ANNA MOFFO – THE COMPLETE RCA RECITAL ALBUMS (10 CDs) SONY CLASSICS

One of the brightest stars in the 20th-century operatic firmament, the Pennsylvania-born soprano Anna Moffo (1932 2006) enjoyed a meteoric rise in the 1950s and 1960s that saw her conquer all the major opera houses in Europe and America. After making her Metropolitan Opera début in 1959 as Violetta in La traviata, she went on to appear with the company in 200 performances of 21 roles over a total of 18 seasons, before finally singing her last complete performance once again as Verdi s Violetta and retiring from the stage in 1976.

Specially released to mark the 10th anniversary of Anna Moffo s death, Sony Classical s new limited edition 12-CD original jackets collection, The Complete RCA Recital Albums, finally brings together the 10 recital albums that Moffo recorded for RCA between 1960 and 1974, four of them making their first appearance on CD, newly mastered from the original analogue tapes using 24bit/96kHz technology with booklet notes by Jürgen Kesting and full discographical details.

Mostly dating from Moffo s youthful heyday in the early 1960s, these treasurable reissues include new remasterings of such jewels from her discography as her ravishing recording of Canteloube s Chants d Auvergne (coupled with equally sensuous versions of Villa-Lobos s Bachianas brasileiras No. 5 and Rachmaninoff s Vocalise) under the direction of the legendary Leopold Stokowski and the fascinating double-album A Portrait of Manon, in which Moffo portrays the Abbé Prévost s seductively immoral heroine in contrasting scenes from Massenet s and Puccini s rival settings of the story. Partnered there by the great Italian operatic tenors Giuseppe Di Stefano and Flaviano Labò, Moffo is also featured in two famous collaborations with the 1960s heart-throb tenor (later turned Las Vegas cabaret star) Sergio Franchi: The Dream Duet, an enticing selection of Broadway and operetta hits by Jerome Kern, Victor Herbert, Sigmund Romberg and others; and a starrily cast sequence of great moments from Johann Strauss s flirtatious Viennese comedy Die Fledermaus, sung in a delightfully period English translation.

Rounding off the collection are two compilation discs: an original 1973 album of Great Love Duets from Opera, featuring Moffo in tandem with such famous tenors as Richard Tucker, Carlo Bergonzi and Alfredo Kraus, and now newly extended to include five extra tracks by Verdi and Puccini; and a brand-new compilation of arias from Moffo s various complete RCA opera recordings, showcasing her in some of her most impressive roles: as Eurydice in Gluck s Orfeo ed Euridice, as Serpina in Pergolesi s La serva padrona, as an almost Callas-like heroine in Donizetti s Lucia di Lammermoor, as a notably warm-toned Gilda in Verdi s Rigoletto and, of course, as Violetta in La traviata, the signature role with which she had taken her leave of the stage in 1976.

DISC 1: LSC-2504 The Debut Album – Anna Moffo – Rome Opera House Orchestra – Tullio Serafin

DISC 2: LSC-2675 The Dream Duet – Anna Moffo – Sergio Franchi – Henri René (first release on CD, remastered from the original analogue tapes)

DISC 3: LSC-2685 A Verdi Collaboration – Anna Moffo – RCA Italiana Orchestra – Franco Ferrara (remastered from the original analogue tapes)

DISC 4-5: LSC-7028-1/2 A Portrait of Manon: Massenet & Puccini – Anna Moffo – Robert Kerns – Flaviano Labò – Manlio Rocchi – Mario Rinaudo – Enzo Titta – RCA Italiana Opera Orchestra & Chorus – René Leibowitz (remastered from the original analogue tapes)

DISC 6: LSC-2728 The Great Moments of “Die Fledermaus” – Anna Moffo & Ensemble – Vienna State Opera Orchestra and Chorus – Oscar Danon

DISC 7: LSC-2794 One Night of Love – Anna Moffo – RCA Victor Orchestra – Skitch Henderson (first release on CD, remastered from the original analogue tapes)

DISC 8: LSC-2795 Canteloube / Villa-Lobos / Rachmaninoff – Anna Moffo – American Symphony Orchestra – Leopold Stokowski

DISC 9: LSC-3225 Claude Debussy: Songs – Anna Moffo – Jean Casadesus (first release on CD, remastered from the original analogue tapes

DISC 10: ARL1-0844 Heroines From The Great French Operas – Anna Moffo – New Philharmonia Orchestra – Peter Maag (first release on CD, remastered from the original analogue tapes)

DISC 11: Anna Moffo – Selected Arias from her RCA Opera Recordings (remastered from the original analogue tapes)

DISC 12: ARL1-0165 Great Love Duets from Opera (remastered from the original analogue tapes

Disc: 1
1. Air des bijoux
2. Sì. Mi chiamano Mimi
3. Ombre légère
4. Si, des contrebandiers…je dis que rien ne m’épouvante
5. Bel raggio lusinghier
6. Signore, ascolta
7. Tu che di gel sei cinta
8. Air des clochettes

Disc: 2
1. Sweetharts from “Sweethearts”
2. A Kiss in the Dark from “Orange Blossoms”
3. Lover, Come Back to Me from “The New Moon”
4. You are Love from “Show Boat”
5. Indian Love Call from “Rose Marie”
6. Ah! Sweet Mistery of Life from “Naughty Marietta”
7. Yours is my Heart Alone from “The Land of Smiles”
8. I’ll See you Again from “Bitter Sweet”
9. My Hero from “The Chocolate Soldier”
10. One Alone from “The Desert Song”
11. Someday from “The Vagabond King”
12. Will you Remember from “Maytime”

Disc: 3
1. Vespri Siciliani, Act V: “Mercè, dilette amiche”
2. Ernani, Act I: “Surta è la notte..Ernani, Ernani, involami”
3. Aida, Act III: “Qui Radamès verrà…O patria mia”
4. Il trovatore, Act IV: “Timor di me?…D’amor sull’ali rosee”
5. Giovanna d’Arco, Prologue: “O ben s’addice questo torbido cielo..Sempre all’alba ed alla sera”
6. Otello, Act IV: “Emilia, te ne prego..Piangea cantando”
7. Un ballo in maschera, Act III: “Morrò ma prima in grazia”
8. Simon Boccanegra, Act I: “Come in quest’ora bruna”

Disc: 4
1. Eh! J’imagine
2. Je suis encore toute étouridé
3. Regardez-moi bien dans les yieux! – René Leibowitz
4. Ne bronchez pas – René Leibowitz
5. Voyons, Manon, plus de chimères
6. Quelqu’un…J’ai marqué l’heure du départ
7. Nous vivrons à Paris
8. Allons! il le faut
9. Adieu, notre petite table
10. Enfin, Manon….En fermant les yeux – René Leibowitz
11. Gavotte: Obéissons quand leur voix appelle
12. Je suis seul! – RCA Italiana Opera Orchestra and Chorus
13. Ah! fuyez, douce image – RCA Italiana Opera Orchestra and Chorus
14. Toi! Vous!… Oui, c’est moi!
15. N’est-ce plus ma main que cette main presse?
16. Ah! Des Grieux… O Manon!
17. Le Portrait de Manon: “L’amour, toujours l’amour maudit!” – Giuseppe Di Stefano
18. Portrait of Manon: “On se serait assis sur le gazon”

Disc: 5
1. Cortese damigella
2. Donna non vidi mai – René Leibowitz
3. Vedete? Io son fedele
4. Dispettosetto questo riccio!
5. In quelle trine morbide
6. Oh, sarò la più bella!
7. Taci, taci, tu il cor mi frangi!
8. Manon Lescaut, Act II: Ah! Affe madamigella – René Leibowitz
9. Senti, di qui partiamo
10. Ah, Manon, mi tradisce
11. Il passo m’aprite
12. No! Pazzo son! – René Leibowitz
13. Sola, perduta, abbandonata…

Disc: 6
1. Overture – Oscar Danon
2. Though honesty is said to be the policy that’s best – Richard Lewis
3. Calamity, Catastrophe – Sergio Franchi
4. Alfred! – Here we are, just you and I – Sergio Franchi
5. Propriety, propriety – Sergio Franchi
6. More often than not…Chacun à son goût – Risë Stevens
7. Look at how I look – Oscar Danon
8. Echoes of Hungary! (Czardas) – Oscar Danon
9. Champagne is so romancing, tr la la la – Risë Stevens
10. Oh, mon ami, we’ll meet again – Risë Stevens
11. Happiness, here’s to health and happiness – Risë Stevens
12. A waltz, let’s have a waltz – Risë Stevens
13. Oh, for the life of an actress – Oscar Danon
14. I’m very fond of elderberry wine and sherry – Sergio Franchi

Disc: 7
1. One Night of Love (From the Film “One Night of Love”)
2. Lover (From “Love Me Tonight”)
3. If I Loved You (From “Carousel”)
4. Italian Street Song from “Naughty Marietta”
5. Kiss me Again from “Mlle Modiste”
6. Vilia from “The Merry Widow”
7. Falling in Love with Love from “The Boys from Syracuse”
8. Stars in my Eyes from “The King Steps Out”
9. Strange Music (From “Song of Norway”)
10. I’ll See you Again (From “Bitter Sweet”)
11. Love is where you Find from the Film “The Kissing Bandit”
12. Always

Disc: 8
1. L’Antouènou (Vol. II, No. 2)
2. Pastourelle (Vol. II, No. 1)
3. L’Aio dè rotso (Vol. I, No. 3a)
4. Bailèro (Vol. I, No. 2)
5. Passo pel prat (Vol. III, No. 2)
6. Malurous qu’o uno fenno (Vol. III, No. 5)
7. Brezairola (Vol. III, No. 4)
8. Ária (Cantilena)
9. Dança (Martelo)
10. Vocalise, Op. 34, No. 14

Disc: 9
1. Le balcon
2. Harmonie du soir
3. Le jet d’eau
4. Recueillement
5. La mort des amants
6. En sourdine
7. Fantoches
8. Clair de lune
9. Voici que le printemps – Poem by Paul Bourget
10. Romance – Poem by Paul Bourget
11. Mandoline – Poem by Paul Verlaine
12. La Flute de Pan
13. La Chevelure
14. Le Tombeau des Naïades

Disc: 10
1. La Fille Du Régiment: Chacun le sait, chacun le dit
2. La Damnation de Faust: D’amour l’ardente flamme
3. Hérodiade: “Celui dont la parole….Il est doux, il est bon”
4. Hamlet: Mais quelle est cette belle…À vos jeux, mes amis “Mad Scene”
5. Les Pecheurs de Perles: O Dieu Brahma!
6. Robert le Diable: Robert, toi que j’aime
7. Roméo et Juliette: Je veux vivre dans le rêve
8. Werther: Letter Scene
9. Louise: Depuis le jour

Disc: 11
1. Qual vita è questa mai – Shirley Verrett
2. Che fiero momento! – Shirley Verrett
3. Avvezza al contento – Shirley Verrett
4. Che fiero momento! – Shirley Verrett
5. Stizzoso, mio stizzoso
6. A Serpina penserete
7. Ancor non giunse! – Georges Prêtre
8. Regnava nel silenzio – Georges Prêtre
9. Quando, rapito in estasi – Georges Prêtre
10. Eccola! – Il dolce suono – Georges Prêtre
11. Ohimè! Sorge il tremendo fantasma – Georges Prêtre
12. Ardon gl’incensi – Georges Prêtre
13. S’avanza Enrico! – Georges Prêtre
14. Spargi d’amaro pianto – Georges Prêtre
15. Lo vidi, e’l primo palpito – RCA Italiana Opera Orchestra
16. Gualtier Maldé, Caro nome – RCA Italiana Opera Orchestra
17. E strano, è strano!; Ah, fors è lui – Vito Susca
18. Follie! Follie! Delirio vano – Vito Susca
19. Sempre libera – Richard Tucker
20. Teneste la promessa – Vito Susca
21. Addio del passato – Vito Susca
22. Si. Mi chiamano Mimi – Erich Leinsdorf
23. Chi il bel sogno di Doretta – Francesco Molinari-Pradelli

Disc: 12
1. Bimba, bimba, non piangere
2. Ah! dolce notte, quante stelle
3. La Bohème, Act I: O soave fanciulla
4. Oh, sarò la più bella!
5. Taci, taci, tu il cor mi frangi!
6. Sulla tomba che rinserra – Georges Prêtre
7. Qui di sposa eterna fede – Georges Prêtre
8. Parigi, o cara – Vito Susca
9. Giovanna, ho dei rimorsi
10. E il sol dell’anima
11. Toi! Vous!… Oui, c’est moi!
12. N’est-ce plus ma main que cette main presse?
13. Ah! L’ultima preghiera – RCA Italiana Opera Orchestra
14. Un dì felice eterea – Vito Susca
15. Che caldo! Che sete! – Francesco Molinari-Pradelli
16. Perchè mai cercate di saper – Francesco Molinari-Pradelli
17. Zitti! Non disturbiamoli! – Francesco Molinari-Pradelli