{"product_id":"bjorling-in-puccinis-manon-lescaut-met-1956-paco158","title":"BJÖRLING in Puccini's Manon Lescaut (Met, 1956) - PACO158","description":"overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003ePUCCINI \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003eManon Lescaut\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eLive broadcast performance, 1956\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003eTotal duration: 2hr 13:13\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eManon - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eLicia Albanese\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eDes Grieux - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eJussi Björling\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eLescaut - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eFrank Guarrera\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eGeronte - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eFernando Corena\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eEdmondo - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eThomas Hayward\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eOrchestra and Chorus of the Metropolitan Opera\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003econducted by \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 16px;\"\u003eDimitri Mitropoulos\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fMusicWeb International Review578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fA sparkling performance, capturing the best of Björling’s appearances as Des Grieux in excellent, refurbished sound578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003eNewly released by Pristine in their splendid XR remastering, this recording of Puccini’s third opera and his first great success has claims to superiority over the famous studio recording of two years previously with the same two principals, especially now that its refurbished sound allows us to hear more vividly the drama and immediacy of a live, stage performance which clearly caught fire., Of course both this and the studio version were in mono sound, which means that however well this live broadcast has been refurbished, the sound will lack the velour of modern digital recordings, but Pristine’s engineer Andrew Rose has greatly enhanced its presence by rendering it in “Ambient Stereo”, even if he has been unable to remove completely the papery overlay and distortion in climaxes.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  The cast here is clearly inspired by the extra verve and indulgence Mitropoulos’s conducting imparts to proceedings; the whole performance is irradiated by a special thrust and energy. Perlea made a fine job of the studio recording, but Mitropoulos brings a swing, lift and lilt to this that I hear in no other recording of this most tuneful of Puccini’s operas. My only reservations are that the famous Intermezzo is a bit choppy, lacking the grand Romantic thrust brought to it by Sinopoli and Levine, and the substitution of Met regular Frank Guarrera, fine artist though he was, for Robert Merrill must give some cause for regret, as Merrill was an incomparable Lescaut in that studio version under Perlea. Nonetheless, Guarrera is a strong presence and the supporting cast is really first-rate, featuring half a dozen famous – or soon to be famous – names, like Rosalind Elias, at the beginning of her forty-year career at the Met, and James McCracken – very noticeable as an Otello-voiced Lamplighter. Thomas Hayward is once more an elegant Edmondo, as he was in the 1949 recording; Corena is a burly, vivid Geronte.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  This is the best all-round of the four recordings we have of Björling as Des Grieux, a role he sang only twenty-five times in total over his career but which was surely one of his most successful. There is a good live recording from 1949 on the Naxos label where he is well partnered by Dorothy Kirsten but obviously in inferior sound and another broadcast from Sweden in 1959 where he sings in Italian but everyone else sings in Swedish, which is hardly ideal. There is not so great a difference between them that I would urge anyone to replace the 1954 studio version with this one – both are splendid but certain things like Björling’s top notes are even more striking live here and he is in gleaming, voice throughout, as indeed he usually was right up until his untimely death. For some reason, even though this is two years after their studio recording, both he and Albanese sound more youthful here, live on stage, although she cannot shake off a certain matronliness of tone and a glottal catch seemingly intrinsic to her voice – but what a lovely “In quelle trine morbide” she sings, earning deserved applause. She has such great technique, too: pinging top notes, secure trills, lovely integration of registers – a proper singer. You can hear just how big their voices are when they reach the climax of their duets; neither drowns out the other, both are very audible and it’s thrilling.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  It is also gratifying to hear the ecstatic audience reaction to highlights like “Donna non vidi mai” even if they do interrupt the action – and I know some people like the extra atmosphere imparted by the inclusion of Milton Cross’ announcements; his opening announcement has been included as an addendum to CD2.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  Ralph Moore\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eReview published at MusicWeb International, July 2019\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples\/PACO158.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer's Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\nGiacomo Puccini’s third opera, \u003cem\u003eManon Lescaut\u003c\/em\u003e, premiered at the\nTeatro Regio, Turin in 1893 and was the first of his operas to garner\ninternational acclaim. Musically the opera showed clear evidence of\nPuccini’s growing mastery of tuneful lyricism and his ability to evoke a\nsense of place. The story of a doomed heroine was one that Puccini would\nreturn to with even greater success in \u003cem\u003eLa Bohème\u003c\/em\u003e (1896), \u003cem\u003eTosca\u003c\/em\u003e (1900) and \u003cem\u003eMadama Butterfly\u003c\/em\u003e (1904). The New York\npremiere in 1907 featured Lina Cavalieri, Enrico Caruso and Antonio Scotti\nin the cast, and Puccini himself in the audience, but fell out of the\nrepertoire in between 1929 and 1949.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\nWhen a new Met production of \u003cem\u003eManon Lescaut\u003c\/em\u003e was mounted in 1949 it\nfeatured Swedish tenor Jussi Björling as Des Grieux. Björling learned only\ntwo new roles after branching out from his operatic home at the Royal\nSwedish Opera in the late 1930s. One was Don Carlo, which opened Rudolf\nBing’s tenure as general manager of the Metropolitan Opera in November\n1950, the other was Des Grieux in \u003cem\u003eManon Lescaut\u003c\/em\u003e. Over ten years,\nbetween 1949 and 1959, Björling sang the role just 25 times, but we have no\nless than four complete recordings of him in this opera: the Met’s first\never broadcast of the opera in 1949, a studio recording in 1954, this Met\nbroadcast from 1956, and a bi-lingual broadcast from Stockholm in 1959.\nOnly his Manrico in \u003cem\u003eIl Trovatore\u003c\/em\u003e is better preserved with six\ncomplete recordings. The Met broadcast of 1956 is by far the most exciting\nof Björling’s four recordings, capturing the full range of his vocal\ncolours, his resplendent tone, and above all his passion. The opening aria,\n‘Tra voi, belle’ has just the right degree of lightness and frivolity, but\nby Act 3 ‘Non! Pazzo son!’ is tormented, anguished and replete with as much\ndramatic tension as anyone could want. The duet in Act 4 allows him to\nshowcase his exceptionally beautiful voice (including a soaring, seemingly\neffortless, high C).\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\nBjörling had a complicated relationship with the Met’s management, and one\nmight wish that he had appeared more frequently, particularly in\nbroadcasts. But, on the other hand, this has tended to make the broadcasts\nthat do exist especially precious. Björling appeared only four times at the\nMet during the 1955-56 season, but he was far from idle. He featured on\nNBC-TV in an extract from \u003cem\u003eLa Bohème\u003c\/em\u003e with Renata Tebaldi on 30\nMarch, and was recording the now legendary \u003cem\u003eLa Bohème\u003c\/em\u003e for EMI with\nVictoria de los Angeles under Sir Thomas Beecham at the Manhattan Studios\nin the days just before and just after this broadcast.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\nLicia Albanese sings the role of Manon. The Italian-born lyric soprano’s\nuniquely vulnerable tone made her ideally suited for the most tragic female\noperatic roles. During her twenty-six seasons at the Met (1940-1966) she\nwas best known for her portrayals of Madama Butterfly, Mimì, Violetta,\nMarguerite, Micaëla, and Manon Lescaut. Her musical intelligence as well as\nthe pathos she brings to the part of Manon is wonderfully evident. At the\nsame time the fragility conveyed by her voice does not mean she is outdone\nby her partners, and she readily matches the vocal power of Björling in\ntheir duets.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\nThe other parts are sung by versatile Met regulars. Baritone Frank Guarrera\n(Lescaut) appeared in almost 700 performances at the Met between 1948 and\n1976; Fernando Corena (Geronte) was even more prolific, during his Met\ncareer spanning 1954 to 1978. There are also early appearances by\nmezzo-sporano Rosalind Elias at the start of a Met career that lasted more\nthan 40 years, and James McCracken who would later graduate to roles such\nas Otello, Samson, and Tannhäuser.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\nWhile the Met tended to rely on ‘house’ conductors, who spent the majority\nof their careers at the Met, the opera house occasionally they employed\nconductors with extensive symphony orchestra experience. In the 1940s stars\nsuch as Bruno Walter and Sir Thomas Beecham featured, and in the 1950s\nPierre Monteux and Rudolf Kempe. This broadcast is conducted by Dimitri\nMitropoulos who would have been best known to the audience as the conductor\nof the New York Philharmonic. His operatic experience was extensive. He\nconducted in numerous European opera houses as well as the Met and did\nconcert performances of opera with the New York Philharmonic. He has\ncomplete mastery of the lightness required in the early acts of \u003cem\u003eManon Lescaut\u003c\/em\u003e, while driving the tension forcefully later on.\nMitropoulos also very skilfully allows the orchestra to establish the\ndesolation of the final act.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eNB. Due to the length of the combined first and second acts being almost exactly the length of a single CD we initially cut the opening introduction by Milton Cross for radio listeners. After some thought we reinstated it as a separate bonus track for those who'd like to hear it. For download and streaming listeners it appears in its correct place before the beginning of the opera, whereas for CD listeners it appears as an extra track at the end of CD 2.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Track Listing \u0026amp; Cast578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 18px;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003ePUCCINI \u003c\/b\u003eManon Lescaut\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDisc One\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e1. \u003cb\u003eAct 1\u003c\/b\u003e -  Ave, sera gentile  (4:44)\u003cbr\u003e2. L'amor? l'amor?  (0:57)\u003cbr\u003e3. Tra voi, belle, brune e bionde  (1:22)\u003cbr\u003e4. Ma bravo!  (1:50)\u003cbr\u003e5. Descendono, vediam! Viaggiatori eleganti, galanti!  (2:09)\u003cbr\u003e6. Cortese damigella, il priego mio acettate  (4:09)\u003cbr\u003e7. Donna non vidi mai simile a questa!  (2:59)\u003cbr\u003e8. La tua ventura , ci rassicura  (5:38)\u003cbr\u003e9. Vecchietto amabile  (2:48)\u003cbr\u003e10. Vedete? Io son fedele alla parola mia  (4:02)\u003cbr\u003e11. Non c’è più vino? E che? Vuota è la botte?  (1:45)\u003cbr\u003e12. Di sedur la sorellina è il momento!  (5:21)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e13. \u003cb\u003eAct 2 \u003c\/b\u003e- Despettosetto questo riccio!  (5:30)\u003cbr\u003e14. In quelle trine morbide  (2:46)\u003cbr\u003e15. Poiché tu vuoi saper, Des Grieux  (2:58)\u003cbr\u003e16. Che ceffi son costor? Ciarlatani o speziali?  (2:30)\u003cbr\u003e17. Paga costor!  (1:16)\u003cbr\u003e18. Minuetto  (8:27)\u003cbr\u003e19. Oh, sarò la più bella!  (8:32)\u003cbr\u003e20. Ah! Affè, madamigella  (2:28)\u003cbr\u003e21. Senti, di qui partiamo  (3:08)\u003cbr\u003e22. Lescaut! Tu qui?  (4:32)\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDisc Two\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e1. \u003cb\u003eIntermezzo  \u003c\/b\u003e(5:19)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e2. \u003cb\u003eAct 3\u003c\/b\u003e - Ansia eterna, crudel  (4:48)\u003cbr\u003e3. E Kate rispose al Re  (2:53)\u003cbr\u003e4. All'armi!  All'armi!  (1:41)\u003cbr\u003e5. Rosetta! Eh! Che aria!  (3:40)\u003cbr\u003e6. Presto! In fila! Marciate!  (4:15)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e7. \u003cb\u003eAct 4\u003c\/b\u003e - Tutta su me ti posa  (2:58)\u003cbr\u003e8. Manon, senti, amor mio!  (2:11)\u003cbr\u003e9. Sei tu che piangi?  (4:52)\u003cbr\u003e10. Sola, perduta, abbandonata  (4:04)\u003cbr\u003e11. Fra le tue braccia, amore, l’ultima volta!  (6:56)\u003cbr\u003e12. RADIO Closing announcements  (2:41)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e13. RADIO bonus track - Introduction  (7:09)*\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e(*Appears as track one in download versions)\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCAST\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eManon - \u003cb\u003eLicia Albanese\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDes Grieux - \u003cb\u003eJussi Björling\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLescaut - \u003cb\u003eFrank Guarrera\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eGeronte - \u003cb\u003eFernando Corena\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEdmondo - \u003cb\u003eThomas Hayward\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eInnkeeper - \u003cb\u003eGeorge Cehanovsky\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSolo Madrigalist - \u003cb\u003eRosalind Elias\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDancing Master - \u003cb\u003eAlessio De Paolis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSergeant - \u003cb\u003eCalvin Marsh\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLamplighter - \u003cb\u003eJames McCracken\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCaptain - \u003cb\u003eOsie Hawkins\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eOrchestra and Chorus of the Metropolitan Opera\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003econducted by \u003cb\u003eDimitri Mitropoulos\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eXR remastering by \u003cb\u003eAndrew Rose\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCover artwork based on a photograph of \u003cb\u003eJussi Björling\u003c\/b\u003e as Des Grieux in this production\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLive broadcast of 31 March 1956\u003cbr\u003eMetropolitan Opera House, New York\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTotal duration:  2hr 13:13    \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/thumbs\/PACO158.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers\/PACO158.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fReview by Irving Kolodin, 1956578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eReview of Irving Kolodin in the Saturday Review of Literature:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFor those who value the fine vocal art this is a winter in which the appearances of Jussi Björling have been too few, and decidedly too far apart. It began promisingly, with a Carnegie Hall recital followed by an appearance with Renata Tebaldi at a Symphony of the Air concert. But little has been heard of him at the Metropolitan Opera, which made his recent appearance for a Saturday broadcast of \"Manon Lescaut\" with Licia Albanese all the more notable.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNovember 24, 1958, is a date in the fairly near future, but when it rolls around Björling will have been singing at the Metropolitan for twenty years. To judge from the freshness and warmth, the solidity and ring of the sound he is currently producing, this should be but a waypoint on a singing career paralleled by few tenors of our time. With all respect for those who have done the lion's share of the roaring at the Metropolitan this season, Björling brings something individual, refined, and cherishable into the operatic jungle, which -- to say the least - more should have the opportunity to enjoy.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWith such so staunch a partner as Licia Albanese to give her own skilful version of the heroine and Dimitri Mitropoulos providing responsive leadership, this was the best account of Puccini's earliest masterpiece to be heard this season. Luster and ring are no longer the characteristics of the Albanese voice, but she manipulates it with more finesse than ever and, in such a role as this, with a kind of characterization that puts no barriers between the composer's creation and the audience. Chalk up another strong non-comic characterization for Fernando Corena as Geronte, a capable Lescaut by Frank Guarrera, and excellent efforts in smaller parts by Rosalind Elias, Thomas Hayward, and Alessio di Paolis. Here was an occasion to which the management could point - if it was vulgarly disposed - with pride.578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab4_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f","brand":"Pristine Classical","offers":[{"title":"Ambient Stereo 24-bit FLAC","offer_id":55010072133998,"sku":"iru1789306205048","price":25.62,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Ambient Stereo 16-bit FLAC","offer_id":55010072166766,"sku":"wik1789306205049","price":17.11,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"320kbps Ambient Stereo MP3","offer_id":55010072199534,"sku":"bjw1789306205050","price":13.58,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0915\/3986\/5966\/files\/bjorling-in-puccinis-manon-lescaut-met-1956---paco158_1.jpg?v=1789306212","url":"https:\/\/www.harborviewgoods.shop\/products\/bjorling-in-puccinis-manon-lescaut-met-1956-paco158","provider":"My Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}