{"product_id":"il-mito-dellopera-giuseppe-giacomini-recorded-1969-1996","title":"Il Mito Dell'opera: Giuseppe Giacomini (Recorded 1969 - 1996","description":"\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12bi\"\u003eIL \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12biU\"\u003eMITO\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12bi\"\u003e DELL’OPERA—GIUSEPPE GIACOMINI \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"BULLET12b\"\u003e• \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003eGiuseppe Giacomini (ten); Various accompaniments \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"BULLET12b\"\u003e•\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12\"\u003e BONGIOVANNI 1211 (78:31) Live: 1969–1996 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cspan class=\"COMPOSER12\"\u003eBELLINI \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12bi\"\u003eNorma:\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003e Meco all’altar . . . Me protegge. \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"COMPOSER12\"\u003eVERDi \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12bi\"\u003eErnani:\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003e Come rugiada al cespite.\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12bi\"\u003e Il trovatore: \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003e Ah si, ben mio; Di quella pira. \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12bi\"\u003eDon Carlo: \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003eIo la vidi. \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12bi\"\u003eAida: \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003eCeleste Aida. \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12bi\"\u003eOtello: \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003eEsultate!; Ora e per sempre addio; Dio mi potevi scagliar; Niun mi tema. \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"COMPOSER12\"\u003ePUCCINI \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12bi\"\u003eLa bohème: \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003eChe gelida manina; Mimi è un civetta; Marcello finalmente. \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12bi\"\u003eTosca: \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003eRecondita armonia; E lucevan le stelle. \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12bi\"\u003eLa fanciulla del West: \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003eOr son sei mesi; Ch’ella mi creda. \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12bi\"\u003eTurandot: \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003eNessun dorma! \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"COMPOSER12\"\u003eGIORDANO \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12bi\"\u003eAndrea Chénier: \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"ARIAL12i\"\u003eUn di all’azzurro spazio; Credo a una possanza arcana; Si fui soldato; Come un bel dì di maggio \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cspan\u003eIn the Autumn 2009 issue of \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eClassic Record Collector\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e, John T. Hughes wrote, “The first time I saw the splendid but underrated Giuseppe Giacomini was at a recording session of \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eNorma\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e, when he was flinging out top notes in Pollione’s aria as though they were part of an operatic tenor’s everyday conversation.” Fittingly, the first selection on this CD illustrates Hughes’s comment. Bongiovanni issued an earlier CD recital of Giacomini. In the notes to that recording, Fernando Battaglia wrote (translated by Candace Smith), “His excellent technique enables him to overcome any difficulty of tessitura with ease, and to flaunt an excellent legato, indispensable for the execution of that type of phrasing which is invariably noble and expressive.” \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cspan\u003eEven though Giacomini was a fine dramatic tenor, in his career he was not a fine actor, nor was he handsome. Thus he was overshadowed during his career by two great rivals, Mario del Monaco, whom he earlier studied with, and Franco Corelli. Giacomini’s commercial recordings are rare, outside of the earlier CD release on Bongiovanni. There was first an LP issued on the private Legendary label which contained live selections from a Metropolitan Opera performance of \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eLa forza del destino\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e with Leontyne Price, conducted by James Levine, and a CD on the Phoenix label of religious arias and songs. On a complete \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eNorma\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e, he sang Pollione with Renata Scotto as Norma. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cspan\u003eThe selections on this disc are presented in chronological order of the year of the opera’s presentation. The audience responds to the \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eErnani\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e aria with deserved thunderous applause. “Di quella pira” from \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eTrovatore\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e is lowered a half tone. Both the \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eDon Carlo \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003eand \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eAida \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003earias feature the bright shining sound that he had. He first sang \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eOtello\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e in San Diego in 1986. His monologue, “Dio mi potevi scagliar” is excellent, displaying his use of \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003emezza voce\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e and soft head tones in the aria. His version of “E lucevan le stelle” rivals di Stefano’s early recording. He sings the beginning softly, as he should, since Cavaradossi is in a reverie recalling the past. “Oh! dolci baci, o languide carezze” (Oh, sweet kisses and tender caresses) is sung in the head voice as it should be, and when the singer returns to the present at “L’ora è fuggito,” then he should sing \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eforte.\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e Giacomini’s wonderful performance of this aria is, in my opinion, worth the price of the disc. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cspan\u003eAll of the arias from\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003e La fanciulla del West, Andrea Chénier\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e, and \u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"font-style:italic\"\u003eTurandot\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e confirm Giacomini’s excellent technique and bright, vivid vocal quality. The sound is variable, as is usually the case with live recordings, but on the whole quite acceptable. The booklet contains notes and a listing of bands and timings. Anyone who likes fine tenor singing should not hesitate to get this record. Strongly recommended. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cspan style=\"font-weight:bold\"\u003eFANFARE: Bob Rose \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Bongiovanni","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":49706100588824,"sku":"8007068121120","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0687\/4346\/3192\/files\/2354065.jpg?v=1747146147","url":"https:\/\/hbdirect.com\/products\/il-mito-dellopera-giuseppe-giacomini-recorded-1969-1996","provider":"HBDirect","version":"1.0","type":"link"}