Tenor Mavens Now Hear This

[GRNDPADAVE]

My preferences tend to run in the direction of complete operas as opposed to
solo recitals.

But there is always the exception and this time it is the Opera d'Oro release
[OPD-2109] of 34 magnificent performances by my favorite tenor, Giuseppe di
Stefano.

Disc Two opens with a stunning "Salut demeure" and provides such other marvels
as "O Souverain" and a "Cielo e mar" with lovely pianissimi.

These are recordings taken from live performances. Part of the Di Stefano
seems to be attack notes from just a tad below and move swiftly to the right
pitch much as a violinist might curl a finger from just below to right on the
note. This technique must be derived from popular singing and it serves to
remove any sense of stiffness.

The words are so well enunciated that one practically can taste them.

There are some rarities. The lovely "Apri la tua finestra" from the
unaccountably seldom performed IRIS is given the treatment of a love song
(which is what I guess it is).

I had never heard of the composer, Petri, from whose opera, MARISTELLA, we hear
"Io conosce un gioardino."

I thought I might be bored hearing one operatic chestnut after another, but Di
Stefano finds different voices to animate these arias. You can feel the flush
of Andrea's face as Di Stefano carries us away with "Come un bel di di Maggio."

My favorite of all Verdi's great tenor arias is given a treatment that, imho,
surpasses all others. I refer to "O tu che in seno" prefaced by the magical
recitative "La vita inferno."

Now and then the voice may spread, but the expression is always spot on and the
words are simply the most delicious I have ever "tasted." And guess what,
scarcely a sob or even the hint of one.

==G/P Dave