GIACOMO PUCCINI (1858 – 1924)

Tosca

Opera in three acts

 

CD 1 Act I

1 Ah! Finalmente (Angelotti)

2 E sempre lava! (Sagrestano)

3 Dammi i colori! (Cavaradossi)

4 Recondita armonia (Cavaradossi)

5 Gente là dentro (Cavaradossi)

6 Mario! Mario! Mario! (Tosca)

7  Ah, quegli ochi… (Tosca)

8 Mia gelosa (Cavaradossi)

9  È buona la mia Tosca (Cavaradossi)

10 Sommo giubilo, Eccellenza! (Sagrestano)

11 Un tal baccano in chiesa! (Scarpia)

12 Or tutto è chiaro… (Scarpia)

13 Ed io venivo (Tosca)

14  Tre sbirri, una carrozza (Scarpia)

 

CD 2 Act II

1  Tosca è un buon falco! (Scarpia)

2  Ha più forte sapore (Scarpia)

3  Meno male! (Scarpia)

4  Ov’è Angelotti? (Scarpia)

5  Ed or fra noi parliam da buoni amici (Scarpia)

6  Sciarrone, che dice il Cavalier? (Scarpia)

7  Orsù, Tosca, parlate (Scarpia)

8  Floria… Amore … (Cavaradossi, Tosca)

9  Nel pozzo del giardino (Scarpia)

10  Se la giurata fede (Scarpia)

11  Vissi d’arte (Tosca)

12  Vedi, le man giunte (Tosca)

13  E qual via scegliete (Scarpia)

14  Tosca, finalmente mia! (Scarpia)

 

CD III

15  Io de’ sospiri (Un pastore)

16  Mario Cavaradossi? (Carceriere)

17  Introduzione a:

18  E lucevan le stelle (Cavaradossi)

19  « Franchigia a Floria Tosca… » (Cavaradossi)

20  O dolci mani (Cavaradossi)

21  Senti… l’ora è vicina (Tosca)

22  Amaro sol per te m’era il morire (Cavaradossi)

23  E non giungono… (Tosca)

24  L’ora! (Carceriere)

25 Come è lunga l’attesa ! (Tosca)

26 Presto, su! Mario! Mario! (Tosca)  1. 38

 

Total playing-time: 1. 58. 36 

 

Monserrat Caballe, José Carreras, Ingvar Wixell, Samuel Ramey, Ann Murray

Orchestra & Chorus of Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Sir Colin Davis

 

Puccini's passionate masterpiece, Tosca, is one of the many opera recordings which Montserrat Caballé and Jose Carreras made for Philips in the Seventies. The great Caballé then at the height of her career sings with her protégé Carreras - his voice still vibrant with the golden glow of youth.

 

This fabulous cast with The Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, is led by Sir Colin Davis. Newly transferred to SACD this original Philips Top 50 release was a Gramophone Magazine Award Winner in 1977. Originally recorded in 1976.

 

“Sir Colin’s 1976 Covent garden recording…has long been a top recommendation, for Davis is a natural Puccinian and here he has a splendid cast who sing gloriously. Recorded in the richly ambient acoustic of Watford Town Hall, the very opening makes a stunning impact and throughout the orchestral sound has a wonderful resonance and bloom This set has never before been mastered in four-channel sound and it is absolutely thrilling…has to be heard to be believed!.”

Ivan March, Gramophone

 

“The Act 3 dawn-break bells have an almost tangible instrument placement…” HiFi News

 

“One of the better Tosca’s….” Michael Scott Rohan, BBC Music Magazine

 

Pentatone 2SACDs PTC5186147