Giuseppe Verdi – La Traviata (Arturo Toscanini, RCA Victor Gold Seal Collection, 2-CD Set)

UPC: 0035626030322 

MPN: GD 60303 

Brand Name: RCA Victor Gold Seal

Overview

This historic RCA Victor Gold Seal edition captures Arturo Toscanini’s legendary 1946 broadcast performances of La Traviata by Giuseppe Verdi, featuring the NBC Symphony Orchestra and an outstanding cast led by Licia Albanese, Jan Peerce, and Robert Merrill.

Broadcast live from NBC Studio 8-H in New York on December 1 and 8, 1946, Toscanini’s interpretation of Verdi’s poignant opera combines passionate drama with masterful orchestral precision. This 2-disc mono set, digitally remastered in the early 1990s, preserves the vitality and historical importance of one of the most celebrated Verdi recordings of the 20th century.

Product Features

• Format: 2 Compact Discs (Mono ADD Recording, Digitally Remastered)

• Total Duration:

  Genre: Classical / Opera
  • Disc 1 – 56:09
  • Disc 2 – 46:57
• Composer: Giuseppe Verdi (1813–1901)
• Work: La Traviata – Opera in Three Acts
• Conductor: Arturo Toscanini
• Orchestra: NBC Symphony Orchestra & Chorus
• Recording Date: December 1 & 8, 1946 (NBC Radio Broadcast)
• Original Label: RCA Victor / BMG Music
• Catalogue Number: GD 60303
• Country of Manufacture: Germany
• Copyright: © 1991 BMG Music
• Sound Type: Mono ADD (Analogue to Digital Transfer)
• Includes: Complete libretto booklet

Principal Cast

• Violetta Valéry: Licia Albanese
• Alfredo Germont: Jan Peerce
• Giorgio Germont: Robert Merrill
• Flora Bervoix: Maxine Stellman
• Gastone: John Garris
• Baron Douphol: George Cehanovsky
• Marquis d’Obigny: Paul Dennis
• Dr. Grenvil: Arthur Newman
• Annina: Johanne Moreland

Orchestra and Chorus: NBC Symphony Orchestra & Chorus Conductor: Arturo Toscanini

Interesting Facts

• Historic Broadcasts: These live NBC radio performances mark Toscanini’s only complete recording of La Traviata, representing his deeply Italianate understanding of Verdi’s score.
• Legendary Performers: Licia Albanese delivers one of her most admired portrayals as Violetta, combining lyrical delicacy with dramatic fervor. Jan Peerce and Robert Merrill provide equally compelling performances as Alfredo and Germont.
• Toscanini’s Precision: Toscanini, a contemporary of Verdi, brings unmatched authority and structural clarity to the performance, shaping the opera with both fire and discipline.
• Restoration and Remastering: Digitally remastered from original NBC sources, this Gold Seal release enhances the sonic detail while preserving the authentic broadcast character.
• A Milestone in Recording History: Long regarded as a definitive historical interpretation, this La Traviata remains essential for serious opera collectors and Toscanini admirers.

Publishers

© + ℗ 1991 BMG Music. Distributed by BMG, A Bertelsmann Music Group Company. Printed in Germany. RCA is a registered trademark of General Electric Company, USA. All rights reserved.

We value your feedback! Share your experience with this product to help others make informed decisions. Your review is important to us!

Hashtags

#Verdi #LaTraviata #ArturoToscanini #LiciaAlbanese #JanPeerce #RobertMerrill #NBCSymphonyOrchestra #RCAVictorGoldSeal #OperaRecording #HistoricOpera #BMGClassics #ToscaniniCollection #ClassicOperaCD #VerdiOpera #RareOperaRecording