February 17, 2021

78 RPMs 8: Giacomo Puccini ~ Butterfly = Licia Albanese

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78 rpm 12" record album front cover detail 
detail photo by Styrous®


Two hundred and seventeen years ago today, on February 17, 1904, the premier of the opera, Madama Butterfly, by Giacomo Puccini, took place at the La Scala opera house in Milan, Italy.     

 
Madama Butterfly poster - 1904
illustration by Adolfo Hohenstein
 

Italian coloratura soprano, Rosina Storchio performed the title role of Cio Cio San at the 1904 premier of Madama Butterfly . . .
 
 
 
Rosina Storchio as Cio Cio San - 1904 
 
 
. . . but it was Italian-born American operatic soprano, Licia Albanese who made the role of Cio Cio San hers when she made her unofficial debut in Milan in 1934 when she replaced another soprano in Puccini's Madama Butterfly, the role for which she would be celebrated. For over 40 years, she sang more than 300 performances of Cio-Cio-San.         
 
 
Licia Albanese as Cio Cio San - 1952
photographer unknown
 
 
Although Albanese has been praised for many of her roles, including Mimì, Violetta, Liù and Manon Lescaut, it is her portrayal of the geisha which has remained her best known. Her connection with that work began early with her teacher, Giuseppina Baldassare-Tedeschi, a contemporary of Puccini, and an important exponent of the title role in the previous generation.       


 date & photographer unknown

 
Albanese appeared with the San Francisco Opera where she sang between 1941 and 1961, performing 22 roles in 120 performances over 20 seasons, remaining in part because of her admiration for its founder and director, Gaetano Merola. I saw her in one of those performances; it was the reason I bought this album.   


 Giacomo Puccini ~ Madama Butterfly
78 rpm 12" record album front cover
photo by Styrous®
 
 
This recording is from 1952 with German composer Frieder Weissmann conducting the RCA Victor Orchestra with Lucielle Browing in the role of Suzuki, her maid and James Melton in the role of U.S. Navy Lieutenant, B.F. Pinkerton.    
 
 
Giacomo Puccini ~ Madama Butterfly
78 rpm 12" record album interior
photo by Styrous®


Although she specialized in Puccini and was associated with his Madama Butterfly more than with any other role, during her career Licia Albanese was one of the most beloved sopranos in the Italian repertoire, specializing in roles that suited her appearance. She was a leading singer with the Metropolitan Opera from 1940 to 1966. Her years at the Met included a number of Saturday afternoon broadcasts. 
   
 
 
 Giacomo Puccini ~ Madama Butterfly
78 rpm 12" record Notes 
photo by Styrous®
 
 
Licia Albanese became a United States citizen in 1945. On October 5, 1995, President Bill Clinton presented her with the National Medal of Honor for the Arts.       

 

  Giacomo Puccini ~ Madama Butterfly
78 rpm 12" record, side 1
photo by Styrous®
 
  
Licia Albanese, aka Cio-Cio-San, died on August 15, 2014, in her home in Manhattan, New York City; she was 105 years old.
       
        
  Giacomo Puccini ~ Madama Butterfly
78 rpm 12" record label, side 1
photo by Styrous®
 
 
  Giacomo Puccini ~ Madama Butterfly
78 rpm 12" record, side 1
photo by Styrous®
 
 
 
       
         
Tracklist:
 
Record 1:

A1 - Licia Albanese, James Melton – Love Duet (Part 1)
A6 - James Melton – Addio (Farewell)

Record 2:

B2 - Licia Albanese, James Melton – Love Duet (Concluded)
B5 - Licia Albanese, Lucielle Browning – Flower Duet (Concluded)

Record 3:

C3 - Licia Albanese – Un Bel Di, Vedremo (One Fine Day...)
C4 - Licia Albanese, Lucielle Browning – Flower Duet (Part 1)

Credits:

    Composed By – Puccini*
    Conductor – Frieder Weissmann (tracks: A1 to A5, B1), Victor Trucco (tracks: B2 to B7)
    Mezzo-soprano Vocals – Lucielle Browning (tracks: A1 to A5, B1)
    Orchestra – RCA Victor Orchestra*
    Sleeve Notes – Radio Corporation of America
    Soprano Vocals – Licia Albanese (tracks: B2 to B7)
    Tenor Vocals – James Melton (tracks: A1 to A5, B1)

Notes:

This differs from Licia Albanese In Highlights From Puccini's Madame Butterfly With James Melton And Other Operatic Arias in being a "Shaded white dog" label. Sleeve credit listed as "Copyright 1954, Radio Corporation of America". 

Barcode and Other Identifiers

    Matrix / Runout (Stamped side 1): E4 RP8309-6S B4
    Matrix / Runout (Stamped side 2): E4 RP8310-6S B1
    Matrix / Runout (Label side 1): E4 RP 8309
    Matrix / Runout (Label side 2): E4 RP 8310          

Giacomo Puccini, Frieder Weissmann, Victor Trucco, RCA Victor Orchestra*, Licia Albanese, James Melton, Lucille Browning – Licia Albanese In Highlights From Puccini's Madame Butterfly With James Melton And Other Operatic Arias
Label: RCA Victor Red Seal – LM-1839
Format: Vinyl, LP, Mono
Country: US
Released: 1954
Genre: Classical
Style: Opera

         
         
Viewfinder links:       
        
Licia Albanese         
Bill Clinton         
James Melton     
Gaetano Merola       
Giacomo Puccini       
Rosina Storchio                
Arturo Toscanini       
Frieder Weissmann      
        
Net links:       
        
Bruce Duffie ~ Conversation w/Licia Albanese   
        
        
        
        
        
       
YouTube links:       
        
Licia Albanese ~ Un bel di vedremo (1953)       
Licia Albanese & Lucielle Browning - Una nave da guerra (Flower duet)    
Licia Albanese & James Melton ~ Love Duet       
James Melton – Addio (Farewell)       
        
        
        
       
date & photographer unknown
        
        
        
        
        
Styrous® ~ Wednesday, February 17, 2021       
       
 
 
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