Search - Puccini, Tebaldi, Bergonzi :: La Boheme

Fabulous singing at a fabulous price

tenordan | rural, old fashioned, small town Maine | 08/30/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Tebaldi and Bergonzi make this cd more than worth the price. You will not regret this purchase. Tebaldi's reputation is that she never made a good studio recording. Baloney! She and Bergonzi shine here. They are the singers heard on the soundtrack of the movie Moonstruck, by the way. This is a classic."

An All Time Great Recording

Timothy Kearney | Hull, MA United States | 10/25/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I can remember the exact moment I purchased the Tebaldi/Bergonzi LA BOHEME and the first time I listened to it. I was in high school and went to the counter with my purchase. The cashier said "This has to be the best cast ever assembled for this opera. Certainly better than the cast of that other set." She then pointed to a display with the horrible "other set." The other set she was referring to was the Pavarotti/Freni cast under the direction of Karajan. It was not a new set at the time, but it was featured on sale. Truth to be told, I had no idea I was purchasing such a superior set. It was already released at mid-price, the box was damaged so it was further marked down, and it fit my high school budget. I went home, listened to it from start to finish, and to this day, I'm not sure if I've ever been as mesmerized by a musical recording as I was that evening as a high school student listening to my first BOHEME. Puccini's beautiful music, even if it's not as sophisticated as some of his later works, has power. How many people claim that LA BOHEME is what hooked them on opera, and it's a sentimental favorite of millions.



I'm not going to argue as to whether this is the best cast ever assembled for this opera. This is an argument that could never be settled. I will say that the principals are phenomenal. Throughout the opera Mimi goes from an innocent to a woman in love to a woman hurt to a woman dying. Renata Tebaldi is able to bring forth the nuances of Mimi in a sweet yet forceful manner I believe is unsurpassed. Carlo Bergonzi is able to convey vocally a young man of youthful energy and bravado who in a short time loses the woman he loves, knowing that even if he finds love again, he'll never find another a Mimi. The twisted antics of the lovers Musetta and Marcello come across through the performances of Ettore Bastianini and Gianna D'Angelo. I particularly enjoy D'Angelo's Musetta. All too often she's portrayed in a too brassy manner. I suppose it's a natural temptation for a soprano to play her a bit over the top, and many audiences expect it, but that's not the case here and I believe it is an advantage of the recording. D'Angelo is a Musetta with a multi faceted personality and not just a bold woman who does a few good deeds. She's still a flirt, she's still bold, and she's still comical. Yet she sings in a smooth manner that allows her personality to come across through the music. Listening to this set helps us understand not only why the men find her attractive: she is a girl who knows more than her prayers, so to speak, but also understand why Marcello loves her. When I've followed this recording with the libretto, it's believable that she a bit wild but is also compassionate enough to care for Mimi when she's ill. Tullio Serafin is a conductor in control. There are small orchestral details in this recording that are ignored in other sets. This is one of his later recordings and for me, it has historical significance. Puccini died in Serafin's lifetime and the conductor actually knew the composer. This could be the sort of recording the composer would have had in mind.



I've listened to many recordings of this work and have a number of sets I love, including the Pavarotti/Freni set which I don't believe is the abomination the cashier made it out to be. Still, there's something about this set that has been released in a number of different formats over the years that still moves me. I know it's a set loved by opera lovers and may be the best set for people new to the work. This set does not have the printed libretto which previous released included but the disc can be used in a CD Rom drive and read with Adobe Acrobat.



"

Look no further for THE PERFECT LA BOHEME!!!!!!!

Jo Rock | U.S. | 05/06/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This recording is fantastic with a cast that is sheer gold.

Bergonzi is a master tenor with a musical sense of vocal phrasing matched by an effortless technique and inspired characterization.

Tebaldi IS MIMI as her splendid and vivid heartfelt characterization attests and her velvety tone is a marvel of vocal beauty.

The two lovers possess magical loving chemistry that is spellbinding and orgasmic in their closing arias of act 1 and the rest of the cast including the great Ettore Bastiannini as Marcello are compelling as well.

This is a cast of singers that truly take possession of their characters and the inspiration is electrifying and memorable whether it be in the comedic aspects of La Boheme or in the romantic and or tragic aspects.

Bergonzi's crys of "Mimi!" when he finds out she has passed will tear your heart to pieces and Tulio Serafin leads the whole

performance with a never ending commitment and passion to the score.

Decca's sound is phenominal especially for a recording made in 1959 with a perfect balance between orchestra and vocals and believable stage sound effects all presented in crystal clear warm analogue stereo sound.

The package of this opera is mediocre as it only gives you a tiny description of what is happening in each track.

You can acquire a libretto through computer but it's kind of a hassle to do so and it would be nicer to have the libretto in your hands.

I guess that's the flaw in acquiring a budget recording but Decca should seriously think of releasing this classic recording with a full libretto as it truly deserves the complete 5 star treatment.

Anyway, please pick up this recording as it is guarenteed to give you great pleasure as it has been doing for almost 50 years.





O.F."