Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Act 1. Ah! Finalemente!... Nel terror mio stolto
2. Act 1. Dammi i colori! Recondita armonia
3. Act 1. Eccellenza, vado!
4. Act 1. Mario! Mario! Mario!
5. Act 1. Non la sospiri la nostra casetta
6. Act 1. Qual occhio al mondo può star di paro
7. Act 1. E' buona la mia Tosca
8. Act 1. Un tal baccano in chiesa!
9. Act 1. Mario?! Mario?!
10. Act 1. Ed io venivo a lui tutta dogliosa
11. Act 1. Tre sbirri... Una carrozza
12. Act 2. Tosca è un buon falco
13. Act 2. O galantuomo, come andò la caccia?
14. Act 2. Ov'è Angelotti
15. Act 2. Ed or fra noi parliam da buoni amici
16. Act 2. Orsù, Tosca, parlate

Disc 2:

1. Act 2. Floria!... Amor!
2. Act 2. La povera mia cena fu interrotta
3. Act 2. Vissi d'arte
4. Act 2. Ebbene?... Odi...
5. Act 2. Io tenni la promessa
6. Timor di me? D'amor sull'ali rosee
7. Pace, pace mio Dio
8. O cieli azzurri
9. Addio del passato
10. Ebben, ne andrò lontana
11. Act 3. Amaro sol per te m'era il morire
12. Act 3. Parlami ancor come dianzi parlavi
13. Act 3. Com'è lunga l'attesa

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #507152 in Music
• Released on: 2006-05-30
• Number of discs: 2
• Format: Import

Customer Reviews

Beware the sound
I second the review immediately preceding mine. Good performances by all three leads if one could only hear it half-way decently. Warning: sound is muffled and remote and not up to par of other good pirates. Get this CD only if you love Gencer or other members of the cast.
An aside: I wonder if Zeffirelli borrowed some ideas from Gencer's performance when directing Callas in the last series of Toscas - two of which I saw in NYC. Now, pace Callas fans; I am one, too. But couldn't help wondering.

catharsis from Naples
Most opera lovers and connoisseurs associate Leyla Gencer with her towering performances in Donizetti's and early Verdi's operas. And yet one of the XXth century greatest sopranos began her carreer coming from Turkey to Italy interpreting Madama Butterfly and Tosca. While listening to this performance from Naples in January 1955, it is clear the new star was born. I heard and saw many Toscas in my life but I have never heard such passionate, dark and violent second act. Only Callas-Gobbi duo ( if you like Mrs. Callas voice, of course ) can emulate Gencer-Taddei savage confrontation. As Leyla Gencer lover I have many of her recordings but this one, in spite of the sound which seems sometimes strangely remote, is certainly one of those I like the most. Scarpia s sinister character has found in Giuseppe Taddei an ideal interpreter - his "Un tal baccano in chiesa !" is awesome and the seduction scene is simply irresisitible. I was pleased to hear Vittorio de Santis as Mario Cavaradossi - he has nice voice, his "Vittoria, vittoria!" is highly effective and "Lucevan le stelle" sound sincere and not pathetic. I wonder why this fine tenor remained almost unknown.

If you search catharsis and true drama in operatic performance, buy this CD.