Un ballo in maschera: Act 1, Scene 1: Prelude; Posa in pace, a' bei sogni ristora
Un ballo in maschera: Act 1, Scene 1: S'avanza il Conte
Un ballo in maschera: Act 1, Scene 1: La rivedra nell'estasi
Un ballo in maschera: Act 1, Scene 1: Il cenno mio di la con essi attendi
Un ballo in maschera: Act 1, Scene 1: Alla vita che t'arride
Un ballo in maschera: Act 1, Scene 1: Il primo giudice - S'avanzi ... Volta la terrea fronte
Un ballo in maschera: Act 1, Scene 1: Ogni cura si doni al diletto
Un ballo in maschera: Act 1, Scene 2: Prelude; Zitti, l'incanto non dessi turbare ... Re dell'abisso, affrettati
Un ballo in maschera: Act 1, Scene 2: Arrivo il primo! ... E lui! e Lui!
Un ballo in maschera: Act 1, Scene 2: Su, fatemi largo, saper vo il mio fato
Un ballo in maschera: Act 1, Scene 2: Che v'agita cosi ... Della citta all'occaso
Un ballo in maschera: Act 1, Scene 2: Su, fatemi largo, saper vo il mio fato
Un ballo in maschera: Act 1, Scene 2: Chi voi siate, l'audace parola
Un ballo in maschera: Act 1, Scene 2: E scherzo od e follia
Un ballo in maschera: Act 1, Scene 2: Finisci il vaticinio ... O figlio d'Inghilterra
Un ballo in maschera: Act 2: Ecco l'orrido campo ...Ma dall'arido stelo divulsa
Un ballo in maschera: Act 2: Teco io sto ... Non sai tu che se l'anima mia
Un ballo in maschera: Act 2: M'ami, m'ami ... Oh, qual soave brivido
Track Listings (18) - Disc #2
Un ballo in maschera: Act 2: Ahime! s'appressa alcun!
Un ballo in maschera: Act 2: Odi tu come fremono cupi
Un ballo in maschera: Act 2: Seguitemi - (Mio Dio!)
Un ballo in maschera: Act 2: Il suo fido!
Un ballo in maschera: Act 2: Ve' se di notte
Un ballo in maschera: Act 3, Scene 1: A tal colpa e nulla il pianto
Un ballo in maschera: Act 3, Scene 1: Morro, ma prima in grazia
Un ballo in maschera: Act 3, Scene 1: Alzati! la tuo figlio ... Eri tu
Un ballo in maschera: Act 3, Scene 1: Siam soli. Udite.
Un ballo in maschera: Act 3, Scene 1: Dunque l'onta di tutti sol uno
Un ballo in maschera: Act 3, Scene 1: Alle danze questa sera
Un ballo in maschera: Act 3, Scene 2: Forse la soglia attinse
Un ballo in maschera: Act 3, Scene 2: Ah! dessa e la ... si, rivederti, Amelia
Un ballo in maschera: Act 3, Scene 2: Fervono amori ... Altro de' nostri e questo
Un ballo in maschera: Act 3, Scene 2: Saper vorreste
Un ballo in maschera: Act 3, Scene 2: Fervono amori ... So che tu sai distinguere
Un ballo in maschera: Act 3, Scene 2: Ah! perche qui! fuggite ...
Un ballo in maschera: Act 3, Scene 2: No, no ... lasciatelo! ... Ella e pura ... Cor si grande e generoso
This performance, recorded live in New Orleans in April 1950, is notable only for the presence in the cast of the great Swedish tenor Jussi Björling. He sang the role of Riccardo often--Stockholm, La Scala, the Met, a... more »nd elsewhere--and even coached with Toscanini in 1953 for a performance that was aborted, but he never recorded the opera commercially. Here he is in excellent voice, manly, fluent, and lyrical, especially effective in "Di' tu se fedele" in Act I, with an interpolated high B, and in "Si, rivederti, Amelia" in Act II, with an unexpected and brilliant interpolated high C. Except for the strong baritone of Marko Rothmüller as Renato, the rest of the cast (including Suzy Morris as Amelia and Audrey Schuh as Oscar) is nowhere near his level, and Walter Herbert leading the New Orleans Opera Orchestra and Chorus is no more than adequate. Bits of the performance are missing, and the sound varies from poor to wretched. This release will be valuable to Björling fans but offers little to anyone else. --Alex Morin« less
This performance, recorded live in New Orleans in April 1950, is notable only for the presence in the cast of the great Swedish tenor Jussi Björling. He sang the role of Riccardo often--Stockholm, La Scala, the Met, and elsewhere--and even coached with Toscanini in 1953 for a performance that was aborted, but he never recorded the opera commercially. Here he is in excellent voice, manly, fluent, and lyrical, especially effective in "Di' tu se fedele" in Act I, with an interpolated high B, and in "Si, rivederti, Amelia" in Act II, with an unexpected and brilliant interpolated high C. Except for the strong baritone of Marko Rothmüller as Renato, the rest of the cast (including Suzy Morris as Amelia and Audrey Schuh as Oscar) is nowhere near his level, and Walter Herbert leading the New Orleans Opera Orchestra and Chorus is no more than adequate. Bits of the performance are missing, and the sound varies from poor to wretched. This release will be valuable to Björling fans but offers little to anyone else. --Alex Morin
CD Reviews
Bjorling fans will relish this
Sue Walter | Vienna, VA USA | 02/06/2003
(3 out of 5 stars)
"I did not know that he sang the Masked Ball, let alone that anyone recorded it until a couple of months ago. This recording is a real treat. True, it has flaws. There are 4 1/2 minutes of static and the other singers are not so hot although they are adequate. But Bjorling comes through clear and silvery and lovely as ever and those who love the great voice will delight in this new and unexpected treat. Imagine a whole new opera with Bjorling after 50 years! Especially such a great tenor opera."
Track Listings (18) - Disc #1