Mozart: Le Nozze di Figaro

Giulini, Carlo Maria

ICAC 5157

Ernest Blanc (Count Almaviva) • Elisabeth Schwarzkopf (Countess Almaviva) • Fernando Corena (Figaro) • Elisabeth Söderström (Susanna) • Teresa Berganza (Cherubino) • Giorgio Tadeo (Dr Bartolo) • Edda Vincenzi (Marcellina) • Hugues Cuenod (Dr Basilio) • Hugues Cuenod (Don Curzio) • Piero Cappuccilli (Antonio) • Heather Harper (Barbarina) • Gillian Spencer & Jay Hackett (Two Girls) • Members of the Philharmonia Chorus • (The Royal Festival Hall, 6 February 1961) • This release has been sourced from the Richard Itter archive of ‘live’ BBC recordings. The collection is very important for collectors because it has never been on the market before. Following the archive’s launch in October 2017 with successive releases featuring Beecham, Böhm, Cantelli, Casadesus, Karajan, Menuhin, Monteux, du Pré, Klemperer, Rostropovich and Walter, it has received universal praise from both the classical media and record collectors for the excellent sound and performances. • Carlo Maria Giulini’s celebrated studio recording of Le nozze di Figaro was recorded in September 1959 following a live performance at the Royal Festival Hall a few days earlier. Nearly 18 months later on 6th February 1961 there was another RFH performance but with a substantially different cast from that on disc. Only two roles – the Countess (Elisabeth Schwarzkopf) and Antonio (Piero Cappuccilli) – were sung by the same artists.

CD x 2

ICA Classics

6.05.2019

5060244551572

Diapason: 'Diapason D’or' (2019)
Fanfare: 'Want List' (2019)