Puccini: Tosca - Nilsson, Carreras, Fredericks, Ramey; Rudel. Los Angeles, 1974

Tosca Giacomo Puccini (1858 - 1924) DESCRIPTION In the 1970s, before Los Angeles had a permanent opera company, the New York City Opera routinely toured to the city. For its 1974 season, the opening night was to have been Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, starring Beverly Sills; however, Sills fell ill shortly beforehand, forcing the company to find a substitute title. They managed to secure Birgit Nilsson and José Carreras for Puccini’s Tosca, treating the audience to a rare intergenerational pairing of artists separated by nearly thirty years in age. By 1974, Birgit Nilsson’s voice had lost some of its earlier flexibility, but it had gained substantially in power, creating something of an imbalance in the dramatic dynamic between her Tosca and the Scarpia of Richard Fredricks. José Carreras, then just 27, delivers a Cavaradossi of exquisite beauty and sublime lyricism; remarkably, he would make his Metropolitan Opera debut in the same role just five days later. Samuel Ramey makes a strong impression as Angelotti, giving this remarkable performance a commanding start. CAST Floria Tosca – Birgit Nilsson Mario Cavaradossi – José Carreras Barone Scarpia – Richard Fredricks Cesare Angelotti – Samuel Ramey Il Sagrestano – James Billings Spoletta – Joaquin Romaguera Sciarrone – William Ledbetter Un Cardinale – Richard Park Un Pastore – Puli Toro Il Carceriere – Don Yule DETAILS Location: Los Angeles Date: November 13, 1974 Conductor: Julius Rudel Catalogue Number: OD 12408-2 Label: Opera Depot Number of Discs: 2 In Mono BONUS Birgit Nilsson in Recital – Great Neck, New York, 1969