied programme presenting a representative cross-section from the extraordinarily broad repertoires of both these exceptional singers. Each of them performs as a soloist on a variety of songs and operatic arias, and naturally they also join voices for bravura performances of famous operatic duets. And finally the two singers show with Benedict's "The Gypsy and the Bird" and Foster's "Beautiful Dreamer" that they are not above indulging a taste for lighter musical forms.