Cheap La Gioconda (Music) (Ponchielli, Tebaldi, Bergonzi, Gardelli) Price

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Customer Reviews of La Gioconda

If You Can Find It, Buy It Right Away!
One of the most popular features of the weekly Saturday afternoon broadcasts of the Metropolitan Opera is the opera quiz. Occasionally, the panel members are stumped by a question, and one will usually guess the answer and say "Is it LA GIOCONDA?" The reason this could be an educated guess is due to the fact that this opera's plot is so convoluted, and its history is so colorful, that there is a great deal of legend and lore behind this opera. Unfortunately it is not performed all that often. It is a large opera in scope. It requires six strong singers for its major roles, and has two dance sequences. It also requires large and lavish sets. All of these factors cost money, and since opera is so expensive an art form, some of these giant classics go upstaged today. Still, LA GIOCONDA is a magnificent opera.

LA GIOCONDA has always been a favorite of mine,, and I am familiar with many recordings of the work, with such notables as Zinka Milanov, Maria Callas, and Montserrat Caballe in the title roles, but this recording is without a doubt my favorite. Renata Tebaldi's vocal talents give a haunting and bittersweet quality to the tragic character of Gioconda. Robert Merrill sounds absolutely sinister in his interpretation of Barnaba. Carlo Bergonzi and Marilyn Horne are Enzo and Laura respectively. The chorus is powerful and the lush sounds of the Orchestra of the Academy of St. Cecelia add to the quality of this recording.

Unfortunately this record8ing is not always easy to find, but it is a treasure and is worthy of a great spot in any opera buff's collection.