This is a lovely souvenir of a bygone era and style, and it’s also a delightful performance in its own right. Filmed in somewhat faded black-and-white with provincial sets by RAI, Milan in 1954, it presents four important singers of the era, all at their best (particularly the men). They’re all lip-synching, but I believe they’re also singing, so it rarely looks artificial and it’s very well done. The camera angles and approach are primitive-TV, but it’s still charming.
The true star is tenor Cesare Valletti as Nemorino, who looks truly stupid early on, but who nevertheless sings like an angel throughout. The voice was smallish but perfectly focused, he never strove for top notes he didn’t have, and he always sang like a gentleman. The sound itself is sweet and his diction and phrasing are impeccable. With the natural tear he has in his voice, he’s ideal for this lachrymose guy; it’s a darling portrayal. “Una furtiva lagrima” is sung with a luscious legato and meltingly beautiful tone.
Adina is the soprano Alda Noni. Though only 38 at the time, she looks old-fashioned, and despite being something less than a genius impersonator, she charms and convinces with her chirpy sound. Renato Capecchi is the puffed-up Belcore, singing with a rich baritone and cavorting with great presence. Giuseppe Taddei takes the role of Dulcamara away from the buffo basses and gives us a ringing, vivid, funny performance. Mario Rossi is the sympathetic conductor. There are no subtitles and the sound is as good as any 50-year-old recording can be. This is a delight–a reading that captures the opera’s magic.
