Giuseppe Di Stefano: The Early Years

1. L'Arlesiana, opera E'la solita storia del pastore
Composed by Francesco Cilea
with Giuseppe di Stefano

2. L' amico Fritz, opera in 3 acts Ed anche Beppe amò
Composed by Pietro Mascagni
with Giuseppe di Stefano

3. Tosca, opera E lucevan le stelle
Composed by Giacomo Puccini
with Giuseppe di Stefano

4. La bohème, opera Che gelida minina
Composed by Giacomo Puccini
with Giuseppe di Stefano

5. L'elisir d'amore, opera Una furtiva lacrima
Composed by Gaetano Donizetti
with Giuseppe di Stefano

6. Manon, opera Sogno
Composed by Jules Massenet
with Giuseppe di Stefano

7. Les Pêcheurs de perles, opera in 3 acts Mi par d'udir ancora
Composed by Georges Bizet
with Giuseppe di Stefano

8. Werther, opera Pourquoi me réveiller
Composed by Jules Massenet
with Giuseppe di Stefano

9. Work(s) Elegie
Composed by Jules Massenet
with Giuseppe di Stefano

10. Si Vous L'Aviez Compris for voice & piano (or ensemble)
Composed by Luigi Denza
with Giuseppe di Stefano

11. Ninna nanna della vita
Composed by Cesare Andrea Bixio
with Giuseppe di Stefano

12. Santa Lucia for voice & orchestra
Composed by Teodoro Cottrau
with Giuseppe di Stefano

13. Musica proibita, for voice & orchestra, Op 5
Composed by Stanislas Gastaldon
with Giuseppe di Stefano

14. Santa Lucia luntana, for voice & orchestra
Composed by E.A. [pseudonym of Giovanni Gaeta] Mario
with Giuseppe di Stefano

15. Torna a Surriento for voice & piano (or orchestra)
Composed by Ernesto de Curtis
with Giuseppe di Stefano

16. L'elisir d'amore, opera Voglio dire... lo stupendo elisir
Composed by Gaetano Donizetti
with Giuseppe di Stefano

17. L'elisir d'amore, opera La rà, la rà, la lera
Composed by Gaetano Donizetti
with Giuseppe di Stefano

18. L'elisir d'amore, opera Adina, credimi
Composed by Gaetano Donizetti
with Giuseppe di Stefano

19. L'elisir d'amore, opera Venti scudi
Composed by Gaetano Donizetti
with Giuseppe di Stefano

20. Il tabarro (The Cloak), opera Hai ben ragione
Composed by Giacomo Puccini
with Giuseppe di Stefano

21. Il tabarro (The Cloak), opera Dimmi: perché, gli hai chiesto... Vorrei tenerti
Composed by Giacomo Puccini
with Giuseppe di Stefano

Tracks:

L'arlesiana: E' la solita storia del pastore
L'amico Fritz: Ed anche Beppe amo
TOSCA: E lucevan le stelle
La Boheme: Che gelida manina
L'Elisir d'Amore: Una furtiva lacrima
Manon: Sogno
I pescatori di perle: Mi par d'udir ancora
Werther: Pouquoi me reveiller
Elegie
Si vous l'avez compris
Ninna nanna della vita
Santa Lucia
Musica proibita
Santa Lucia Luntana
Torna a Surriento
L'Elisir d'Amore: Voglio dire...lo stupendo elisir
L'Elisir d'Amore: La ra, la ra, la lera
L'Elisir d'Amore: Adina, credimi
L'Elisir d'Amore: Venti scudi
Il Tabarro: Hai ben ragione
Il Tabarro: Dimmi: perche, gli hai chiesto... Vorrei tenerti

Customer Reviews:

You'll Love This.......2002-01-19

Production values are awful, and sound quality is pretty bad. For all the world, it sounds like a silent film piano player with a guy singing...but I tell you, it's just about the greatest thing you've ever heard.

Around the third time I listened to this, I actually began to like the flaws; they became endearing. Reminds me of those 1/4 inch thick Carusso records I started out with, lo these many moons ago. Perfection...? Hell, it's for sure nothing here is flawless. It's just, well...flawless. Giuseppe at his youthful, incomparable best. Strong buy.

The greatest tenor after Caruso at his best.......1999-04-16

This record shows Di Stefano was in his prime at the age of 23 in 1944. Incomparable beauty of timbre, clarity of diction, sureness of interpretation, and amazing technical feats reminiscent of 19th century bel canto tenors. This recording should finally assure Di Stefano of his long deserved place as one of the top 5 tenors of the century.

A priceless musical document.......1999-01-14

This is not simply a collector's item. These imperfect recordings, made by an unknown POW in a war camp, reveal di Stefano's stunning natural talent perhaps even more completely than his more polished later singing. His boyish voice here is glowing, his interpretations fresh and fearless. You simply have to hear his "Mi par d'udir ancora" (better known as "Je crois entendre encore") on this recording, the most compelling account of this aria I've ever heard. He sings it in a full voice, with measured sprinklings of mezza voce, while most tenors just croon this aria in a pitiful falsetto. For me di Stefano, even at his most inexperienced, is the ultimate tenor benchmark.

The greatest lyric tenor ever, at the start of his career........1998-12-27

This is what the tenor voice is all about, there has never been a voice like this. Hear this great tenor at his the very beginning of his career. Listen to the beauty that the human voice can produce. Di Stefano puts everthing into every song/aria on this recording. The quality of sound on this disc may not be great( 2 Stars), but the performance is outstanding. If you are an opera fan, and particularly fond of tenors, this recording is a must.