EMI's 1964 recording of La Boheme is one of the most effective on disc. Thomas Schippers' ability to bring a coherent musical arc to this most episodic of operas makes this version a fully persuasive dramatic experience rather than the series of gorgeous vignettes that it can become in less inspired performances. Schippers had a particular gift for "talky" operas; that's not meant in any way to be pejorative, but a description of the kinds of operas (such as Puccini's, and later Menotti's) where the composer's vocal writing ...
Read More
EMI's 1964 recording of La Boheme is one of the most effective on disc. Thomas Schippers' ability to bring a coherent musical arc to this most episodic of operas makes this version a fully persuasive dramatic experience rather than the series of gorgeous vignettes that it can become in less inspired performances. Schippers had a particular gift for "talky" operas; that's not meant in any way to be pejorative, but a description of the kinds of operas (such as Puccini's, and later Menotti's) where the composer's vocal writing demanded an elasticity of tempos that reflects the most natural delivery of the text. Schippers' sensitive shaping of musical ebb and flow based on the text setting both drives the drama inexorably forward and heightens the emotional realism and intensity of each particular moment, making this a fully engaging interpretation of the opera. A first-rate cast is also absolutely essential, and EMI's is stellar, for the most part. The recording project had been planned around Victoria de...
Read Less
Portions of content provided by Rovi Corporation. © 2024 Rovi Corporation.