The opera's dramatic structure frames and enhances the characters. Scenes of magnificence regularly alternate with scenes of darkness and squalor. From sumptuous interiors, we move to a dark street, a lonely inn. The secondary figures are astutely counterpoised: the plotting courtiers against the...
Ghiaurov, Freni, and Bumbry were great voices in their time, and they are still effective here -- good enough musicians to put over the quite heavy vocal and expressive demands of their roles. Louis Quilico was never quite in that league, and he sounds a bit spread and woofy in places here, but he...
Renowned Italian soprano Renata Tebaldi and Canadian baritone Louis Quilico perform the finale of the second act from "Tosca" in this rare television event, which originally aired in March 1965. Tebaldi also sings Rossini's song cycle "La Regata Veneziana" while Quilico takes over on the finale of...
