Leontyne Price (born 1927), a soprano, achieved a world career through Verdi's operas and broke racial barriers with her Met debut as Leonora in Il Trovatore in 1961.
Historical Context
The internationalization of opera, which included a shift to original-language performances, began in Europe in the mid-1950s.
Performer Biography
Anneliese Rothenberger (1924-2010), a soprano, was linguistically and stylistically flexible, performing roles in English at the Met and Italian roles alongside superstars.
Performer Biography
Carlo Bergonzi (1924-2014), a tenor, was a master of legato and musical portamento, particularly excelling in the challenging 'passaggio' vocal range.
Performer Biography
Nicolai Gedda (born 1925), a tenor, was known for his polyglot abilities, speaking multiple languages and mastering a vast range of vocal literature.
Performer Biography
Sena Jurínac (1921-2011), a soprano, was linguistically flexible, singing Elisabetta's scene from Don Carlo in its original language as early as 1962.
Recording & Production
This album features recordings from the archives of the Bayerischer Rundfunk, with various recording dates and locations, including the Kongresssaal des Deutschen Museums and Studio 1 in Munich.
