Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Mignon, opera in 3 acts: Act 2. Addio, Mignon
2. Mignon, opera in 3 acts: Act 3. Ah! non credevi tu
3. Manon, opera in 5 acts: Act 3. Io son solo... Ah! dispar, vision
4. L'Arlesiana, opera: Act 2. Lamento. È la solita storia
5. La Traviata, opera: Act 2. Lunge da lei... De' miei bollenti spiriti
6. Lucia di Lammermoor, opera: Act 3. Fra poco a me ricovero
7. Lucia di Lammermoor, opera: Act 3. Tu che a Dio spiegasti l'ali
8. I Puritani, opera: Act 3. Son già lontani!... Corre a valle
9. Cavalleria rusticana, opera (melodramma) in 1 act: Intanto amici qua... Viva il vino spumeggiante
10. Cavalleria rusticana, opera (melodramma) in 1 act: Mamma, quel vino è generoso
11. Tosca, opera: Act 1. Recondita armonia
12. Tosca, opera: Act 3. E lucevan le stelle
13. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 1. Dovunque al mondo
14. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 2. Addio, fiorito asil
15. Pagliacci, opera: Act 1. Recitar!... Vesti la giubba
16. La forza del destino, opera: Act 3. La vita è inferno... O tu che in seno agli
17. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 2. Una parola sola... Or son sei mesi
18. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 3. Ch'ella mi creda libero
19. Gianni Schicchi, opera: Avete torto!... Firenze è come un alberto
20. Turandot, opera: Act 1. Non piangere, Liù
21. Turandot, opera: Act 3. Nessun dorma

Disc 2:

1. Rigoletto, opera: Act 1. Questa o quella
2. Rigoletto, opera: Act 2. Ella mi fu rapita!... Parmi veder le lagrime
3. Rigoletto, opera: Act 3. La donna è mobile
4. Il Trovatore, opera: Act 3. Ah sì, ben mio
5. Il Trovatore, opera: Act 3. Di quella pira
6. Un ballo in maschera, opera: Act 1. Di' tu se fedele
7. Un ballo in maschera, opera: Act 2. Teco io sto...Non sai tu che se l'anima mia... Oh, qual soave brivido
8. Un ballo in maschera, opera: Act 3. Forse la soglia attinse... Ma se m'è forza perderti
9. La bohème, opera: Act 1. Che gelida manina
10. La bohème, opera: Act 4. In un coupé?... O Mimi, tu più non torni
11. Manon Lescaut, opera: Act 1. Donna non vidi mai
12. Manon Lescaut, opera: Act 2. Oh, sarò la più bella
13. Manon Lescaut, opera: Act 3. No! Pazzo son! Guardate!
14. A la Barcillunisia
15. Cantu a Timuni
16. O sole mio, for voice & piano (or orchestra)
17. Marechiare, for voice & piano (or orchestra)
18. Core 'ngrato (Catari), for voice & orchestra
19. Torna a Surriento, for voice & piano (or orchestra)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #152305 in Music
• Released on: 2003-09-02
• Number of discs: 2
• Dimensions: .26 pounds

Customer Reviews

A fine tenor
Giuseppe DiStefano was a fine tenor in his time. He began his operatic career just after World War II and persevered until the very early 1970s. Included in his career was a partnership with Maria Callas in a number of operas. This CD has 40 different cuts, many of them representing the singer in his prime.

Let's consider some examples of his craft.

"Recondita armonia": This well-known aria from "Tosca" is sung well. DiStefano's rich, strong voice works nicely here.

"Nessun dorma": A different kind of aria, from Puccini's "Turandot." This calls for some subtle singing, and DiStefano does well here. His voice has a consistently lustrous tone from middle to higher notes.

"La donna e mobile": He sings this well, but it seems a bit flat. He sings the notes, but there is not much sense of the Duke. He hits the final high note well.

"Ah, si ben mio": Smoothly sung. Does not stand out as one of the more stirring versions of this piece.

"Di quella pira": A genuine show stopper! This is a spirited version, with generally smooth transitions from lower to higher notes. His voice is almost overpowered by orchestra and chorus near the end, although his final high note is done well. Some, like Tucker and Corelli, could have their voices rise over orchestra and chorus. Still, a nice version.

In the final analysis, this is a nice look at one of the better tenors of his time. He compares well with the top tenors, such as Franco Corelli and Richard Tucker, in this repertoire, although he may not be at their level.

Not Bad, Not Great
For the most part this recording is fair. The Neapolitan songs are very well done and some of the arias from French opera were very nice. The big disappointment is Nessun Dorma from Turandot. In this aria Di Stefano is horribly flat on the penultimate high note that for many makes this aria so exciting. It would have been best if the producers could have found another aria for the collection.