Customer Reviews

Jussi Bjorling - Bizet: "The Pearl Fishers" Duet / Puccini & Verdi: Duets and Scenes

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If someone were to put a gun to my head and make me pick only one favorite Jussi Bjorling CD ... I would probably be dead. With unsurpassable work in a wide variety of repertory from French and Italian opera to German leider to Scandinavian song to popular "chestnuts" both in studio and live performance, one choice from the great Swedish tenor is near impossible. Still, this classic disc of operatic duets would be a top contender, not only for Bjorling's miraculous singing but also for equally splendid contributions from deservedly legendary colleagues.

The centerpiece of this disc is five duets recorded by RCA in 1950 with Bjorling and one of his most frequent stage partners at the Metropolitan Opera, baritone Robert Merrill. While this great American does have competition for the title of "Greatest Baritone of the Twentieth Century", I don't think any of the other contenders can match him for sheer beauty of voice. The title track, "Au fond du temple saint", is probably the most famous tenor-baritone duet in operatic history. This rendition has won just about every classical music and operatic poll for "Best Recording Ever", and no wonder.The blending of Bjorling's and Merrill's voices is so beautiful that it sounds like a duet between two Stradivarii, a violin and a cello, and is suffused with their real-life close friendship. While this has been sung with better French diction and it's a pity that the central section of the duet ("Elle fuit!...Elle fuit! Mais dans mon ame soudaine") is cut, when you hear these voices shining with love and sincerity, none of that matters.

"Don Carlo" is my favorite opera and it is tragic that the aria "Io l'ho perduta!" and the following scene with Rodrigo is the only evidence on commercial recordings of what may have been Bjorling's greatest stage assumption. In fact, the recording sessions for this shortly preceded Bjorling's and Merrill's first Met performances in the opera. Bjorling perfectly captures Carlo's anguish and idealism, and Merrill's rich tones give his revolutionary true nobility. Likewise, "Solenne in quest'ora" from "La Forza Del Destino" makes one wish that Bjorling and Merrill had recorded the entire opera. At least the two singers did make a complete recording of "La Boheme" that is a serious candidate for the greatest opera recording ever made. Just as in that "Boheme", recorded six years after these sessions, the "O, Mimi tu piu non torni" here is full of cheerful banter, sweet nostalgia, passion, and resignation.

Even these magnificent interpretations, however, pale before the monumental Act II "Otello" duet "Si, pel ciel marmoreo giuro" which (understandably) concludes the CD. Not even the deservedly lauded rendition by Enrico Caruso and Titta Ruffo is quite this extraordinary. The way that Bjorling makes the high A of "morte" blaze and sings "sterminator" almost two octaves lower with equal aplomb will likely make your hair stand on end. His cry of "Sangue! Sangue! SANGUE!" is, well, bloodcurdling, and he and Merrill together make the drama just explode.

Interspersed among these five duets are four selections taken from complete RCA opera recordings featuring Bjorling. The great Croatian Zinka Milanov, perhaps second only to Rosa Ponselle as my favorite dramatic soprano, partners a heroic and genuinely loving Bjorling in the love duet from Act I of "Tosca" and the Tomb Scene from "Aida". In both selections Milanov provides not only a voice of unparalleled beauty, richness and depth, but also the exquisite piano singing that made her famous. In the Tomb Scene the two singers' final, pianissimo B flat on the "si schiude il ciel" which concludes the opera is enough to send anyone - least of all Aida and Radames - to heaven. Des Grieux in "Manon Lescaut" is perhaps Bjorling's greatest complete role on commercial recordings, which is saying a great deal. In the Act II confrontation between Des Grieux and Manon, Bjorling paints every word with deep and specific feeling, and the rapport between him and the great Italian soprano Licia Albanese is electric. Albanese has an odd trick to her vibrato that makes her sound older than ideal for Manon, despite the beauty and freshness of the voice itself, but if anything this only adds drama and urgency to her portrayal. In the the "Signore, ascolta!...Non piangere, Liu" sequence from "Turandot", Bjorling provides far more sensitivity and nuance to his Calaf than most interpreters of the role do - note, for example, the exquisite tenderness of "dolce mia fanciulla". The "unshed tear" quality of his voice is perfect for "the man who smiles no more". Renata Tebaldi's radiant, heartfelt Liu, who spins out long phrases and creamy tone, is an ideal partner.

The singers are lucky to have such fine conductors as Erich Leinsdorf ("Tosca" and "Turandot") and the underrated Jonel Perlea ("Manon Lescaut" and "Aida"). However, Renato Cellini, who handles the Bjorling/Merrill collaborations, is often competent but rarely exciting. The Rome Opera Chorus provides excellent contributions to the "Turandot" and "Aida" excerpts, and the supporting singers - particularly Fedora Barbieri's glorious Amneris and Giorgio Tozzi's sympathetic Timur - are outstanding.

Especially considering its low price, this is probably the best disc one can buy to introduce a newcomer to the world of opera. In this light, it is unfortunate that it includes no texts or translations, but there are some brief notes on Bjorling and synopses of each selection by producer Richard Mohr (in English, French, German, and Italian), as well as photographs of all the singers. About the only reason not to buy this particular CD is the availability of the material elsewhere, primarily on RCA's 2-CD set "The Ultimate Bjorling Collection" . After buying this, you must also get the complete operas excerpted here, and then start dipping into the growing number of solo discs available of these four incredible singers. No music collection, let alone opera collection, can afford to be without them.

Here's a true story: 40 years ago a man's driving his car,; "The Pearl Fisher" duet comes on the radio; the man pulls over and is brought to tears. 30 years later the same thing happens to that man's son - by the same song, same singer.

Jussi Bjorling (and Robert Merrill) sing about loving the same woman but putting aside that to remain friends. I know of no men singing that can create more sublime music as this. Also transcendent is the third song ("Io l'ho perduta" from Don Carlo). I don't have translated lyrics but when they get to "liberta" - that leaves me in a puddle.

I don't care what you normal musical preference is for; if you are unaffected by Jussi Bjorling, sell your ears to someone who'll use them

In January 1951, Jussi Björling - who posessed the most perfectly developed singing voice in history - recorded duets with the American baryton Robert Merrill. Although Björling had never sung the Pearlfishers duet before, his first and only recording of it became a landmark in the record-history. The free and completely unstrained notes that flows from his perfect instrument are without paralell. The beauty is breathtaking and his singing is divine throughout. Mr.Merrill has his share of the glory, but it is Björling who makes the experience sublime.
In other duets like Don Carlo and Otello, he gives a lesson in dramatic singing to all dramatic tenors; del Monaco, Corelli, Domingo, Bergonzi et al. These classic duet recordings are mixed with later recordings when Björlings voice was darker, but his art and interpretation had developed even further. In the Nile scene from Aida, he sings so beautiful with Milanov that it is a sheer bliss from beginning to end.
When or if RCA decides to make transfers of these fantastic recordings from the original mastertapes which will add to these recordings more beauty, fullness, clarity, dynamic range and vocal nuance, then they will be in every true music lovers cd-collection.

Jussi Bjoerling died in 1960, but his throne has remained vacant. Granted, the accomplishments of Tucker, di Stefano, del Monaco, Bergonzi, Domingo, Pavarotti, Gedda, and Carreras have all been respected, applauded, and well documented in opera lore. But it is Jussi Bjoerling who many remember and consider to have been the true successor of Enrico Caruso (an opinion also voiced by Caruso's widow). On the basis of this recording alone, that opinion is greatly validated. There are no individual tenor arias here: all cuts feature Bjoerling in scenes and duets with some of the greatest fellow artists of his time. Robert Merrill, the Met's prime baritone after Leonard Warren, partners Bjoerling in the duets from "The Pearl Fishers", "Don Carlo", and "Otello". Originally recorded by RCA in 1950, they are sonically fine and very beautifully performed. The "Otello" duet represents something of an experiment: Bjoerling as Otello may have been an interesting possibility but it is doubtful that he would have ever been able to sustain such a heavy role onstage. The remaining items are taken from complete recordings that Bjoerling made in the 1950's ----- all of which are currently available. From the 1954 recording of Puccini's "Manon Lescaut" comes the Act Two love duet with Licia Albanese, passionately performed (though Albanese sounds rather dry of voice) and intensely projected. The great Slavic soprano Zinka Milanov partnered Bjoerling on the complete RCA "Aida" of 1955, and the 1957 "Tosca" (also RCA). Both are sung with great vocal beauty by both Bjoerling and Milanov, whose voices in duet constituted something very close to ideal. Lastly, the finale of Act I of "Turandot", with Renata Tebaldi, who sounds every bit as good as she ever would. With Bjoerling as the centerpiece, surrounded by the likes of Milanov, Tebaldi, Merrill, and Albanese, one can have a pretty fair picture of just HOW great and wonderful operatic singing was in the 1950's.This disc is an absolute must.

Jussi Bjorling is usually listed as one of the greatest tenors of all times, and is always thought to be a tenor who died too young. Fortunately we have quite a few recordings of his work, and this recording of excerpts is a great treasure. It contains duets and scenes from great operas and Bjorling is paired in the recordings with some of the greatest starts of his day including Robert Merrill, Renata Tebaldi, Zinka Milanov, and Lucia Albanese. Opera excerpts included in the recording are TURANDOT, THE PEARL FISHERS, AIDA, LA FORZA DEL DESTINO, LA BOHEME, OTELLO, MANON LESCAUT, DON CARLO, and TOSCA. While each excerpt is exceptional, and each person paired with Bjorling is a perfect match, the outstanding track on this recording has to be "Au Fond du Temple Saint" from THE PEARL FISHERS. Bjorling is paired with Robert Merrill and is considered by many to be the best recording of this work.

It should be noted that this is an historical recording, and most of the pieces were recorded in the 1950's, so the sound quality is not the greatest, but given the talent on the disc, this is easily excused.

What can one say about this album? To my ears, Jussi Bjoerling ranks as the greatest tenor who ever stood before a microphone. Robert Merrill was certainly the leading American baritone of his time. Their duets together, especially the famous one from "The Pearl Fishers" are models of their kind. Soprano Zinka Milanov, one of the great dramatic sopranos of the twentieth century, is heard with Bjoerling in the Act I duet from "Tosca", which is beautifully vocalized, and in the Tomb Scene from "Aida" (from the complete recording they made), which might well qualify as one of the most beautiful vocal documents ever preserved on records. The "Manon Lescaut" duet with Licia Albanese is exciting and pulsates with drama. Finally, the "Turandot" scene - in addition to Bjoerling, features the sublime Tebaldi in her most creamy vocal estate. To go into great detail about ANY of the items on this recording is very difficult. It is far easier to sit back, relax, and to experience this feast of vocal riches.

I bought this album many years ago on LP (slightly different contents) and then rushed out to buy it when I started acquiring CDs. It remains one of my most cherished recorded possessions.

Bjoerling and Merrill are both among my all-time favorites. When their voices are blended together, the whole is even greater than the sum of the parts. They complement each other as few other duos in history, and certainly are the ultimate among the many other tenor/baritone albums that are available.

The most notable selections, in my opinion, are the Pearlfishers and Don Carlos tracks. The Otello duet is painful to hear when you realize that Bjoerling's tragically early death prevented him from ever performing the role or recording any other extracts (as far as I know).

This CD certainly belongs in any operatic collection and on any list of opera essentials.

I only have a few comments to add to Joy Fleisig's excellent review, which I agree with almost to a "t".

The only cut I don't like on the album is from Manon Lescaut (Oh, saro la piu bella.) Licia Albanese was the Met's house Puccini soprano for several decades, and while she was an estimable singer, was not one of the truly great voices of the day. Her voice here sounds old and heavy and delicate at once (although she must have been in her early 40's or so) and is a poor match for Bjorling's.

Milanov, a more dramatic soprano, somehow sounds great with Bjorling in her two tracks.

Renata Tebaldi was a singer of enormous power and stage presence, whose claim to greatness was her live performance. Every generation has them -- I would compare her to Alfredo Krause, who could really ring the rafters, but was rarely recorded. Tebaldi's power tends to turn to screechiness on recordings. In the wonderful aria/sextet from "Turandot", however, she sounds quite good (and Bjorling sounds fantastic), especially in the sextet "Non Piangere Liu" (Don't cry, Liu). I love this part of Turandot and it is done brilliantly here, although the recording quality loses some complexity and subtlety, especially from the orchestra and background singers.

Robert Merrill, Bjorling's primary partner on this compilation, is in fabulous voice throughout. The five cuts in which he appears are the most brilliant on the CD and the reason to buy it.

My nomination for most inspired duet would be the final cut from "Otello". Bjorling and Merrill are on fire, and this is surely the best recording of the duet available. Otello was not part of Bjorling's repertoire. Perhaps the newness of it drove him to a high emotional state when in the studio.

I will also add, what is the deal with "Au fond du temple saint" making men cry? It brought me to tears -- a rare event -- the first few times I heard it, and I can't explain why.

The beautiful main duet from Bizet's "The Pearlfishers" ("Au fond du temple saint") is the centerpiece of this disc, that also features pieces from "Aida", "Tosca", "Turandot" and "Otello", amongst others by Puccini and Verdi.

Legendary opera stars Robert Merrill, Zinka Milanov, Licia Albanese and Renata Tebaldi have the kind of voices that one rarely hears these days in opera. It's such a pleasure to know that these singers have received immortality thanks to CD reissues like this one. As other reviewers have noted, these recordings have great historical value but don't expect miracles with the overall sound quality.

[RCA/BMG Classics GD87799]

Bjoerling never misses his pitch, never struggles with any note in his repertoire, never runs out of breath, and most importantly, never fails to makes any note perfectly beautiful. Bjoerling's supporting cast are immortalized by their association with this incomparable singer. Every track in this album is historically as well as artistically precious.