This special presentation features a 1956 recording from the Metropolitan Opera Record Club which presented shortened opera recordings staring lesser known but still great singers that were under contract at the MET at that time. This presentation of Giuseppe Verdi's masterpiece Rigoletto, staring the first African-American man to sing at the MET, Robert McFerrin and father to Bobby Mcferrin, the artist know for his big hit "Don't Worry Be Happy", was narrated by the one and only Milton Cross who was the radio announcer at the time for the Saturday MET broadcasts.
Cast:
Rigoletto - Robert McFerrin
Gilda - Laurel Hurley
Duke of Mantua - Daniele Barioni
The MET Orchestra and Chorus conducted by Fausto Cleva
MORC 214 - 1956
This shortened version of Rigoletto will be followed by the most famous operatic double-bill of all time, Cavalleria Rusticana and Leoncavallo's Pagliacci.
Cavalleria Rusticana:
Santuzza - Giulietta Simionato
Turiddu - Achille Braschi
Lola - Fernanda Cadoni
Alfio - Carlo Tagliabue
Mama Lucia - Liliana Pellegrino
Orchestra and Chorus of CETRA of Turin
Arturo Basile - conductor
CETRA - 1952
Pagliacci:
Canio - Mario Del Monaco
Nedda - Clara Petrella
Silvio - Aldo Protti
Beppe - Piero De Palma
Tonio - Afro Poli
Orchestra and Chorus of the Academy of Santa Cecilia of Rome
Alberto Erede - conductor
GOP ( London) - 1954