TOSCA:Puccini
Molinari-Pradelli; Elinor Ross, Bergonzi, Anselmo Colzani, Plishka, Franke, Sgarro
Original Air Date: 12/12/1970
SID.19420744
Bergonzi has a memorable Cavaradossi in 1959 with Steber and London which is also available on Met Player. Bergonzi is in better form for the earlier broadcast but still a master stylist. He actually does a third Cavaradossi on the airwaves in 1975 with Zylis-Gara and Bacquier under Erede (Met debut 1951! and long absent– now THAT performance interests me. #1 Sirius omission remains the Stella Tosca of 1958 under MItropoulos. There are some uninspiring Tosca casts in the last 25 years, not as bad as Trovatore. This is a break from some of the more common Toscas on Sirius. Ross had a powerful voice. She appeared several times in Philadelphia (often partnered with Tucker in Turandot, Aida, and Gioconda). This is late in her career (not early for Bergonzi or Colzani) tune in to this to hear how late Ross sounds compared to some of today’s Toscas. It’s the Puccini work most in need of a rest. Bergonzi broadcasts Cavaradossi three times, first in 1959 with Eleanor Steber and George London, and in 1975 with Teresa Zylis-Gara and Gabriel Bacquier under Alberto Erede. HIs last Met performance is Edgardo in 1988 with Lucia Aliberti and then eight years later appears in the James Levine 25th anniversary gala. The Steber performance is the best of the three performances, but Ross is worth checking out.
Skip to content
