Christoph Willibald Gluck: Orfeo ed Euridice – Widescreen Collection (2-CD Set, Restored Stereo Edition)

Product Information

• UPC: 8051773571060
• Product Type: 2 Audio CDs
• Format: ADD Stereo, Digitally Restored
• Duration: CD1 – 76 minutes 47 seconds; CD2 – 53 minutes 39 seconds; Total approx. 130 minutes
• Label: Urania Records – Widescreen Collection
• Catalog Number: WS-121.106
• Recording Date: 1957, Rome, Italy
• Conductor: Pierre Monteux
• Orchestra & Chorus: Orchestra and Chorus of the Opera di Roma

• Principal Cast:

  Language: Italian
  • Rise Stevens (Orfeo)
  • Lisa della Casa (Euridice)
  • Roberta Peters (Amore)
• Original Production: RCA Victor 1957, directed by Richard Mohr

Overview

This captivating 2-CD set features Christoph Willibald Gluck’s landmark opera Orfeo ed Euridice, recorded live in 1957 in Rome, Italy, as part of the Urania Records Widescreen Collection. Under the masterful baton of conductor Pierre Monteux, the opera is brought to life by a stellar international cast including Rise Stevens as Orfeo, Lisa della Casa as Euridice, and Roberta Peters as Amore.

The opera, known for its revolutionary classical style and expressive emotional depth, unfolds over three acts, presenting the timeless myth of Orpheus’s journey to the underworld to retrieve his beloved Euridice. This restored stereo edition captures the rich orchestral textures and dramatic vocal performances with clarity and warmth, making it a treasured addition for collectors and lovers of classical opera.

Product Features

• Format: 2 CDs, Stereo, Digitally Restored
• Duration: Approx. 130 minutes total running time

• Cast Highlights:

  Orchestra & Chorus: Opera di Roma, providing authentic Italian operatic orchestration and choral work
  • Rise Stevens (Orfeo) – Celebrated mezzo-soprano renowned for her dramatic intensity
  • Lisa della Casa (Euridice) – Renowned soprano with lyrical purity
  • Roberta Peters (Amore) – Acclaimed coloratura soprano
• Conductor: Pierre Monteux, known for his refined and expressive conducting style
• Recording Year & Location: 1957, Rome
• Production: Original RCA Victor production by Richard Mohr, emphasizing widescreen cinematic quality

Interesting Facts

• Historic Recording: This 1957 live recording is a gem from the golden age of opera, offering an authentic mid-20th century interpretation of Gluck’s masterpiece.
• Widescreen Collection: Part of Urania Records’ prestigious Widescreen Collection, the release was designed to reproduce the grandeur and detail of original film productions on audio media.
• Legendary Artists: Featuring world-renowned opera stars Rise Stevens, Lisa della Casa, and Roberta Peters, each bringing unique vocal qualities to their roles, making this recording particularly valuable to collectors.
• Conductor Pierre Monteux: Monteux, a maestro celebrated for his clarity and dramatic insight, guides the Orchestra and Chorus with elegance, faithfully realizing Gluck’s classical intentions.
• Opera Background: "Orfeo ed Euridice" revolutionized 18th-century opera by emphasizing simplicity, dramatic expression, and the integration of music and narrative, marking the birth of modern opera seria.

Track Listing

• Act I – Orfeo’s grief and descent into the underworld
• Act II – The trials in the underworld and pleading for Euridice
• Act III – The triumphant rescue and joyous reunion

(Full opera in Italian with original libretto)

Publishers

Urania Records / Manzoni Editore. Digitally restored edition of the 1957 original RCA Victor production, recorded in Rome.

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• Italian: #GluckOrfeoEdEuridice #PierreMonteux #RiseStevens #LisaDellaCasa #RobertaPeters #OperaClassica #UraniaRecords #OperaCD #CollezioneWidescreen #MusicaClassica