Customer Reviews

Anna Moffo - Telecasts from the Bell Telephone Hour, 1962-1967 [VHS]

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For those who recall Anna Moffo's singing, this is a nice reminder of her talent. For those who have not heard her sing, this is a good introduction to her.

The cuts here are from the old "Bell Telephone Hour." They show some of her standard works, and illustrate the virtues of her singing.

For example, her duet with George London, "La ci darem la mano," from Mozart's "Don Giovanni." London is in good form, reminding us of his considerable talent, and Moffo sings well, too. Her soprano voice was rich and lovely to listen to. In roles such as this as well as her specialties in Puccini and Verdi, she was top notch. The interaction between her and London works well dramatically.

There are a series of pieces from one of her specialties, Violetta, from Verdi's "La Traviata." With Nicolai Gedda, she sings the drinking song, "Libiamo, libiamo" and the glorious "Un di felice." Gedda's tenor voice is elegant; Moffo's voice intertwines well with his. From another production, there is the wonderful scene, "Ah, fors e lui. . . Sempre libera." Her singing is right on. She and Renata Scotto were wonderful interpreters of Violetta during this time period. This segment on the VHS richly exemplified why she was so well-reputed.

Then, "La Boheme," another of her major roles. With the stentorian voice of Richard Tucker, we hear the wondrous trio of pieces from Act I--"Che gelida manina," "Si, mi chiamano Mimi," and the rapturous duet "O soave fanciulla." She and Tucker are somewhat of an odd couple on stage, but their voices do considerable justice to these three pieces. The duet is especially pleasing.

Thus, this is a cool compilation of performances from "The Bell Telephone Hour" that provides a good sense of Anna Moffo's talent.