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Offer,Puccini: Turandot

Birgit Nilsson (Turandot), Peter Klein (Altoum), Giuseppe di Stefano (Calaf), Leontyne Price (Liu), Nicola Zaccaria (Timur), Kostas Paskalis (Ping), Ermanno Lorenzi (Pang), Murray Dickie (Pong) & Alois Pernersdorfer (Mandarin)

Choir & Orchestra of the Vienna State Opera, Francesco Molinari-Pradelli

It's not so hard to think oneself present, especially when the recording is as vivid as this and the performance so compelling. It was a special night in Vienna. Karl Löbl wrote it up (and partly... — Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010 More…

Release Date: 30th Jun 2008
Catalogue No: C757082
Label: Orfeo
Series: Orfeo d'Or, Wiener Staatsoper Live
Length: 1 hour 52 minutes

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Special offer ends: 24/04/2024

Puccini: Turandot

Work length1:52:28

$33.00

$42.90

Peter Klein, Alois Pernerstorfer, Birgit Nilsson, Giuseppe di Stefano, Nicola Zaccaria, Leontyne Price
Chor der Wiener Staatsoper, Wiener Staatsoper
Francesco Molinari-Pradelli
Recorded: 22 June 1961
Recording Venue: Live recording, Vienna, Austria

Act I: Popolo di Pekino! (Mandarin, Chorus, Liu)

Track length2:51

$1.00

$1.30

Act I: Padre! Mio padre! (Calaf, Guards, Liu, Crowd, Timur)

Track length2:27

$1.00

$1.30

Act I: Gira la cote! Gira! (Crowd)

Track length2:32

$1.00

$1.30

Act I: Perche tarda la luna? (Crowd)

Track length4:36

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$1.30

Act I: O giovinetto! (Crowd, Calaf)

Track length3:08

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$1.30

Act I: O divina bellezza … (Calaf, Crowd)

Track length1:30

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$1.30

Act I: Figlio, che fai? (Timur, Calaf, Liu, Crowd)

Track length1:39

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$1.30

Act I: Fermo! Che fai? T'arresta! (Ping, Pong, Pang)

Track length3:35

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$1.30

Act I: Notte senza lumicino - Signore ascolta - Non piangere, Liu (Ministers, Chorus, Calaf, Timur)

Track length2:34

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Act I: Signore, ascolta! (Liu)

Track length2:43

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Act I: Non piangere, Liu! (Calaf, Liu, Timur)

Track length2:10

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Act I: Ah! Per l'ultima volta (Timur, Liu, Ministers, Calaf, Chorus)

Track length3:04

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$1.30

Act II Scene 1: Ola Pang, Ola, Pong (Ping, Pang Pong)

Track length6:34

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Act II Scene 1: Vi ricordate il principe … (Ping, Chorus)

Track length4:21

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Act II Scene 2: Gravi, enormi ed imponenti (Crowd)

Track length4:08

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Act II Scene 2: Un giuramento atroce mi costringe (Emperor)

Track length2:58

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Act II Scene 2: Diecimila anni al nostro Imperatore (Crowd, Mandarin)

Track length3:04

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Act II Scene 2: In questa reggia (Turandot)

Track length6:11

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Act II Scene 2: Straniero, ascolta! … Nella cupa notte (Turandot)

Track length2:32

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Act II Scene 2: Guizza al pari di fiamma (Turandot, Crowd, Calaf)

Track length2:15

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Act II Scene 2: Gelo che ti da foco (Turandot, Calaf, Sages, Crowd)

Track length3:24

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Act II Scene 2: Figlio del cielo! (Turandot, Altoum, Chorus)

Track length2:33

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Act II Scene 2: No, no principessa altera … (Calaf, Crowd, Altoum)

Track length2:28

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Act II Scene 2: Ai tuoi piedi ci prostriam (Chorus)

Track length2:39

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Act III Scene 1: Cosi comanda Turandot (Heralds)

Track length3:06

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Act III Scene 1: Nessun dorma! (Calaf, Women)

Track length3:38

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Act III Scene 1: Tu che guardi le stelle (Ping, Pong, Pang)

Track length6:08

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$1.30

Act III Scene 1: Signor, non parlez! (Liu, Ping, Timur, Calaf, Chorus, Turandot)

Track length4:39

$1.00

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Act III: Tu che di gel sei cinta (Liu, Chorus, Calaf)

Track length2:54

$1.00

$1.30

Act III Scene 1: Liu! Sorgi! (Timur)

Track length4:55

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$1.30

Act III Scene 1: Che e mai di me? (Turandot)

Track length2:59

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Act III Scene 1: Del primo pianto … (Turandot, Calaf, Chorus)

Track length4:27

$1.00

$1.30

Act III Scene 2: Diecimila anni al nostro Imperatore! (Crowd)

Track length3:46

$1.00

$1.30

About
Reviews
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About

They made a distinctly odd couple onstage: she was the supreme hochdramatisch soprano of her generation, a singer able to maintain her tremendous vocal powers over a period of several decades, whereas he could captivate his listeners as a poetic and spirited lyric tenor so prodigal with his resources that within little more than a decade he had burned out. It was in 1961 that Birgit Nilsson appeared alongside Giuseppe di Stefano in a performance of Puccini's Turandot which, caught on the wing by by the microphones of Austrian Radio, manages not to be simply a duel between two vocal gymnasts anxious to display their top notes. As Calaf, Giuseppe di Stefano, who died on 3rd March at the age of 86, genuinely gives the impression that he is able to melt the Ice Princess with his mellifluous tenor and ingratiating timbre. Especially towards the end of her killer role, Nilsson shows that she has at her disposal the soft notes and subtle nuances needed to effect this change to a sense of greater humanity. This exceptional cast is completed by Leontyne Price as Liù. Rarely in the history of opera before or since have three such distinguished singers appeared together onstage. This new production of Turandot was conducted by Francesco Molinari-Pradelli, at that time one of the most sought-after conductors of the Italian repertory.

Reviews

2010

It's not so hard to think oneself present, especially when the recording is as vivid as this and the performance so compelling. It was a special night in Vienna. Karl Löbl wrote it up (and partly down) for his paper at the time, and now, contributing the notes for this issue, says of his generation that they didn't know how lucky they were. He is clearly convinced that, whatever the shortcomings then, they were great times compared with the pallid present.
And it's true we have no Birgit Nilsson now.
She is in magnificent form here. Though she is singing much of the time from some way back on stage, the sound is still immensely powerful, and when she does come down front for the final duet we mentally take a step or two back. Much of the special interest, however, lies with the Calaf and the Liù. Di Stefano wins through by the conviction of all he sings: blazing, for instance, in the enigmas. Leontyne Price, too, brings unusual intensity to her role. Vibrant and warm in tone, she shades her phrases sensitively, disappointing only in that she does not resist the temptation to make an effect by investing the B flat of “Signore, ascolta” with a crescendo. The others – the aged Emperor, the deposed King and the three quaint Ministers – are strongly cast, and the chorus make a grand contribution.
Molinari-Pradelli conducts with more character than in the famous studio set, and the recording picks out details of orchestration we may well have missed in other, technically better balanced, versions.

Awards Issue 2008

Birgit Nilsson… is in magnificent form here. Though she is singing much of the time from some way back on stage, the sound is still immensely powerful, and when she does come down front for the final duet we mentally take a step or two back. Di Stefano wins through by the conviction of all he sings: blazing, for instance, in the enigmas. Leontyne Price, too, brings unusual intensity to her role. Molinari-Pradelli conducts with more character than in the famous studio set...

Offer,Puccini: Turandot

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