Description:

Buenos Aires was a haven for Italian opera in the sixties.  The Argentinians had a voracious appetite for opera and they clearly were not disappointed on this occasion.  Richard Tucker, already in his fifties, sings the Duke with vocal ease and ringing spinto high notes.   He is joined by Renata Scotto who sings with innocence in the first acts and then is able to muster up amazing reserves of power for the storm scene.  Cornell MacNeil may have had one of the biggest baritone voices ever.  In the sample that I have provided below, listen to the size of the note when he sings “E follia.”  Amazing!

OD 10073-2