This timely tribute to one of Decca's greatest recording artists confirms the stature in which Tebaldi has always been held. The famous and legendary 50's and 60's opera recordings benefited from some of the finest Decca engineers and now this carefully chosen album of excerpts from various highlights of her career can be enjoyed in remastered sound. I was always extremely fond of the classic Andrea Chenrier and Karajan's immortal Otello, both are singularly represented on this collection.
Other roles such as in Boito's 'Mefistofele', Giordano's 'Fedora' and her classic 'Mimi' are also singular acts to appreciate and cherish. A host of excerpts from her legendary Verdi recordings make up most of the second CD, which also includes some singular rarities such as Rossini songs and the exquisite 'Vilja Lied' from Lehár's 'Merry Widow'. It is true that most fans of this illustrious soprano would already have most of the recordings in complete sets but this lavishly photographed portrait album is a must for those wishing to dip into Renata Tebaldi's rich catalogue of operatic riches. May she live to see her 90th year!
Copyright © 2002, Gerald Fenech