PUCCINI Manon Lescaut

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PUCCINI Also available Manon Lescaut

IA CAL AR LA M S

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1 g 957 Recordin

Maria Callas • Giuseppe Di Stefano • Giulio Fioravanti Franco Calabrese • Fiorenza Cossotto 8.111291-92 8.111307 Chorus and Orchestra of La Scala, Milan Tullio Serafin

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Great Opera Recordings hand, while Manon turns and, guessing what has comes to an end, but she can go no further. happened, shows her own delight. She opens her arms 9 She faints and Des Grieux tries desperately to revive Giacomo to him, as Des Grieux runs to her. Lescaut shakes his her. Coming to, she tells him to leave her and seek help. head and walks away. 0 Laying her on rising ground, but still in doubt and PUCCINI despair, he resolves to do what he can to bring help, Act IV even in this wilderness. (1858-1924) The final act is set in America. The scene is an endless ! Alone, Manon realises death is near. plain on the borders of New Orleans. The country is @ Des Grieux returns and she falls into his arms, Manon Lescaut bare and undulating, the horizon far distant. Clouds assuring him again and again of her love. Her faults will Lyric Drama in Four Acts cover the sky, as evening fails. Manon and Des Grieux be forgotten but her love will never die, she tells him, come slowly forward. They are poorly dressed and her last words, leaving Des Grieux to fall grief-stricken Libretto by Marco Praga, Domenico Oliva, Ruggiero Leoncavallo, Luigi Illica, Giuseppe Giacosa seem tired out. Manon is pale and exhausted and leans on her body. and Giulio Ricordi, based on L’Histoire du Chevalier des Grieux et de Manon Lescaut on Des Grieux who wearily supports her. by the Abbé Prevost 8 He tells her to lean all her weight on him, as the road Keith Anderson

Manon Lescaut ...... Maria Callas (soprano) Chevalier des Grieux ...... Giuseppe Di Stefano (tenor) Lescaut ...... Giulio Fioravanti (baritone) Geronte di Ravoir ...... Franco Calabrese (bass) Edmondo...... Dino Formichini (tenor) The Innkeeper ...... Carlo Forti (bass) The Dancing Master ...... Vito Tattone (tenor) The Madrigal Singer...... Fiorenza Cossotto (mezzo-soprano) Mark Obert-Thorn Sergeant of the Royal Archers ...... Giuseppe Morresi (bass) Lamplighter...... Franco Ricciardi (tenor) Mark Obert-Thorn is one of the world’s most respected transfer artist/engineers. He has worked for a number of The Ship’s Captain ...... Franco Ventriglia (bass) specialist labels, including Pearl, Biddulph, Romophone and Music & Arts. Three of his transfers have been nominated for Gramophone Awards. A pianist by training, his passions are music, history and working on projects. Chorus and Orchestra of La Scala, Milan He has found a way to combine all three in the transfer of historical recordings. (Chorus Master: Norberto Mola) Obert-Thorn describes himself as a ‘moderate interventionist’ rather than a ‘purist’ or ‘re-processor,’ unlike Tullio Serafin those who apply significant additions and make major changes to the acoustical qualities of old recordings. His philosophy is that a good transfer should not call attention to itself, but rather allow the performances to be heard Recorded at the Teatro della Scala, Milan, 18-20, 22 and 24-27 July, 1957 with the greatest clarity. First issued on Columbia 33CX 1583 through 1585 There is no over-reverberant ‘cathedral sound’ in an Obert-Thorn restoration, nor is there the tinny bass and piercing mid-range of many ‘authorised’ commercial issues. He works with the cleanest available 78s, and Reissue Producer and Audio Restoration Engineer: Mark Obert-Thorn consistently achieves better results than restoration engineers working with the metal parts from the archives of the modern corporate owners of the original recordings. His transfers preserve the original tone of the old recordings, maximising the details in critical upper mid-range and lower frequencies to achieve a musical integrity that is absent from many other commercially released restorations.

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can still love her, but he remains bitter at her 2 Des Grieux and Lescaut are watching, the latter CD 1 76:09 $ Sei splendida e lucente! 2:24 faithlessness, while she begs his forgiveness, as their claiming that he has bribed the sentry and that Manon (Lescaut, Manon) old love lives again and she falls into his arms. will soon be free. A sergeant leads a group of soldiers Act I 1 Ave, sera gentile 5:48 % ¡ At this point Geronte comes in and addresses the out, as the guard changes, and Lescaut points out the In quelle trine morbide 2:15 (Edmondo, Students, Girls, Des Grieux) (Manon) couple ironically, reproaching Manon for her man he has bribed. He signals to the man, who goes ingratitude. She hands him her mirror and tells him to away and then taps on the iron bars of the ground-floor 2 Tra voi, belle 1:17 ^ Poichè tu voi saper 2:55 look at himself. He is deeply offended and goes out, window, as Des Grieux watches anxiously. (Des Grieux, Edmondo, Students) (Lescaut, Manon) threatening that they will meet again soon. 3 Manon appears and Des Grieux seizes her hand, ™ Des Grieux urges Manon to escape with him at once, while Lescaut leaves the couple together. 3 Ma bravo! 1:52 & Che ceffi son costor 3:32 but she hesitates, reluctant to leave the luxury in which 4 A lamp-lighter comes in, singing his song, while Des (All) (Lescaut, Manon, Madrigal Singer, Singers) she has lived with Geronte, while he laments his own Grieux tells Manon how her escape has been planned 4 degradation as a gambler. Manon again seeks and what she must do. She throws him a kiss and retires Discendono, vediam! 2:09 * Vi prego, signorina 5:34 forgiveness and swears to be true to her young lover. from the window. A shot is heard in the distance and (Students, Girls, Edmondo, Lescaut, Innkeeper, (Dancing Master, Geronte, Manon, Gentlemen, Des Grieux, Geronte) £ Lescaut hurries in breathlessly and tells them that Des Grieux, startled, runs to the narrow street. Abbés) Geronte has denounced Manon and that constables are 5 Voices are heard raising the alarm, and Lescaut 5 Cortese damigella 4:14 ( L’ora, o Tirsi 3:03 on the way to seize her. There is no time to be lost, but rushes in, exhorting Des Grieux to save himself. (Des Grieux, Manon) (Manon, Gentlemen, Abbés, Geronte) Manon is anxious to take her jewels with her, while Des Lescaut seeks to restrain Des Grieux, who has drawn his Grieux urges haste. Lescaut in desperation pushes the sword, and Manon too, coming to the window, tells him 6 Donna non vidi mai 2:28 ) Oh, sarò la più bella! 8:17 pair into the alcove, but Manon runs out again, as the to make his escape. People come running from all sides, (Des Grieux) (Manon, Des Grieux) constables enter, followed by Geronte with soldiers. He asking each other what has happened. There is a roll of laughs at her, as she drops some of her jewels, and drums and the door of the barracks opens. A sergeant 7 La tua ventura ci rassicura 3:53 ¡ Ah! – Affe, madamigella 3:10 Lescaut prudently takes the sword of Des Grieux, and soldiers come out, and with them a group of (Edmondo, Students, Girls, Geronte, Lescaut) (Manon, Geronte, Des Grieux) preventing him from arrest and holding him back, as the chained women. They stop in front of the gate. The 8 Un asso – un fante 2:25 ™ Ah, Manon, mi tradisce 2:35 constables drag Manon away. sergeant orders the crowd back and from the ship in the (Townspeople, Students, Lescaut, Geronte, (Des Grieux, Manon) harbour come the captain and a group of marines. Innkeeper, Edmondo) CD 2 6 The sergeant now calls the roll of prisoners, and as £ Lescaut! – Tu qui? 3:29 each one is called, she moves to join the marines, while 9 La tua Proserpina di resisterti 2:13 (Des Grieux, Manon, Lescaut, Sergeant, Geronte) 1 An Intermezzo covers the journey of the imprisoned the captain marks the name off on his list. Lescaut (Edmondo, Des Grieux) Manon to Le Havre, where she is to be transported, endeavours to arouse the sympathy of the watching condemned, the music reflecting the despair of Des townspeople for Manon, seduced and betrayed by an 0 Vedete? Io son fedele alla parola mia 4:02 CD 2 59:09 Grieux, who has done all he can to secure her release. old man, who took her from her young lover. Des (Manon, Des Grieux) Grieux manages to stand near Manon and their hands 1 Intermezzo 5:18 ! Non c’è più vino? 1:44 (Orchestra) Act III meet. She bids him farewill, to his despair. (Lescaut, Des Grieux, Manon, Edmondo) 7 The scene is set in a square near the harbour in Le The sergeant orders the women and their guards Act III Havre, the harbour itself can be seen in the background away and pulls Manon away from Des Grieux, who @ Di sedur la sorellina è il momento! 4:09 2 Ansia, eternal, crudel 2:49 and at the left a corner of the barracks. At the front is a threatens him, with the approval of the onlookers. He (Geronte, Innkeeper, Edmondo, Lescaut, Students) (Des Grieux, Lescaut) barred window and to the side, facing the square, a breaks down in tears and begs the captain, who has closed gate, guarded by a sentry. Part of a war-ship can intervened, to allow him to sail with his beloved Manon, Act II 3 Manon! – Des Grieux! 1:42 be seen in the harbour and to the right a house and a even as a cabin boy. The prisoners have now been taken # Dispettosetto questo riccio! 2:39 (Des Grieux, Manon, Lescaut) narrow street. On the corner an oil-lamp flickers. Dawn onto the ship and the captain, moved by the pleas of Des (Manon, Lescaut) is breaking. Grieux, grants his request. Des Grieux, in joy, kisses his 8.112031-32 10 3 8.112031-32 8.112031-32 bk ManonLescaut_EU 22-10-2009 8:38 Pagina 4

4 E Kate rispose al Re 2:54 Appendix: what is being plotted and agrees to help him outwit both cape, while a hairdresser fusses round her, assisted by Giuseppe Di Stefano sings Puccini Arias (Lamplighter, Des Grieux, Manon) Lescaut, who is absorbed in the game, and Geronte. two apprentices. 0 # 5 All’armi! 1:49 # Tosca (Act 1) 3:16 Manon appears on the staircase, looks round and, as Manon gives orders to the hairdresser, who hurries to (Voices, Lescaut, Des Grieux, Manon, Recondita armonia she sees Des Grieux, descends to meet him, although do her bidding. Lescaut comes in, as she tries to choose Townspeople, Sergeant, Captain) she knows it is unwise to be with him, even if this which beauty-patch to wear. Manon’s toilet now Orchestra • Alberto Erede should be their final meeting. Des Grieux declares his complete, the hairdresser removes the cape, revealing 6 Rosetta! 3:56 Recorded in EMI Abbey Road love, to which she clearly responds. Manon richly clothed, and with his assistants leaves the (Sergeant, Townspeople, Lescaut, Manon, Studio No. 1, London, 6 December, 1947 ! Lescaut now rises from the table, half drunk, and room. Des Grieux) Matrix: 2EA 12616 calls for more wine, which the students, acting on $ Lescaut applauds her appearance and reminds her First issued on HMV DB 6580 Edmondo’s earlier intelligence, quickly see that he has, how he had saved her from life with an impoverished 7 Presto! In fila! Marciate!… while Manon and Des Grieux draw back. He now tells student, although Des Grieux was a good fellow. $ La fanciulla del West (Act 3) * 2:22 No! Pazzo son! Guardate! 3:36 her of the abduction Geronte has planned, and offers Manon, who had left her lover without even a farewell (Sergeant, Des Grieux, Townspeople, Captain) Ch’ella mi creda libero himself in the old man’s place. Edmondo tells them that kiss, is anxious for news of him. Act IV % Gianni Schicchi ** 3:19 the coach is ready, and Des Grieux urges Manon to % In all her finery, she misses the simpler life with her 8 Tutta su me ti posa 3:37 Avete torto… Firenze è come un albero escape with him. Edmondo gives Des Grieux a cloak to young lover. (Des Grieux, Manon) hide his face and the three hurry into the inn, while ^ Lescaut tells her that Des Grieux has now turned to ^ Turandot (Act 1) ** 2:44 Geronte emerges and, seeing Lescaut busy at the table, gambling, with his help, and has made money, the way 9 Vedi, son io che piango 3:51 Non piangere, Liù looks satisfied with the way things are going. to Manon’s heart. She remembers her former life with (Des Grieux, Manon) @ Now, he thinks, the moment for seduction has her lover, while from time to time admiring herself in & Turandot (Act 3) *** 3:24 arrived, and he calls for supper, watched by Edmondo the glass, asking Lescaut if he approves of her Nessun dorma! 0 È nulla! Nulla! 3:21 and some of his friends, amused at what has transpired. appearance. (Des Grieux, Manon) Orchestra of La Scala, Milan • Antonio Votto Geronte tells the landlord to bid Manon to supper, at & People enter, carrying sheets of music, ready to ! Sola, perduta, abbandonata 4:09 Recorded at the Teatro della Scala, Milan, which Edmondo steps forward and tells him that Manon perform a madrigal by Geronte. Manon gives her (Manon) *20, **22 and *** 23 June, 1955 has gone. Geronte now tells Lescaut the news and brother a purse, bidding him pay the musicians off. First issued on Columbia SEBQ 215 insists on immediate pursuit. Lescaut, however, realises Friends of Geronte can be seen through the French @ Fra le tue braccia, amore 7:01 that Des Grieux, as a student, will soon run short of windows entering the house to be received by their host, (Manon, Des Grieux) money. It will be time enough to follow the pair to Paris and now a quartet of musicians come in and start to tune the next day, when Geronte will have every chance of their instruments, but Manon is bored. She stands up success. Meanwhile they can eat. and goes back to meet Geronte, who comes into the room with a dancing-master to start a lesson in the Act II minuet. The second act as originally proposed was set in the * She is admired by Geronte and his guests, gentlemen relatively modest apartment of Des Grieux. Puccini’s and priests. version of the opera takes this part of the story for ( Manon dances, instructed by the dancing-master. Producer’s Note granted, and proceeds to a scene set in the elegant The lesson over, Geronte suggests that it is time to go salon of Geronte’s house in Paris. At the back are two out. The dancing-master and musicians go out, as the Manon Lescaut was transferred primarily from the best portions of two sets of first edition British LP pressings. large French windows; at the right rich curtains hide an guests too take their leave and Geronte goes to order a A couple of instances of distortion during loud passages appear to be inherent on the original master tapes. alcove and to the left a richly-appointed dressing-table sedan-chair. stands near a window. The room is furnished with a ) Manon takes up a hand-mirror and admires herself. Mark Obert-Thorn sofa, chairs, arm-chairs and a table. Manon is sitting at Hearing someone approach, she asks if the chair is the dressing-table, with a large white hairdresser’s ready, but it is Des Grieux who enters. She asks if he 8.112031-32 49 8.112031-32 8.112031-32 bk ManonLescaut_EU 22-10-2009 8:38 Pagina 8

famous singers, including Battistini, Shalyapin, Angel/Columbia Normas (1954 and 1960) with Giacomo Puccini (1858 - 1924) Ponselle, Gigli, Callas and Sutherland. His Callas. Manon Lescaut recording career was exhaustive and embraced the HMV (1939) Verdi Requiem as well as both Keith Anderson Callas as Manon Lescaut let the Italian firm of Ricordi make it instead. During the summer of 1957 Maria Meneghini Callas Whereas he knew the German repertory au fond and made her last two complete recordings for as well as standard pieces, he made a bevy of Synopsis coach comes to a halt in front of the inn. First Lescaut Columbia/Angel at La Scala, Milan. In the first five recordings of untypical works, ancient and modern, descends, then Geronte, who gallantly assists Manon years of her La Scala career she had made between 44 some with his wife, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf (1915- CD 1 down. The other travellers descend in their turn. and 55 appearances each season but by 1957 the 2006), including Cornelius’s Der Barbier von Edmondo and the students remark on Manon’s beauty number had dropped to thirty. That year she sang Baghdad and Orff’s Die Kluge every bit as recherché The opera is set in the second half of the eighteenth and Lescaut summons the landlord, who welcomes Amina in Bellini’s La sonnambula, Donizetti’s Anna as Callas’s repertory then was. century. The scene is a large square in Amiens, near the Lescaut and Geronte and ushers them into the inn. Bolena and Ifigenia in Gluck’s Ifigenia in Aulide, all Though Callas may not have known much of Paris Gate. To the right there is an avenue and to the Lescaut signals to Manon to wait outside. The crowd in Visconti’s sensational productions. Although EMI Manon, and whatever one can say for or against her left an inn, with a porch under which there are various disperses and some sit drinking and gambling. had recorded La sonnambula in May [Naxos undertaking it at this stage of her career, there is not tables for customers. An outside staircase leads to the 5 Des Grieux, struck by Manon’s beauty, addresses 8.111284-85], during the summer, notwithstanding the slightest doubt as to her complete command of first floor of the inn. Students, townsfolk, girls and her, asking her name. She tells him that she is Manon the clamour, she did not make those of Anna Bolena the music. Those pages we are accustomed never to soldiers stroll in the square and in the avenue, while Lescaut and that the next day she will leave, destined or Ifigenia, but instead Turandot and Manon Lescaut. hear accurately sung by the usual lyric soprano, for other groups stand chatting or sitting at the tables for a convent. Des Grieux, fascinated by her beauty, By that time neither rôle suited her; she had not sung example, L’ora, o Tirsi, in Act II, she sings with drinking and gambling. plans to help her escape her fate. Called by her brother, Turandot for more than seven years and would not polish and precision, executing the triplets with Manon goes inside, promising in the end that she will again, while Manon Lescaut she never sang. Years perfect exactitude – indeed, all the florid figures and Act I return after dark to meet Des Grieux. before, in the autumn of 1949, she was announced to trills she turns immaculately and does not make us 1 Edmondo, a student, sings, half in jest, in praise of 6 Des Grieux sings in praise of the incomparable sing Act IV in a RAI broadcast and in 1951 she had wonder why Puccini bothers to trip verismo sopranos the evening, interrupted by the other students. He beauty of Manon and her gentle innocence. discussed making a recording of it with Dario Soria up writing in a faux eighteenth-century style. In the welcomes the appearance of working-girls and declares 7 Edmondo and the other students have watched the for Cetra records, but neither performance took preceding duet with Lescaut, Per me tu lotti, she may he will compose a song for them, echoed by his pair and now approach, ironically congratulating him, place. She did however record the Act II aria, In sing every note with her customary rhythmic companions. The girls enter the square, singing of the to the annoyance of Des Grieux, who leaves them, as quelle trine morbide and that from Act IV, Sola, accuracy but the deleterious effect of recording pleasure and pain of evening, and now the students they chat with the girls, who echo the earlier words of perduta, abbandonata, in September 1954 in a Turandot is all too obvious; her voice sounds thin welcome Des Grieux, a fellow-student, and Edmondo Des Grieux. Geronte and Lescaut come down the selection of Puccini arias [Naxos: 8.111275], and and wavery and her tone, in the climactic passage, invites him to join them, and when he does not reply, staircase, talking together, and the latter reveals his true also programmed it in one of her very last recitals in ‘vieni! vieni!’, scarcely has sufficient plenitude to suggests that he is hopelessly in love. Des Grieux, opinion of his family’s decision to put Manon in a Japan in 1974. suit Puccini’s accompaniment, nor can she make the however, shrugs and claims that he knows nothing of convent. He is interested to learn of the wealth of the In the 1950s, as Walter Legge her record right effect with the sustained top C at the end, which love, tragedy or comedy. Some of the students chat with tax-farmer Geronte, and accepts the older man’s producer well knew, Puccini’s operas were still just yaps away. By this time she and/or Legge must the girls, while others doubt the claim of Des Grieux, invitation to dinner. dominant at the world’s leading opera houses and have had some reservations as to the state of her suspecting disappointment in love. 8 Geronte goes back into the inn, and Lescaut watches many famous singers, such as Renata Tebaldi (1922- voice for whereas all her previous recordings up to 2 Turning to the girls, he pretends to seek love among the young men gambling and willingly agrees to join 2004) and Victoria de los Angeles (1923-2005) were and including Turandot had been first published them, to the amusement of his friends. them. Geronte comes out and seeing Lescaut thus busy making recordings. He does not seem to have within the following year Manon Lescaut had to wait 3 He is congratulated by Edmondo and the other occupied tells the landlord to have a coach and horses had much taste for many of the operas Callas was until the end of 1959, by which time she was no students, who, with the girls and passers by, join in ready within the hour behind the inn, for a man and a singing on stage for the first time in years, not only longer Maria Meneghini Callas, having run off with celebrating the pleasures of the evening. A postilion’s young girl to go to Paris. He gives the landlord gold. Anna Bolena, but Cherubini’s Medea, which would Onassis and the great years of her La Scala reign horn is heard and a coach appears from the left. 9 Edmondo has observed Geronte and guessed his be her next complete recording, for characteristically were over. 4 Everyone crowds round to see who is coming, as the intentions. As Des Grieux comes in, Edmondo tells him he had no plans to record it and was quite prepared to Michael Scott 8.112031-32 85 8.112031-32 8.112031-32 bk ManonLescaut_EU 22-10-2009 8:38 Pagina 6

Giacomo Puccini was born in Lucca in 1858 into a Leoncavallo, not yet known as a composer, a text Verdi’s Falstaff in Milan. The opera proved an The rôle of Geronte is sung by bass Franco family with long-established musical traditions based on the Abbé Prévost’s novel Manon Lescaut. immediate success. It was staged at Covent Garden Calabrese, who was born in Palermo in 1923. He extending back at least to the early eighteenth Disagreement led to a scenario prepared by Mario and at the Grand Opera House of Philadelphia the sang widely throughout Italy before singing for a century. It was natural that he should follow this Praga, versified by Domenico Oliva, and after further following year. There were subsequent revisions and number of seasons at La Scala, Milan, during the tradition and become a musician, and alter the death disagreement between the composer and writers temporary changes, with alterations in orchestration 1950s and 1960s. His rôles in this house included the of his father, when the boy was five, it was arranged Luigi Illica was commissioned to make revisions. suggested by Toscanini for performances at the Doctor in Pelléas et Mélisande, Geronio in Il Turco that he should inherit the position of organist at the The question of authorship presented obvious Metropolitan Opera in New York, these last in Italia, Count Robinson in Il matrimonio segreto, church of S. Martino, which meanwhile would be problems, since Ricordi and Puccini, Leoncavallo, incorporated in the later published score. The libretto Geronte in Manon Lescaut, Marchese di Calatrava in held for him by his uncle. He was trained as a Praga, Oliva, Illica and Giacosa had all had a hand in itself, effective enough, in spite of its multiple La forza del destino, Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte chorister and as an organist, and only turned to more the work and at the suggestion of the last named no authorship, offers certain problems, not least in the and Antonio in Le nozze di Figaro. He sang (and later ambitious composition at the age of seventeen. A author’s name appeared on the published libretto. omission of the original second act suggested by recorded) Almaviva in the 1955 production of Le performance of Verdi’s opera Aida in Pisa in 1876 The Abbé Prévost, Antoine-François Prévost Praga and Oliva and set in the Paris apartment of Des nozze di Figaro at Glyndebourne. He also recorded inspired operatic aspirations, which could only be d’Exiles, was born in 1697 and was by turns a Jesuit Grieux, although what has happened in the interval extensively as a comprimario with both La Scala and pursued adequately at a major musical centre. Four novice, a soldier, a Benedictine monk and a convert between the present first and second acts is quickly Rome forces for a number of labels. years later he was able to enter the conservatory in to Protestantism. He was forced to seek exile from apparent. The mezzo-soprano Fiorenza Cossotto (b.1935) Milan, assisted financially by an uncle and by a his native France in 1728 and lived until 1734 in Giuseppe Di Stefano (1921-2008), born near made her début at La Scala in 1957 as Sister Mathilde scholarship. There his teachers were Antonio England and Holland, undergoing a period of Catania, Sicily, had a brilliant but short career. His in Dialogues des Carmélites, making regular Bazzini, director of the conservatory from 1882 and imprisonment in the former country for alleged was one of the most beautiful lyric tenor voices of the appearances in the same house until 1973. She made now chiefly remembered by other violinists for one forgery. He was allowed to return to France as a last century. He began singing light music then, her Covent Garden début in 1959 when she appeared attractive addition to their repertoire, and Amilcare Benedictine monk and was briefly in the service of following a brief period of study with the baritone with Callas in Cherubini’s Médée. Her career took Ponchielli, then near the end of his career. the Prince de Conti as chaplain until compelled to Luigi Montesanto, made his opera début in 1946 as her to major opera houses throughout the world, with Puccini’s first opera was Le Villi, an operatic escape abroad again when he was accused of writing Des Grieux in Massenet’s Manon at Reggio Emilia, effective performances in rôles that included those of treatment of a subject better known nowadays from various satirical pamphlets. He returned to France in after which his rise to fame was rapid. In 1947 he Azucena, Amneris, Eboli and Adalgisa. the ballet Giselle by Adam. It failed to win the 1742 and continued until his death in 1763 as a appeared at La Scala, Milan, also as Des Grieux, and Tullio Serafin (1878-1968), born at Rottanova di competition for which it had been entered, but won, writer, leading a life complicated by mistresses and in 1948 at the Metropolitan, New York, as the Duke Cavarzere, near Venice, was one of the great instead, a staging, through the agency of Boito, and by debt. His works included translations of in Rigoletto. At first his repertory included Fenton in conductors of Italian opera. After studying at the publication by Ricordi, who commissioned the opera Richardson’s novels Pamela and Clarissa Harlowe Falstaff, Almaviva in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Milan Conservatory at first he was a violinist in the Edgar, produced at La Scala in 1889 to relatively and the seven volumes of Mémoires et aventures Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi, Alfredo in La traviata orchestra at La Scala, Milan, then in 1900 at Ferrara little effect. It was in 1893 that Puccini won his first d’un homme de qualité, written during his early exile. and Faust, but it did not take long before he began began a career as a conductor. Engagements followed great success with his version of the Abbé Prévost’s In the seventh volume the gentleman of quality of the undertaking heavier rôles, such as Cavaradossi, Don in Turin and Rome. Through more than half a century novel Manon Lescaut, a work that established him as title receives the confidences of the Chevalier des José in Carmen, Radames in Aida, Canio in Pagliacci he appeared at Covent Garden, London (1907, 1931, a possible successor to Verdi. La Bohème followed in Grieux, a weak-willed hero who resembles in many and even Alvaro in La forza del destino. Sadly the 1959-60), La Scala, Milan (1910-1914, 1917, 1918, 1896, Tosca in 1900 and Madama Butterfly four ways the author. This classical novel is in its great years of his career were soon over, and by 1961, 1940, 1946-7), Colón, Buenos Aires (1914, 1919, years later. Puccini’s last opera, left unfinished at his elevation of sensibility and in the strength of the trying to make more out of his voice than nature had 1920, 1928, 1937, 1938, 1949, 1951), San Carlo, death in 1924, was the oriental Turandot. passions depicted a precursor of Romanticism. It put in, he made his last appearance at La Scala. From Naples (1922-3, 1940-1, 1949-58), Metropolitan, At the suggestion of the publisher Ricordi a served as the inspiration of earlier operas by Auber 1944 for HMV he recorded songs and arias, and from New York (1924-34), the Rome Opera (1934-43, possible opera with a Russian setting had been and by Massenet, the latter first staged in Paris in 1953 for Angel/Columbia, with Callas, Edgardo, 1962), Lyric Opera, Chicago (1955, 1957-58), and suggested, after the failure of Puccini’s second opera 1884 and bearing the simple title Manon. Arturo, Cavaradossi, Turiddu in Cavalleria numerous other opera houses in Italy and abroad. His Edgar, with a libretto by Giacosa, co-author of the Puccini’s version of Manon Lescaut was first rusticana, Canio, the Duke, Manrico in Il trovatore, repertory was vast. He conducted conventional and texts of three of the later operas. This Puccini mounted at the Teatro Regio in Turin on 1st February Rodolfo, Riccardo in Un ballo in maschera and Des unconventional operas as well as introducing a rejected in favour of a libretto to be devised by 1893, the year and month of the first production of Grieux in Puccini’s Manon Lescaut. variety of new works and worked with numerous 8.112031-32 6 7 8.112031-32 8.112031-32 bk ManonLescaut_EU 22-10-2009 8:38 Pagina 6

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PUCCINI Also available Manon Lescaut

IA CAL AR LA M S

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Maria Callas • Giuseppe Di Stefano • Giulio Fioravanti Franco Calabrese • Fiorenza Cossotto 8.111291-92 8.111307 Chorus and Orchestra of La Scala, Milan Tullio Serafin

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2 CDs NAXOS Historical PUCCINI: Manon Lescaut 8.112031-32 Time 2:15:18 Playing from Act from II, Callas sings with Callas singing the title MONO Act 1Act 1I 36:16 Intermezzo.Act 1I I 39:53 Act 1VAppendix: Giuseppe Di Stefano Ariassings Puccini 22:06 15:04 21:59 ‘L’ora, o Tirsi’ @ ADD @ £ 7 & - - - - - 8.112031-32 CD 11 # CD 2 76:09 1 8 # 59:09 Manon Lescaut (Naxos 8.111334-35) sometimes takes its toll,(Naxos 8.111334-35) sometimes takes her command of Manon is complete. Giacomo Tullio Serafin Tullio (1858-1924) Turandot PUCCINI 18-20, 22 and 24-27 July, 1957 Manon Lescaut Manon Chorus and Orchestra of La Scala,Chorus and Orchestra Milan Recorded at the Teatro della Scala,Teatro Milan, at the Recorded www.naxos.com Manon Lescaut ...... Maria Callas des GrieuxChevalier ...... Giuseppe Di Stefano Lescaut...... Giulio Fioravanti ...... di Ravoir Geronte Franco Calabrese Edmondo ...... Formichini Dino The Madrigal Singer ...... Cossotto Fiorenza rôle and Di Stefano as des Grieux, at La Scala, last complete recordings was one of Callas’s Milan.Although the strain of recording of her recent sopranos, other lyric by sung accurately rarely Those pages that are example for Transferred by the award-winning Mark Obert-Thorn, the award-winning by of this 1957 recording Transferred with polish and precision, command. rhythmic triplets with perfect the executing Reissue Producer and Restoration Engineer:Reissue Producer Mark Obert-Thorn photo:Cover Maria Callas (Private Collection)

All rights in this sound recording, artwork, texts and translations reserved. Unauthorised public performance, broadcasting and copying of this compact disc prohibited. ൿ & Ꭿ 2010 Naxos Rights International Ltd. Made in Germany

NAXOS Historical Callas • Di Stefano • Fioravanti • Serafin 8.112031-32 8.112031-32 rr ManonLescaut_EU 22-10-2009 8:03 Pagina 1 8:03 Pagina 22-10-2009 rr ManonLescaut_EU 8.112031-32