Arturo Toscanini - Verdi: Un Ballo in Maschera (1954) [2009] Hi-Res

Toscanini's 1954 operatic farewell newly restored & remastered

One of the finest recordings of this opera in a stunning XR makeover


Toscanini's final opera performance took place over two concerts at Carnegie Hall, both broadcast live on radio in specially-extended programmes. The original cast included the tenor Jussi Björling, replaced at short notice by Jan Peerce. This performance uses the 'censored text' version of the opera (see below), which moves the setting from Sweden to Massachusetts.

The source discs for this transfer were six LP sides issued as promotional gifts by "the makers of Mobilgas and Mobiloil", who had sponsored the broadcasts. Packaged in an album reminiscent more of typical US 78rpm sets than their LP equivalents, the set includes sleevenotes by NBC announcer Ben Grauer and a montage of press cuttings (see below) reviewing the concerts.

Each of the disc labels includes the words "Air Check" on it, which does raise the outside possibility that the discs do not include retakes Toscanini recorded in June 1954 at his final recording sessions, also in Carnegie Hall, and which are present in RCA's commercial issue. However, this seems unlikely - there is no radio announcer or applause on the recording, and clearly some efforts would have been made to produce the finest quality discs. Without catalogue numbers or further details it is difficult to know exactly when these discs were pressed and to whom they were sent, or indeed how many sets were ever made.

The sides themselves proved to be in excellent condition with the exception of the fifth, which was slightly scratched during the final four minutes or so, some remnants of which may still be apparent. Sound quality is excellent throughout - the close-up microphone technique, whilst holding back much of the ambience of Carnegie Hall, does allow for excellent clarity in both voices and orchestra.

Furthermore, this new transfer has benefitted enormously from XR remastering, bringing fabulous new depth and clarity to the sound and opening it out tremendously, something further enhanced when listening to the Ambient Stereo version, which helps create the sense of space lacking in the original by drawing out ambience from the recording and spreading it subtly across the soundstage. ~Andrew Rose

Tracks:

VERDI Un Ballo in Maschera (A Masked Ball)

Personnel:

Jan Peerce (Riccardo),
Herva Nelli (Amelia),
Robert Merrill (Renato),
Claramae Turner (Ulrica),
Virginia Haskins (Oscar),
George Cehanovsky (Silvano),
Nicola Moscona (Samuel),
Norman Scott (Tom),
John Carmen Rossi (Judge, Servant of Amelia)

Robert Shaw Chorale, NBC Symphony Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini