Release Date: 09 January 2003
Label: Naxos - Historical / Naxos Historical
Packaging Type: Jewel Case
No of Units: 2
Barcode: 636943127520
Genres: Classical
Composer/Series: GIORDANO
Description
Umberto Giordano (1867-1948)Andrea ChenierThe Italian tenor Beniamino Gigli (1980-1957) madecommercial studio recordings over a period of 37 years (1918-1955). He was alsothe first international singer to record a whole series of complete operas inthe studio between 1934 and 1946. He began with Pagliacci in 1934 [Naxos8.110155], followed by La Boh?â?¿me [8.11072-73] and Tosca [8.11096-97] in 1938,Madama Butterfly (1939) [8.110183-84], Cavalleria rusticana (1940)[8.110714-15], Andrea Chenier (1941), Un ballo in maschera (1943) [8.110178-79]and Aida in 1946 [8.110156-57]. The three made during the years of the SecondWorld War are noteworthy in that no country other than Italy during this periodundertook complete recordings of operas for commercial release. Furthermore,these recordings were made purely for the Italian market as all direct contactwith EMI's head office in England had been severed with the outbreak ofhostilities between Italy and Britain in the summer of 1940. In the case ofAndrea Chenier, the recording was not released in Britain until 1949, and thenonly to special order, and in the United States only in 1954 on LP.The r?â??le of the revolutionary poet suited Gigli toperfection: it was always one of his favourite parts. Furthermore, it was thisopera which introduced the tenor to London in 1931. There is a splendid ardourand passion in his singing. His career had taken wing when he won first prizein an international contest in Parma in 1914, the year he also made his debutin Rovigo as Enzo in La Gioconda. Four years later Gigli appeared at the Teatroalla Scala as Faust in Mefistofele, the r?â??le in which he would make his debutat the Metropolitan Opera in 1920. The tenor would continue to sing at the NewYork house every season until 1932 when he left in protest against salary cuts.He would return in 1938-39. Gigli sang at Covent Garden in the years 1930-31and 1938-39 and in 1946 sang with the visiting San Carlo Opera with hisdaughter Rina in La Boh?â?¿me and Pagliacci. He sang throughout Europe and SouthAmerica and continued to make stage appearances until 1953. In 1955 he made afarewell tour of both Britain and the United States, in addition to making hisfinal studio recordings at the age of 65. During the 1930s and 1940s he alsoappeared in over fifteen films. Anything he may have lacked in acting abilitywas more than compensated by the sheer beauty of his voice. Thelyrico-spinto soprano Maria Caniglia (1905-1979) was born and studied inNaples, making her debut in Turin in 1930 as Chrysothemis in Elektra. The sameyear she appeared at the Teatro alla Scala as Maria in Pizzetti's Lo straniero,a house where she would sing regularly until 1943 and again from 1948-1951. Herinternational career took flight in 1935 when she sang Alice in Falstaff underToscanini at the Salzburg Festival. Caniglia appeared at Covent Garden in 1937,1939 and again in 1950 with the visiting La Scala Company. She visited BuenosAires in 1937 and her si
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