This complete live recording is taken from the Met’s historic Saturday afternoon radio performances and is newly remastered from the original January 27, 1945, broadcast. This brand new multi-disc set represents its first official release on CD.
Risë Stevens stars as the title character in what would become one of her signature roles. Ezio Pinza (familiar to Broadway audiences as the originator of Emile de Becque in South Pacific)is Lothario, with Mimi Benzell and James Melton rounding out the cast. Wilfred Pelletier conducts
Composer: Ambroise Thomas
Release Date: 11/01/11
Conductor: Wilfred Pelletier
Artists:
Risë Stevens
Ezio Pinza
Mimi Benzell
James Melton
Orchestra: Metropolitan Opera Orchestra
Ensemble: Metropolitan Opera Chorus
Label: Sony Classical
What the critics are saying:
“Risë Stevens's strengths are immediately apparent – especially her wonderfully rich, spontaneous-sounding use of vocal color and text, which makes her Mignon alive and vivid at every moment.”
Ezio Pinza “…weaves a genuine spell. Virtually every Pinza performance I’ve heard is one for the ages, and this is no exception.”
(Ken Benson, Opera News, March 2012)