Giuseppe Di Stefano: Historical Recordings 1952

1. La bohème, opera Che gelida manina
Composed by Giacomo Puccini
with Giuseppe di Stefano
Conducted by Alberto Erede

2. Rigoletto, opera Questa o quella
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Mexico City Palacio de Bellas Artes Orchestra with Giuseppe di Stefano
Conducted by Umberto Mugnai

3. La forza del destino, opera La mia vita è inferno all'infinito...O tu che in seno agli angeli
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
with Giuseppe di Stefano
Conducted by Oliviero de Fabritiis

4. Lucia di Lammermoor, opera Fra poco a me ricovero
Composed by Gaetano Donizetti
with Giuseppe di Stefano
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan

5. Lucia di Lammermoor, opera Tu che a Dio spiegasti l'ali
Composed by Gaetano Donizetti
with Giuseppe di Stefano , Nicola [singer] Zaccaria
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan

6. Cavalleria rusticana, opera in 1 act Viva il vino spumeggiante
Composed by Pietro Mascagni
Performed by La Scala Theater Orchestra with Gabriella Carturan , Giuseppe di Stefano
Conducted by Antonino Votto

7. Cavalleria rusticana, opera in 1 act Mama, quel vina è generoso
Composed by Pietro Mascagni
Performed by La Scala Theater Orchestra with Giulietta Simionato , Giuseppe di Stefano , Ortensia Beggiato
Conducted by Antonino Votto

8. La Traviata, opera Un dì, felice, eterea
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by La Scala Theater Orchestra with Maria Callas , Giuseppe di Stefano
Conducted by Carlo Maria Giulini

9. La Traviata, opera De' miei bollenti spiriti
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by La Scala Theater Orchestra with Giuseppe di Stefano
Conducted by Carlo Maria Giulini

10. Rigoletto, opera La donna è mobile
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by La Scala Theater Orchestra with Giuseppe di Stefano
Conducted by Tullio Serafin

11. Turandot, opera Nessun dorma
Composed by Giacomo Puccini
with Giuseppe di Stefano
Conducted by Nino Sanzogno

12. Aida, opera Se quel querrier io fossi...Celeste Aïda
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by La Scala Theater Orchestra with Giuseppe di Stefano
Conducted by Antonino Votto

13. Un ballo in maschera, opera La rivedrà nell'estasi
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by La Scala Theater Orchestra with Giuseppe di Stefano
Conducted by Gianandrea Gavazzeni

14. Un ballo in maschera, opera Dì tu si fedele
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by La Scala Theater Orchestra with Giuseppe di Stefano
Conducted by Gianandrea Gavazzeni

15. Un ballo in maschera, opera E scherzo o è follia
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by La Scala Theater Orchestra with Giuseppe di Stefano
Conducted by Gianandrea Gavazzeni

16. Turandot, opera Non piangere, Liù
Composed by Giacomo Puccini
Performed by La Scala Theater Orchestra with Giuseppe di Stefano
Conducted by Antonino Votto

17. L'elisir d'amore, opera Quanto è bella, quanto è cara
Composed by Gaetano Donizetti
with Giuseppe di Stefano
Conducted by Gianandrea Gavazzeni

18. L'elisir d'amore, opera Una furtiva lagrima
Composed by Gaetano Donizetti
with Giuseppe di Stefano
Conducted by Gianandrea Gavazzeni

19. Luisa Miller, opera Quando le sere al placido
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
with Giuseppe di Stefano
Conducted by Nino Sanzogno

Tracks:

La Boheme: Che Gelida Manina
Rigoletto: Questa O Quella
La Forza Del Destino: La Mia Vita E Inferno All' Infinito
Lucia Di Lammermoor: Fra Poco A Mi Ricovero
Lucia Di Lammermoor: Tu che a Dio spiegasti l'ali
Cavalleria Rusticana: Viva Il Vino Spumeggiante
Cavalleria Rusticana: Mamma, Quel Vina E Generoso
La Traviata: Un Di, Felice, Eterea
La Traviata: De Miei Bollenti Spiriti
Rigoletto: La Donna E Mobile
Turandot: Nessun Dorma
Aida: Se Quel Querrier Io Fossi.. Celeste Aida
Un ballo in maschera: La Rivedra Nell'estasi
Un ballo in maschera: Di Tu Si Fedele
Un ballo in maschera: E Scherzo O E Follia
Turandot: Non Piangere Liu
'L'elisir d'amore': Quanto E Bella, Quanto E Cara
'L'elisir d'amore: Una Furtiva Lagrima
Luisa Miller: Quando Le Sere Al Placido

Customer Reviews:

Very good CD for the price.......2000-08-14

I have just listened to the whole CD and except for three tracks I think Pippo's singing is excellent.We have to listen to this CD for what it really is.A re-recording of live performances dating back almost 50 years.We can't expect today's digital quality recordings sound.On the first track,we hear Che Gelida Manina from a 31 year old Pippo who obviously was having a bad night,which is not uncommon with most singers.Tracks 18 & 19 definitely show Pippo in decline,but I didn't find band 18 as bad as another reviewer did.I counted only two vocal flaws.The rest of the aria is sung not that bad for a declining Pippo.Track 19 is sung well,but as in track 18 the voice sounds like it's getting tired.The rest of the singing on the CD,I enjoyed,especially the Addio Alla Madre.I would say that is my favorite on the CD.In my opinion,it's an ecellent CD for the price and it does contain some excellent singing and also is of historical value.

Pippo's Biggest Fan.

A musical history.......1999-12-12

I purchased this recording when it first became available. It is an important for as a historical document on one of the greatest tenors in the history of opera. Yes, his voice has a very apparent decline. And yes track 18 (Una furitiva lagrima) has cracked notes and other obvious vocal flaws. What the other reviewer has missed (but the audience didn't - which is why the aria was greeted with such enthusiasm) was the passion, the emotion that Di Stefano put into his singing. I make no excuses, I am an ardent Di Stefano devotee. His early singing was glorious, pure beauty. His later singing lost it's pure beauty, but gained passion and emotion.

This disc is important because it traces this transition.

Only for die-hard Di Stefano fans.......1999-03-24

I picked up this CD on a whim. The liner notes are useful, and describe the meteoric rise and fall of DiStefano's career, his temperment and ego.

The CD covers a period of only 11 years, but the deterioration of his voice during that period is frightening. Track 1 (1962) 'Che Gelida Manina' showcases a much fresher voice, but he strains terribly for the high 'C' and never even gets close. Track 18 (1963) 'Una furtiva lagrima' is full of embarrassments- chokes, flat notes, etc. - yet the live audience eats it up.

Di Stefano had stopped singing by the time I became an opera fan. This disk clearly shows why. Being a famous operatic tenor is not always about vocal quality (James McCracken, anyone?), and Di Stefano was certainly an exciting siger. There is some beautiful music on this CD, but I find it to be of mostly historical interest.

Music Review: