8.111340 bk DiStefano_EU 2/19/09 1:46 PM Page 5

Ernesto TAGLIAFERRI (1889-1937) / Orchestra • Dino Olivieri Nicola VALENTE (1853-1939) Recorded in Milan, Text: Libero BOVIO April 1953 (Tracks 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7) ( Passione 4:44 June 1953 (Tracks 1, 5 and 11) NEAPOLITAN SONGS April 1956 (Tracks 8-10, 12, 15, 18-20) Also available May 1956 (Tracks 14 and 21) ’O sole mio • Marechiare • Core ’ngrato • Passione Text: Antonio BARBIERI (1859- 1931) November 1956 (Track 16) ) Senza nisciuno 3:00 May 1957 (Tracks 13 and 17) • Voce ’e notte • Santa Lucia

Ernesto TAGLIAFERRI First issued on HMV BLP 1052 DI S Text: Ernesto MUROLO (1876-1939) and Angel 35469 and 35470 PPE TE E FA ¡ Piscatore ’e pusilleco 3:41 S N IU O G

Reissue Producer and Audio Restoration Engineer: Mark Obert-Thorn Special thanks to Maynard F. Bertolet for providing source material

8.111240-41 8.111278-79

1 s 953 ing -1957 Record

Giuseppe Di Stefano Producer’s Note Orchestra The original master tapes for these recordings contain overload distortion (particularly severe in the 1953 8.111280-81 8.111290-91 Dino Olivieri sessions), dropouts and a few noticeable splices which were not a function of the mint LP sources used for the present transfers.

Mark Obert-Thorn

8.111340 5 8.111340 6 8.111340 bk DiStefano_EU 2/19/09 1:46 PM Page 2

Great Singers • Giuseppe Di Stefano on Italian state radio enjoyed some success in the 1950s considerable acclaim, not least such great artists as Great Singers • Giuseppe Di Stefano but was eventually brought to a close as well. By this Giovanni Martinelli, Tito Schipa and Giuseppe Di Neapolitan Songs time the repertoire of the Neapolitan Song consisted of a Stefano, as well as singers from many other walks of Eduardo DI CAPUA (1864-1917) Vincenzo D’ANNIBALE (1894-1950) large body of composed popular music, of which songs life. Text: Giovanni CAPURRO (1859-1920) Text: Libero BOVIO One of the most charismatic stars of the post-war distinguished recorded rôles from this period included such as O sole mio 1 , Marechiare 2 , Torna a and her culture represent the core of 1 ’O sole mio 3:39 0 ’O paese d’ ’o sole 3:48 operatic stage, the Italian tenor Giuseppe Di Stefano the Duke in Rigoletto and Arturo in I Puritani, both Surriento 7, Maria Marì @ and Santa Lucia * were Neapolitan Song. All these songs are written and made numerous recordings, and was especially again with Callas and conducted by Tullio Serafin. among the most famous examples. Neapolitan Songs performed in the Neapolitan dialect (Napulitano). In renowned as the performing partner of the equally fiery Di Stefano made his British début in 1957 as a were especially popular around the turn of the Santa Lucia, for instance, Naples is beautifully defined Francesco Paolo TOSTI (1846-1916) E. A. MARIO soprano, Maria Callas. member of the La Scala ensemble that visited the nineteenth century – one of the most successful as: ‘suolo beato, ove sorridere volle il Creato’ (‘holy Text: Salvatore DI GIACOMO (1860-1934) (Giovanni Ermete GAETA, 1894-1950) Born in 1921 into a poor family at Motta Edinburgh Festival, singing one of his most famous composers of the genre, Francesco Paolo Tosti, was soil, smiled upon by the Creator’), and the Santa Lucia 2 Marechiare 3:34 ! Santa Lucia luntana 3:50 Sant’Anastasia near Catania, Di Stefano entered a rôles, Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore, a part he also also singing master to the British royal family and was quarter of the city is called ‘impero dell’armonia’ (‘the seminary in 1934. After three years, a fellow student recorded. In the same year he and Callas opened the knighted by Edward VII. empire of harmony’). Santa Lucia faces the Gulf of Rodolfo FALVO (1874-1936) Eduardo DI CAPUA A typical Neapolitan Song is sung by the male Naples and the lyrics are the words of the boatman encouraged him to take singing lessons and he became a 1957-58 season at La Scala with an account of Un ballo Text: Enzo FUSCO (1899-1951) Text: Vincenzo RUSSO pupil successively of Adriano Torchio and Luigi in maschera which is one of the most intense ever to voice solo, and most frequently takes the form of a describing the view: the night and the moon are 3 Dicitencello vuie 3:34 Montesanto. He won a singing competition in Florence have been committed to disc, officially or unofficially. lover’s serenade to his beloved, or, conversely, is a reflected in the sea, and the boats on the sea sail softly, @ Maria, Marì 3:57 in 1938 but his career was interrupted briefly by the He made his first appearance at the Royal Opera House, lover’s complaint. Many of the Neapolitan Songs are driven by the gentle breezes. The boatman invites outbreak of war in 1939 and his conscription into the Covent Garden, in 1961 in Tosca, but by now time and world-famous because they were taken abroad by people to board his boat, promising that they will Ernesto DE CURTIS (1875-1937) Mario PERSICO (1892-1977) Italian army. Seen as being of greater value as a singer good living had begun to take its toll on his voice. He emigrants from Naples and southern Italy roughly admire both the sea and the city of Naples. With his Text: Libero BOVIO (1883-1942) Text: Oscar GALLO (?-1948?) than a soldier, he was discharged and earned a made his final appearance at La Scala in 1972 in between 1880 and 1920. The music was also direct experience of having earned his living as a singer 4 Tu, ca nun chiagne! 3:07 # ’E palumme 2:59 precarious living as a singer of popular songs in Milan. Carmen, after which he undertook some less than popularised internationally by performers such as the of popular songs, allied to the natural richness of his world-famous operatic tenor , who took tenor voice, Di Stefano was a master of the Neapolitan Following the German occupation of Italy, Di wholly successful recitals with Callas. He made his Eduardo DI CAPUA ANONYMOUS Stefano escaped to Switzerland, where he was briefly final stage appearance as the Emperor Altoum in to singing the popular music of his native city as Song, as may be heard and appreciated in this collection Text: Vincenzo RUSSO (1876-1904) encores at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in the of his recordings of the cream of the repertoire, made (att. Vincenzo BELLINI, 1801-1835) interned before being taken up as a tenor by Radio Turandot with the Opera in 1992. In addition to 5 Lausanne. Here his repertoire extended from popular his operatic repertoire, Di Stefano was a highly early 1900s. A prolific recording artist, Caruso’s during his years of glory. I’ te vurria vasà! 3:48 $ Fenesta che lucive 3:57 songs to complete operas. After the war he returned to accomplished singer of lighter music. He enjoyed success meant that henceforth many operatic tenors Italy and made his official stage début in 1946 at Reggio success in operetta, recording the rôle of Prince Sou- have performed and recorded these songs to David Patmore Salvatore CARDILLO (1874-1947) Giuseppe CIOFFI (1907-1976) Emilia as Des Grieux in Massenet’s Manon. In 1947 he Chong in highlights from Lehár’s The Land of Smiles Text: Riccardo CORDIFERRO (1874-1940) Text: Egidio PISANO (1889-1973) took the same rôle at La Scala, Milan, where he enjoyed with the forces of the Volksoper in Vienna. Despite his 6 Core ’ngrato 3:45 % ’Na sera ’e maggio 3:24 immediate success. He made his American début in personal unpredictability, Di Stefano at his best ideally 1948 as the Duke in Rigoletto at the Metropolitan Opera matched tonal warmth with dramatic conviction, and his Ernesto DE CURTIS House, New York, and quickly went on to appear in Rio many studio and live recordings represent a remarkable Ernesto DE CURTIS de Janeiro, Mexico City, Los Angeles, San Francisco testimony to his art. Text: (1860-1927) Text: Eduardo NICOLARDI (1878-1954) and Chicago. He soon became one of the most sought- As a popular music genre the Neapolitan Song has a 7 Torna a Surriento 3:23 ^ Voce ’e notte 3:32 after tenors of his generation. long and distinguished history, which stretches back During the 1950s Di Stefano was a leading singer at formally to the operas of the early years of the Gaetano LAMA (1886-1950) Ernesto DE CURTIS La Scala and at the Metropolitan, although he was nineteenth century and specifically to an annual song- Text: Libero BOVIO Text: Libero BOVIO barred from the latter by Rudolf Bing between April writing competition instituted during the 1830s for the 8 Silenzio cantatore 3:22 & Autunno 4:34 1952 and December 1955 because of his cavalier annual Festival of Piedigrotta, dedicated to the attitude to contracts. He sang for Walter Legge and the Madonna of Piedigrotta, a well-known church in the British Columbia label in numerous recordings Mergellina area of Naples. The winner of the first Evemero NARDELLA (1879-1950) Teodoro COTTRAU (1827-1879) undertaken with the forces of La Scala. The most festival was a song entitled Te voglio bene assaie, Text: Libero BOVIO Text: Anonymous, arr. Enrico Cossovich famous of these was Puccini’s Tosca with Maria Callas written by the opera composer, Gaetano Donizetti. The 9 Chiove 4:32 * Santa Lucia 4:45 and Tito Gobbi, with both of whom Di Stefano sang festival ran regularly until 1950, when it was frequently, and conducted by Victor De Sabata. Other abandoned. A subsequent Festival of Neapolitan Song 8.111340 2 8.111340 3 4 8.111340 8.111340 bk DiStefano_EU 2/19/09 1:46 PM Page 2

Great Singers • Giuseppe Di Stefano on Italian state radio enjoyed some success in the 1950s considerable acclaim, not least such great artists as Great Singers • Giuseppe Di Stefano but was eventually brought to a close as well. By this Giovanni Martinelli, Tito Schipa and Giuseppe Di Neapolitan Songs time the repertoire of the Neapolitan Song consisted of a Stefano, as well as singers from many other walks of Eduardo DI CAPUA (1864-1917) Vincenzo D’ANNIBALE (1894-1950) large body of composed popular music, of which songs life. Text: Giovanni CAPURRO (1859-1920) Text: Libero BOVIO One of the most charismatic stars of the post-war distinguished recorded rôles from this period included such as O sole mio 1 , Marechiare 2 , Torna a Naples and her culture represent the core of 1 ’O sole mio 3:39 0 ’O paese d’ ’o sole 3:48 operatic stage, the Italian tenor Giuseppe Di Stefano the Duke in Rigoletto and Arturo in I Puritani, both Surriento 7, Maria Marì @ and Santa Lucia * were Neapolitan Song. All these songs are written and made numerous recordings, and was especially again with Callas and conducted by Tullio Serafin. among the most famous examples. Neapolitan Songs performed in the Neapolitan dialect (Napulitano). In renowned as the performing partner of the equally fiery Di Stefano made his British début in 1957 as a were especially popular around the turn of the Santa Lucia, for instance, Naples is beautifully defined Francesco Paolo TOSTI (1846-1916) E. A. MARIO soprano, Maria Callas. member of the La Scala ensemble that visited the nineteenth century – one of the most successful as: ‘suolo beato, ove sorridere volle il Creato’ (‘holy Text: Salvatore DI GIACOMO (1860-1934) (Giovanni Ermete GAETA, 1894-1950) Born in 1921 into a poor family at Motta Edinburgh Festival, singing one of his most famous composers of the genre, Francesco Paolo Tosti, was soil, smiled upon by the Creator’), and the Santa Lucia 2 Marechiare 3:34 ! Santa Lucia luntana 3:50 Sant’Anastasia near Catania, Di Stefano entered a rôles, Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore, a part he also also singing master to the British royal family and was quarter of the city is called ‘impero dell’armonia’ (‘the seminary in 1934. After three years, a fellow student recorded. In the same year he and Callas opened the knighted by Edward VII. empire of harmony’). Santa Lucia faces the Gulf of Rodolfo FALVO (1874-1936) Eduardo DI CAPUA A typical Neapolitan Song is sung by the male Naples and the lyrics are the words of the boatman encouraged him to take singing lessons and he became a 1957-58 season at La Scala with an account of Un ballo Text: Enzo FUSCO (1899-1951) Text: Vincenzo RUSSO pupil successively of Adriano Torchio and Luigi in maschera which is one of the most intense ever to voice solo, and most frequently takes the form of a describing the view: the night and the moon are 3 Dicitencello vuie 3:34 Montesanto. He won a singing competition in Florence have been committed to disc, officially or unofficially. lover’s serenade to his beloved, or, conversely, is a reflected in the sea, and the boats on the sea sail softly, @ Maria, Marì 3:57 in 1938 but his career was interrupted briefly by the He made his first appearance at the Royal Opera House, lover’s complaint. Many of the Neapolitan Songs are driven by the gentle breezes. The boatman invites outbreak of war in 1939 and his conscription into the Covent Garden, in 1961 in Tosca, but by now time and world-famous because they were taken abroad by people to board his boat, promising that they will Ernesto DE CURTIS (1875-1937) Mario PERSICO (1892-1977) Italian army. Seen as being of greater value as a singer good living had begun to take its toll on his voice. He emigrants from Naples and southern Italy roughly admire both the sea and the city of Naples. With his Text: Libero BOVIO (1883-1942) Text: Oscar GALLO (?-1948?) than a soldier, he was discharged and earned a made his final appearance at La Scala in 1972 in between 1880 and 1920. The music was also direct experience of having earned his living as a singer 4 Tu, ca nun chiagne! 3:07 # ’E palumme 2:59 precarious living as a singer of popular songs in Milan. Carmen, after which he undertook some less than popularised internationally by performers such as the of popular songs, allied to the natural richness of his world-famous operatic tenor Enrico Caruso, who took tenor voice, Di Stefano was a master of the Neapolitan Following the German occupation of Italy, Di wholly successful recitals with Callas. He made his Eduardo DI CAPUA ANONYMOUS Stefano escaped to Switzerland, where he was briefly final stage appearance as the Emperor Altoum in to singing the popular music of his native city as Song, as may be heard and appreciated in this collection Text: Vincenzo RUSSO (1876-1904) encores at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in the of his recordings of the cream of the repertoire, made (att. Vincenzo BELLINI, 1801-1835) interned before being taken up as a tenor by Radio Turandot with the Rome Opera in 1992. In addition to 5 Lausanne. Here his repertoire extended from popular his operatic repertoire, Di Stefano was a highly early 1900s. A prolific recording artist, Caruso’s during his years of glory. I’ te vurria vasà! 3:48 $ Fenesta che lucive 3:57 songs to complete operas. After the war he returned to accomplished singer of lighter music. He enjoyed success meant that henceforth many operatic tenors Italy and made his official stage début in 1946 at Reggio success in operetta, recording the rôle of Prince Sou- have performed and recorded these songs to David Patmore Salvatore CARDILLO (1874-1947) Giuseppe CIOFFI (1907-1976) Emilia as Des Grieux in Massenet’s Manon. In 1947 he Chong in highlights from Lehár’s The Land of Smiles Text: Riccardo CORDIFERRO (1874-1940) Text: Egidio PISANO (1889-1973) took the same rôle at La Scala, Milan, where he enjoyed with the forces of the Volksoper in Vienna. Despite his 6 Core ’ngrato 3:45 % ’Na sera ’e maggio 3:24 immediate success. He made his American début in personal unpredictability, Di Stefano at his best ideally 1948 as the Duke in Rigoletto at the Metropolitan Opera matched tonal warmth with dramatic conviction, and his Ernesto DE CURTIS House, New York, and quickly went on to appear in Rio many studio and live recordings represent a remarkable Ernesto DE CURTIS de Janeiro, Mexico City, Los Angeles, San Francisco testimony to his art. Text: Giambattista DE CURTIS (1860-1927) Text: Eduardo NICOLARDI (1878-1954) and Chicago. He soon became one of the most sought- As a popular music genre the Neapolitan Song has a 7 Torna a Surriento 3:23 ^ Voce ’e notte 3:32 after tenors of his generation. long and distinguished history, which stretches back During the 1950s Di Stefano was a leading singer at formally to the operas of the early years of the Gaetano LAMA (1886-1950) Ernesto DE CURTIS La Scala and at the Metropolitan, although he was nineteenth century and specifically to an annual song- Text: Libero BOVIO Text: Libero BOVIO barred from the latter by Rudolf Bing between April writing competition instituted during the 1830s for the 8 Silenzio cantatore 3:22 & Autunno 4:34 1952 and December 1955 because of his cavalier annual Festival of Piedigrotta, dedicated to the attitude to contracts. He sang for Walter Legge and the Madonna of Piedigrotta, a well-known church in the British Columbia label in numerous recordings Mergellina area of Naples. The winner of the first Evemero NARDELLA (1879-1950) Teodoro COTTRAU (1827-1879) undertaken with the forces of La Scala. The most festival was a song entitled Te voglio bene assaie, Text: Libero BOVIO Text: Anonymous, arr. Enrico Cossovich famous of these was Puccini’s Tosca with Maria Callas written by the opera composer, Gaetano Donizetti. The 9 Chiove 4:32 * Santa Lucia 4:45 and Tito Gobbi, with both of whom Di Stefano sang festival ran regularly until 1950, when it was frequently, and conducted by Victor De Sabata. Other abandoned. A subsequent Festival of Neapolitan Song 8.111340 2 8.111340 3 4 8.111340 8.111340 bk DiStefano_EU 2/19/09 1:46 PM Page 2

Great Singers • Giuseppe Di Stefano on Italian state radio enjoyed some success in the 1950s considerable acclaim, not least such great artists as Great Singers • Giuseppe Di Stefano but was eventually brought to a close as well. By this Giovanni Martinelli, Tito Schipa and Giuseppe Di Neapolitan Songs time the repertoire of the Neapolitan Song consisted of a Stefano, as well as singers from many other walks of Eduardo DI CAPUA (1864-1917) Vincenzo D’ANNIBALE (1894-1950) large body of composed popular music, of which songs life. Text: Giovanni CAPURRO (1859-1920) Text: Libero BOVIO One of the most charismatic stars of the post-war distinguished recorded rôles from this period included such as O sole mio 1 , Marechiare 2 , Torna a Naples and her culture represent the core of 1 ’O sole mio 3:39 0 ’O paese d’ ’o sole 3:48 operatic stage, the Italian tenor Giuseppe Di Stefano the Duke in Rigoletto and Arturo in I Puritani, both Surriento 7, Maria Marì @ and Santa Lucia * were Neapolitan Song. All these songs are written and made numerous recordings, and was especially again with Callas and conducted by Tullio Serafin. among the most famous examples. Neapolitan Songs performed in the Neapolitan dialect (Napulitano). In renowned as the performing partner of the equally fiery Di Stefano made his British début in 1957 as a were especially popular around the turn of the Santa Lucia, for instance, Naples is beautifully defined Francesco Paolo TOSTI (1846-1916) E. A. MARIO soprano, Maria Callas. member of the La Scala ensemble that visited the nineteenth century – one of the most successful as: ‘suolo beato, ove sorridere volle il Creato’ (‘holy Text: Salvatore DI GIACOMO (1860-1934) (Giovanni Ermete GAETA, 1894-1950) Born in 1921 into a poor family at Motta Edinburgh Festival, singing one of his most famous composers of the genre, Francesco Paolo Tosti, was soil, smiled upon by the Creator’), and the Santa Lucia 2 Marechiare 3:34 ! Santa Lucia luntana 3:50 Sant’Anastasia near Catania, Di Stefano entered a rôles, Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore, a part he also also singing master to the British royal family and was quarter of the city is called ‘impero dell’armonia’ (‘the seminary in 1934. After three years, a fellow student recorded. In the same year he and Callas opened the knighted by Edward VII. empire of harmony’). Santa Lucia faces the Gulf of Rodolfo FALVO (1874-1936) Eduardo DI CAPUA A typical Neapolitan Song is sung by the male Naples and the lyrics are the words of the boatman encouraged him to take singing lessons and he became a 1957-58 season at La Scala with an account of Un ballo Text: Enzo FUSCO (1899-1951) Text: Vincenzo RUSSO pupil successively of Adriano Torchio and Luigi in maschera which is one of the most intense ever to voice solo, and most frequently takes the form of a describing the view: the night and the moon are 3 Dicitencello vuie 3:34 Montesanto. He won a singing competition in Florence have been committed to disc, officially or unofficially. lover’s serenade to his beloved, or, conversely, is a reflected in the sea, and the boats on the sea sail softly, @ Maria, Marì 3:57 in 1938 but his career was interrupted briefly by the He made his first appearance at the Royal Opera House, lover’s complaint. Many of the Neapolitan Songs are driven by the gentle breezes. The boatman invites outbreak of war in 1939 and his conscription into the Covent Garden, in 1961 in Tosca, but by now time and world-famous because they were taken abroad by people to board his boat, promising that they will Ernesto DE CURTIS (1875-1937) Mario PERSICO (1892-1977) Italian army. Seen as being of greater value as a singer good living had begun to take its toll on his voice. He emigrants from Naples and southern Italy roughly admire both the sea and the city of Naples. With his Text: Libero BOVIO (1883-1942) Text: Oscar GALLO (?-1948?) than a soldier, he was discharged and earned a made his final appearance at La Scala in 1972 in between 1880 and 1920. The music was also direct experience of having earned his living as a singer 4 Tu, ca nun chiagne! 3:07 # ’E palumme 2:59 precarious living as a singer of popular songs in Milan. Carmen, after which he undertook some less than popularised internationally by performers such as the of popular songs, allied to the natural richness of his world-famous operatic tenor Enrico Caruso, who took tenor voice, Di Stefano was a master of the Neapolitan Following the German occupation of Italy, Di wholly successful recitals with Callas. He made his Eduardo DI CAPUA ANONYMOUS Stefano escaped to Switzerland, where he was briefly final stage appearance as the Emperor Altoum in to singing the popular music of his native city as Song, as may be heard and appreciated in this collection Text: Vincenzo RUSSO (1876-1904) encores at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in the of his recordings of the cream of the repertoire, made (att. Vincenzo BELLINI, 1801-1835) interned before being taken up as a tenor by Radio Turandot with the Rome Opera in 1992. In addition to 5 Lausanne. Here his repertoire extended from popular his operatic repertoire, Di Stefano was a highly early 1900s. A prolific recording artist, Caruso’s during his years of glory. I’ te vurria vasà! 3:48 $ Fenesta che lucive 3:57 songs to complete operas. After the war he returned to accomplished singer of lighter music. He enjoyed success meant that henceforth many operatic tenors Italy and made his official stage début in 1946 at Reggio success in operetta, recording the rôle of Prince Sou- have performed and recorded these songs to David Patmore Salvatore CARDILLO (1874-1947) Giuseppe CIOFFI (1907-1976) Emilia as Des Grieux in Massenet’s Manon. In 1947 he Chong in highlights from Lehár’s The Land of Smiles Text: Riccardo CORDIFERRO (1874-1940) Text: Egidio PISANO (1889-1973) took the same rôle at La Scala, Milan, where he enjoyed with the forces of the Volksoper in Vienna. Despite his 6 Core ’ngrato 3:45 % ’Na sera ’e maggio 3:24 immediate success. He made his American début in personal unpredictability, Di Stefano at his best ideally 1948 as the Duke in Rigoletto at the Metropolitan Opera matched tonal warmth with dramatic conviction, and his Ernesto DE CURTIS House, New York, and quickly went on to appear in Rio many studio and live recordings represent a remarkable Ernesto DE CURTIS de Janeiro, Mexico City, Los Angeles, San Francisco testimony to his art. Text: Giambattista DE CURTIS (1860-1927) Text: Eduardo NICOLARDI (1878-1954) and Chicago. He soon became one of the most sought- As a popular music genre the Neapolitan Song has a 7 Torna a Surriento 3:23 ^ Voce ’e notte 3:32 after tenors of his generation. long and distinguished history, which stretches back During the 1950s Di Stefano was a leading singer at formally to the operas of the early years of the Gaetano LAMA (1886-1950) Ernesto DE CURTIS La Scala and at the Metropolitan, although he was nineteenth century and specifically to an annual song- Text: Libero BOVIO Text: Libero BOVIO barred from the latter by Rudolf Bing between April writing competition instituted during the 1830s for the 8 Silenzio cantatore 3:22 & Autunno 4:34 1952 and December 1955 because of his cavalier annual Festival of Piedigrotta, dedicated to the attitude to contracts. He sang for Walter Legge and the Madonna of Piedigrotta, a well-known church in the British Columbia label in numerous recordings Mergellina area of Naples. The winner of the first Evemero NARDELLA (1879-1950) Teodoro COTTRAU (1827-1879) undertaken with the forces of La Scala. The most festival was a song entitled Te voglio bene assaie, Text: Libero BOVIO Text: Anonymous, arr. Enrico Cossovich famous of these was Puccini’s Tosca with Maria Callas written by the opera composer, Gaetano Donizetti. The 9 Chiove 4:32 * Santa Lucia 4:45 and Tito Gobbi, with both of whom Di Stefano sang festival ran regularly until 1950, when it was frequently, and conducted by Victor De Sabata. Other abandoned. A subsequent Festival of Neapolitan Song 8.111340 2 8.111340 3 4 8.111340 8.111340 bk DiStefano_EU 2/19/09 1:46 PM Page 5

Ernesto TAGLIAFERRI (1889-1937) / Orchestra • Dino Olivieri Nicola VALENTE (1853-1939) Recorded in Milan, Italy Text: Libero BOVIO April 1953 (Tracks 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7) ( Passione 4:44 June 1953 (Tracks 1, 5 and 11) NEAPOLITAN SONGS April 1956 (Tracks 8-10, 12, 15, 18-20) Also available Ernesto DE CURTIS May 1956 (Tracks 14 and 21) ’O sole mio • Marechiare • Core ’ngrato • Passione Text: Antonio BARBIERI (1859- 1931) November 1956 (Track 16) ) Senza nisciuno 3:00 May 1957 (Tracks 13 and 17) Torna a Surriento • Voce ’e notte • Santa Lucia

Ernesto TAGLIAFERRI First issued on HMV BLP 1052 DI S Text: Ernesto MUROLO (1876-1939) and Angel 35469 and 35470 PPE TE E FA ¡ Piscatore ’e pusilleco 3:41 S N IU O G

Reissue Producer and Audio Restoration Engineer: Mark Obert-Thorn Special thanks to Maynard F. Bertolet for providing source material

8.111240-41 8.111278-79

1 s 953 ing -1957 Record

Giuseppe Di Stefano Producer’s Note Orchestra The original master tapes for these recordings contain overload distortion (particularly severe in the 1953 8.111280-81 8.111290-91 Dino Olivieri sessions), dropouts and a few noticeable splices which were not a function of the mint LP sources used for the present transfers.

Mark Obert-Thorn

8.111340 5 8.111340 6 8.111340 bk DiStefano_EU 2/19/09 1:46 PM Page 5

Ernesto TAGLIAFERRI (1889-1937) / Orchestra • Dino Olivieri Nicola VALENTE (1853-1939) Recorded in Milan, Italy Text: Libero BOVIO April 1953 (Tracks 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7) ( Passione 4:44 June 1953 (Tracks 1, 5 and 11) NEAPOLITAN SONGS April 1956 (Tracks 8-10, 12, 15, 18-20) Also available Ernesto DE CURTIS May 1956 (Tracks 14 and 21) ’O sole mio • Marechiare • Core ’ngrato • Passione Text: Antonio BARBIERI (1859- 1931) November 1956 (Track 16) ) Senza nisciuno 3:00 May 1957 (Tracks 13 and 17) Torna a Surriento • Voce ’e notte • Santa Lucia

Ernesto TAGLIAFERRI First issued on HMV BLP 1052 DI S Text: Ernesto MUROLO (1876-1939) and Angel 35469 and 35470 PPE TE E FA ¡ Piscatore ’e pusilleco 3:41 S N IU O G

Reissue Producer and Audio Restoration Engineer: Mark Obert-Thorn Special thanks to Maynard F. Bertolet for providing source material

8.111240-41 8.111278-79

1 s 953 ing -1957 Record

Giuseppe Di Stefano Producer’s Note Orchestra The original master tapes for these recordings contain overload distortion (particularly severe in the 1953 8.111280-81 8.111290-91 Dino Olivieri sessions), dropouts and a few noticeable splices which were not a function of the mint LP sources used for the present transfers.

Mark Obert-Thorn

8.111340 5 8.111340 6 G R E A T

S I N G E R S NAXOS Historical NAXOS Historical 8.111340 Playing NEAPOLITAN SONGS Time ADD 78:56

and copying of this compact disc prohibited. broadcasting Unauthorised public performance, texts and translations reserved. artwork, All rights in this sound recording, Giuseppe Di Stefano &

1 DI CAPUA: ’O sole mio 3:39 One of the most charismatic stars of

09NxsRgt nentoa t.Made in Germany 2009 Naxos Rights International Ltd. 2 TOSTI: Marechiare 3:34 the post-war operatic stage, the 3 FALVO: Dicitencello vuie 3:34 4 DE CURTIS:Tu, ca nun chiagne! 3:07 Italian tenor Giuseppe Di Stefano NEAPOLITAN SONGS • GIUSEPPE DI STEFANO NEAPOLITAN SONGS • GIUSEPPE DI STEFANO 5 DI CAPUA: I’ te vurria vasà! 3:48 made numerous recordings, and was 6 CARDILLO: Core ’ngrato 3:45 7 DE CURTIS:Torna a Surriento 3:23 especially renowned as the 8 LAMA: Silenzio cantatore 3:22 performing partner of the equally 9 NARDELLA: Chiove 4:32 0 D’ANNIBALE: ’O paese d’ ’o sole 3:48 fiery soprano, Maria Callas. Having ! E.A. MARIO: Santa Lucia luntana 3:50 earned a precarious living as a singer @ DI CAPUA: Maria, Marì 3:57 of popular songs in Milan during # PERSICO: ’E palumme 2:59 $ ANONYMOUS (att. BELLINI): Fenesta che lucive 3:57 World War Two, Di Stefano was also a % CIOFFI: ’Na sera ’e maggio 3:24 highly accomplished singer of lighter ^ DE CURTIS:Voce ’e notte 3:32 & DE CURTIS: Autunno 4:34 music.This experience, allied with the * COTTRAU: Santa Lucia 4:45 natural richness of his tenor voice, ( TAGLIAFERRI / VALENTE: Passione 4:44 made him a master of the Neapolitan ) DE CURTIS: Senza nisciuno 3:00 ¡ TAGLIAFERRI: Piscatore ’e pusilleco 3:41 Song, as may be heard in this collection of his recordings of the Orchestra • Dino Olivieri cream of the repertoire, made at the Recorded in Milan, Italy, April 1953 - May 1957 peak of his career.

Reissue Producer and Audio Restoration Engineer: Mark Obert-Thorn 8.111340 Special thanks to Maynard F. Bertolet for providing source material. 8.111340 Cover image: Giuseppe Di Stefano (Private Collection) www.naxos.com