TOSCA
Giacomo Puccini (1858 - 1924)
Opera in three acts in ItalianText by Giacosa and Illica after the play by Sardou
Premièr at Teatro Castonzi, Roma – 14 January 1900
21†, 28, 30 January 1955
Teatro San Carlo, Napoli
FOR THE OCCASION OF 55th ANNIVERSARY OF TOSCA'S PREMIER
Conductor: Vincenzo Bellezza
Franco Patané (30.02)
Chorus master: Michele Lauro
Stage director: Vincenzo Viviani
Scene and costumes: C.M. CristiniFloria Tosca a celebrated singer LEYLA GENCER soprano
Mario Cavaradossi a painter VITTIRO DE SANTIS tenor
Baron Scarpia Chief of Police GIUSEPPE TADDEI baritone
Cesare Angelotti a political prisoner ALDO TESSARO bass
A Sacristan MELCHIORRE LOUISE baritone
Spoletta a police agent PIERO DE PALMA tenor
Sciarrone a gendarme GERARDO GAUDIOSO bass
A Gaoler NINO TARALLO bass
A Shepherd Boy SILVIO SANTARDELLI contralto
Time: June 1800
Place: Rome
† Recording date
Photos © FOTO TRONCONE, Napoli [20.01.1955 Dress Rehearsal]
Photos © FOTO TRONCONE, Napoli [21.01.1955 Prémier]
Photos © UGO SARTI, Napoli
BACKSTAGE
1955 JANUARY
IN A COCKTAIL PARTY IN NAPOLI
1955 JANUARY
IN AN OPERA PRODUCTION IN NAPOLI
1955 JANUARY
MİLLİYET DAILY NEWSPAPER
1955.01.27
AKİS WEEKLY MAGAZINE
1955.01.29
STATE THEATER MONTHLY MAGAZINE (No.21)
1955 April
COMPLETE RECORDING
1955.01.25
FROM CD BOOKLET
NOTE DEL PRODTTORE / PRODUCER’S NOTES
Aver deciso di pubblicare in CD questa Tosca di L. Gencer a Napoli nel 1955, certa mente attirerà sul produttore della GOP. moltissime critiche, specialmente da parte di coloro che pretendono dal CD, sia pure "storico", una certa qualità di suono. In effetti la resa sonora di questa vecchia registrazione è piuttosto scadente la posizione sbagliata dei microfoni pone il volume orchestrale davanti alle voci, attenuando e a volte offuscandone l'ascolto: dopo tanti anni la registrazione ci e giunta con un suono "sporco" od in alcuni pundi ci sono dei brevi "buchi". Però, considerando che tutto il materiale pucciniano di L. Gencer a Napoli ci è giunto in pessime condizioni, abbiamo ritenuto di offrire agli appassionati della grande cantnte turca almeno il meno peggio con questa Tosca. Infatti di G. Puccini, negli anni che vanno dal 1954 al 1958, a Napol L. Gencer cantà, oltre a Tosca, Madama Butterfly, Tabarro e Suor Angelica. Delle quattro opere pucciniane esistono le registrazioni, ma le condizioni d'ascolto delle ultime tre sono di gran lunga peggio ri di quelle di Tosca. Quando nel 1954 venne trasmessa radiofonicamente Madama Butterfly, con G. Prandelli come Pinkerton e sotto la direzione di G. Santini, evi dentemente chi ha effettuato la registrazione ha avuto problemi di durata del nastro, perchè improvvisamente dopo triste madre" il sonoro si interrompe e manca tutto il finale. Inoltre, anche se le voci sono in primo piano, tutto il sonn orchestrale è sottoposto ad un fastidioso rallentamento che ne altera la tonalità ren dendo sgradevole l'ascolto. Per quanto riguarda 11 Tabarro, con G. Taddei, e Suer Angelica, entrambe dirette da T. Serafin, vesueto programanate e trasmesse in un'unica serata dell'aprile 1958 a cui seguirono due repliche Sia pure estremamen te interessanti, purtroppo la qualità sonora complessiva non ne consente la pubbli cazione. I probabile che qualche estratto possa venir presentato dalla GOP come BONUS nelle prossime pubblicazioni di opere con L. Gencer. Per quanto riguarda Tosca, si sa che la Gencer la interpretò in Italia solo nel gennaio 1955 e questo è il motivo principale che ci ha convinto ad affrontarne la pubblicazione. I S. Carlo di Napoli era all'epoca letteralmente "al plodi" di R. Tebaldi, che dal 1948 con la sua arte sublime, da Traviata a Tannhauser o Lohegrin, con Wally, Forza, Nozze, Chenier ecc. aveva lasciato un segno profondo nell'animo dei suoi fans partenopei. I quali arrivarono a minacciare la giovane cantante con lettere anonime e faziosità loggionistiche al punto da farle prendere la spiacevole decisione di non cantare pé Popera in Italia. Infatti Tosca, che fu la seconda opera interpretata ad Ankara nel 1952 dopo il debutto con Cavalleria Rusticana nel 1950, venne ripresa dalla Gener a Monaco nel 1955, a Istambul nel 1966, a Vienna nel 1961 ed infine ancora ad Ankara nel 1963. Ora, se Tosca di Napoli ci presenta una Gencer un poco titubante fra il canto roboante dello Scarpia di G. Taddel e le sonorità a volte eccessive del T'orchestra, ma perfettamente aderente al personaggio negli altri momenti e assolu tamente straordinaria nel "Vissi d'arte", quanto ci sia mancata l'evoluzione interpectativa di questo personaggio è dimostrato dal vertice raggiunto a Vienna, dove avemmo la fortuna di ascoltarla. Accanto ad un inadeguato D. Usanow, ma con un intelligentissimo A. Protti pronto a farle veramente da partner con la sua interpre tazione mai al di sopra delle right, abbiamo assistito alla maturazione completa di un personaggio che in altre circostanze avrebbe potuto raggiungere le stesse vette presso i nostri tutri. Dei quattro concerti KAI, ci sono pervenuti quelli del 1956 e del 1968, che viene qui proposto a completamento del seconde CD. Sarà nostra cura alla prossima occasione di includere come BONUS anche quello del 1958.
With the decision to publish in CD this Tosca interpreted by L. Genger in Naples in 1955, the producer will be much criticized especially by people who expect a good sound quality from the CD, even if called "historical". Infact the sound quality of this old recording is rather inferior: due to the incorrect position of the microphones the voices are smothered by the orchestra and listening becomes attenuated and sometimes obscured; after many years the sound in this recording is disturbed and at certain points there are short "gaps". If we consider that the recordings of the operas of Puccini performed by L. Gencer in Naples are in very bad conditions, we will offer those who are fond of the famous Turkish singer at least the best we can with this Tosca. In Naples from 1954 until 1958 L. Gencer sang besides Tosca, Madama Butterfly, Il Tabarro and Suor Angelica by Puccini. The recordings of these operas by Puccini exist, but the listening conditions of the last three are far worse than Tosca. In 1954 Madama Butterfly was broadcasted with G. Prandelli playing the role of Pinkerton and with G. Santini as conductor, who recorded this opera had evidently some problems with the duration of the tape, because unexpectedly after "triste madre" the sound breaks off and the entire "finale" is missing. Moreover, even if the voices are at the top level, the sound of the orchestra is subjected to a troublesome slowdown which alters the tonality making the listening unpleasant. With regard to Il Tabarro, with G. Taddei and to Suor Angelica, both with T. Serafin as conductor, they were put on and broadcasted in one night of April 1958 and then they had a run of two successive nights. These two operas are extremely interesting. / Unfortunately, the sound quality does not make the publication possible. Some excerpts will be probably proposed by G.O.P. as BONUS in the next publications of operas with L. Gencer. As far as Tosca is concerned, we know that Mrs. Gencer played this role in Italy only one time in January 1955 and this is why we publish it. In that period San Carlo Theatre of Naples lite rally adored R. Tebaldi, who due to her excellent art was leaving a deep mark on the heart of her Parthenopean fans starting from 1948 with Traviata, Tannhauser and Lohegrin, Wally, forza, nozze, Chenier etc. Her fans went so far as to threaten the young singer with anonymous letters and faction from "loggione" that she decided not to sing Tosca in Italy anymore. Infact Tosca, which was the second opera performed in Ankara in 1952 after the debut with Cavalleria Rusticana in 1950, was interpreted by L. Gencer in Munich in 1950, in Istanbul in 1960, in Vienna in 1961 and finally again in Ankara in 1963. If Tosca performed in Naples shows us L. Gencer who is a little hesitating between the sonorous singing of Scarpia played by G. Taddei and some exaggerated sonorities of the orchestra, but who perfectly identifies herself with the character in the other moments and absolutely extraordinary in "Vissi d'arte" the fact that we missed the interpretative evolution of this character is proved by the height reached in Vienna, where we listened to her. Beside an inadequate D. Usunow, but with a very clever A. Proti ready to be her partner with is performance without any exaggeration, we have been present at the complete maturation of a character who in other circumstances could have reached the same tops in our theatres. The RAI concertos are four, but we received those of 1958 and 1965, which is proposed here as completion of the second CD. It will be our care for the next occasion to include the concerto of 1958 as BONUS.
With the decision to publish in CD this Tosca interpreted by L. Genger in Naples in 1955, the producer will be much criticized especially by people who expect a good sound quality from the CD, even if called "historical". Infact the sound quality of this old recording is rather inferior: due to the incorrect position of the microphones the voices are smothered by the orchestra and listening becomes attenuated and sometimes obscured; after many years the sound in this recording is disturbed and at certain points there are short "gaps". If we consider that the recordings of the operas of Puccini performed by L. Gencer in Naples are in very bad conditions, we will offer those who are fond of the famous Turkish singer at least the best we can with this Tosca. In Naples from 1954 until 1958 L. Gencer sang besides Tosca, Madama Butterfly, Il Tabarro and Suor Angelica by Puccini. The recordings of these operas by Puccini exist, but the listening conditions of the last three are far worse than Tosca. In 1954 Madama Butterfly was broadcasted with G. Prandelli playing the role of Pinkerton and with G. Santini as conductor, who recorded this opera had evidently some problems with the duration of the tape, because unexpectedly after "triste madre" the sound breaks off and the entire "finale" is missing. Moreover, even if the voices are at the top level, the sound of the orchestra is subjected to a troublesome slowdown which alters the tonality making the listening unpleasant. With regard to Il Tabarro, with G. Taddei and to Suor Angelica, both with T. Serafin as conductor, they were put on and broadcasted in one night of April 1958 and then they had a run of two successive nights. These two operas are extremely interesting. / Unfortunately, the sound quality does not make the publication possible. Some excerpts will be probably proposed by G.O.P. as BONUS in the next publications of operas with L. Gencer. As far as Tosca is concerned, we know that Mrs. Gencer played this role in Italy only one time in January 1955 and this is why we publish it. In that period San Carlo Theatre of Naples lite rally adored R. Tebaldi, who due to her excellent art was leaving a deep mark on the heart of her Parthenopean fans starting from 1948 with Traviata, Tannhauser and Lohegrin, Wally, forza, nozze, Chenier etc. Her fans went so far as to threaten the young singer with anonymous letters and faction from "loggione" that she decided not to sing Tosca in Italy anymore. Infact Tosca, which was the second opera performed in Ankara in 1952 after the debut with Cavalleria Rusticana in 1950, was interpreted by L. Gencer in Munich in 1950, in Istanbul in 1960, in Vienna in 1961 and finally again in Ankara in 1963. If Tosca performed in Naples shows us L. Gencer who is a little hesitating between the sonorous singing of Scarpia played by G. Taddei and some exaggerated sonorities of the orchestra, but who perfectly identifies herself with the character in the other moments and absolutely extraordinary in "Vissi d'arte" the fact that we missed the interpretative evolution of this character is proved by the height reached in Vienna, where we listened to her. Beside an inadequate D. Usunow, but with a very clever A. Proti ready to be her partner with is performance without any exaggeration, we have been present at the complete maturation of a character who in other circumstances could have reached the same tops in our theatres. The RAI concertos are four, but we received those of 1958 and 1965, which is proposed here as completion of the second CD. It will be our care for the next occasion to include the concerto of 1958 as BONUS.
