Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924)
Madama Butterfly
Cio-Cio-San – Victoria de los Ángeles (soprano)
Pinkerton – Jussi Björling (tenor)
Sharpless – Mario Sereni (baritone)
Suzuki – Miriam Pirazzini (mezzo-soprano)
Chorus & Orchestra of Rome Opera House/Gabriele Santini
rec. 1959, Rome. Stereo XR remastering
Reviewed as Stereo 24-bit FLAC download
Pristine Audio PACO214 [2 CDs: 137]
This Pristine XR Remastering of de los Ángeles’ second 1959 recording of Madama Butterfly has already been favourably reviewed twice before in these pages, once by Ralph Moore (review) and once by Morgan Burroughs (review), and I can add little to what they have said. We have de los Ángeles in one of her best and most persuasive roles and Björling singing with golden tone. In Pristine’s newly re-mastered transfer of the stereo original, surely this is self-recommending, and who am I to disagree? I should mention, however, that there is an earlier 1955 de los Ángeles recording, in mono sound, with Di Stefano as Pinkerton, Gobbi as Sharpless and conducted by Gianandrea Gavazzeni, which, in some ways, surpasses this performance. It is available at super bargain price from the Regis label and was favourably reviewed by Christopher Howell here.
That earlier recording’s chief asset is the conductor, Gavazzeni, who makes far more of the score than the rather dull and prosaic Santini, and it makes me realise how important the role of the conductor is in Puccini. Indeed, all the best sets have benefited from a great conductor; Karajan, for both Callas and Freni, Serafin for Tebaldi, Barbirolli for Scotto and Pappano for Gheorghiu. Even if Santini has at his disposal an excellent cast, Gavazzeni’s is just as good, and in some respects even better. Björling, for Santini, sings with golden tone, but is just a trifle stiff. This was to be Björling’s last recording, and the heart condition, which would end his life at the early age of 49, was already apparent. Indeed, he collapsed during one recording session of the Act I love duet and needed several days to recover before he was able to continue. This could account for his relative stiffness. Di Stefano, on the other hand creates a real character. Carelessly charming in his exchanges with Sharpless and genuinely seductive in the love duet, he is suitably devastated by what he has done in the last act. I don’t see Pinkerton as a villain or an out-and-out cad. He is just an impulsive young man, who gives little thought to his actions at the beginning of the opera. Young men like him are ten a penny on any American college campus and Di Stefano portrays him to the life.
Sereni is a sympathetic Sharpless for Santini, but Gobbi, for Gavazzeni, surpasses him in verbal acuity and de los Ángeles is in slightly fresher voice in the earlier recording, though the difference is marginal.
What is not in doubt is the improved sound picture in the later stereo recording, especially in Pristine’s remastering, which opens up the sound quite a bit. I should also mention that Pristine as usual provide downloads of the full score and libretto, whereas the Regis issue of the earlier recording just comes with notes and a synopsis. Whichever version you go for, you will get one of the most touching Butterflies on disc.
Philip Tsaras
Previous review: Ralph Moore (June 2024) ~ Morgan Burroughs (August 2024)
Availability: Pristine Classical
Other cast
Kate Pinkerton – Silvia Bertona (mezzo-soprano)
Goro – Piero De Palma (tenor)
Il principe Yamadori – Arturo La Porta (baritone)
Lo zio Bonzo – Paolo Montarsolo (bass)
Il commissario imperiale – Antonio Sacchetti (bass)
Yakusidè – Bonaldo Giaiotti (bass)
L’ufficiale del Registro – Paolo Caroli (bass)
La madre di Cio San – Vera Magrini (mezzo-soprano)
La zia – Nina De Courson (soprano)
La cugina – Silvia Bertona (soprano)
