COMPOSERS: Puccini
LABELS: Nimbus
WORKS: La bohème
PERFORMER: Beniamino Gigli, Licia Albanese, Afro Poli, Tatiana Menotti; Orchestra & Chorus of La Scala, Milan/Umberto Berrettoni
CATALOGUE NO: NI 7862/3 ADD
This 1938 recording has been made to sound agreeably fresh. Gigli in his prime is an endearing Rodolfo, his honeyed tone both firm and characterful, and his tendency to sob kept reasonably in reserve. The young Licia Albanese makes an attractive Mimì, though her voice occasionally hardens under pressure. Afro Poli’s Marcello and Tatiana Menotti’s Musetta are more than adequate, and the Scala Orchestra under Umberto Berrettoni gives an unaffected account of the score. Charles Osborne
Puccini: La bohème
This 1938 recording has been made to sound agreeably fresh. Gigli in his prime is an endearing Rodolfo, his honeyed tone both firm and characterful, and his tendency to sob kept reasonably in reserve. The young Licia Albanese makes an attractive Mimì, though her voice occasionally hardens under pressure. Afro Poli’s Marcello and Tatiana Menotti’s Musetta are more than adequate, and the Scala Orchestra under Umberto Berrettoni gives an unaffected account of the score. Charles Osborne
Published: January 20, 2012 at 3:14 pm