The opera with: Elena Suliotis (Santuzza), soprano; Mario Del Monaco (Turiddu), tenor; Tito Gobbi (Alfio), baritone; Stefania Malagù (Lola), mezzo-soprano; Anna Di Stasio (Mamma Lucia), mezzo-soprano; Orchestra e Coro di Roma; Silvio Varviso, conductor.
This early recording features Elena Suliotis still using the old spelling of Suliotis rather than the later Souliotis.
Cavalleria Rusticana is short for an opera, so there was a whole side left over for the Suliotis recital. She created something of a sensation with her early appearances and recordings because of her youth and the quality of her voice, so the recital added a lot of value to this set. None other than tenor Luciano Pavarotti selected the Suliotis recording of Suicidio as one of his favorites (on the album My Favorite Heroines). Suliotis had a brief, somewhat controversial career as a leading operatic soprano (she continued to sing for many years in lesser roles as a mezzo-soprano), though she sang with the finest singers of the day, and these other greats seem to have positive comments to make about the Suliotis voice, at times sweet and lovely, but capable of strong chest tones and some forceful high notes.
Individual tracks are not indicated on discs, but the following excerpts are included:
Side 1:
Mario Del Monaco
O Lola
Elena Suliotis, Anna Di Stasio
Dite, mamma Lucia
Tito Gobbi
Il cavallo scalpita
Side 2:
Orchestra e Coro di Roma
Regina coeli laetare
Elena Suliotis, Anna Di Stasio
Inneggiamo
Elena Suliotis
Voi lo sapete
Mario Del Monaco, Elena Suliotis
Tu qui, Santuzza?
Stefania Malagù, Mario Del Monaco, Elena Suliotis
Fior di giaggiolo
Mario Del Monaco, Elena Suliotis
Ah! lo vedi!
Side 3:
Elena Suliotis, Tito Gobbi
Oh! il Signore vi manda, compar Alfio
Elena Suliotis, Tito Gobbi
Comare Santa
Orchestra di Roma
Intermezzo
Mario Del Monaco, Stefania Malagù, Orchestra e Coro di Roma
A casa, a casa
Mario Del Monaco, Stefania Malagù
Viva il vino spumeggiante
Titto Gobbi, Mario Del Monaco, Stefania Malagù
A voi tutti salute!
Mario Del Monaco, Anna Di Stasio, Elena Suliotis
Mamma, quel vino è generoso
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Automatic sequence (Disc 1 contains sides 1 and 4, A and D; Disc 2 contains sides 2 and 3, B and C).