This volume is the eleventh in a series devoted to Beniamino Gigli’s ‘singles’ – his song and aria recordings not issued as part of complete opera sets. This disc features recordings made during the war, when Gigli’s appearances were for the most part restricted to Italy. Of special note are the excerpts from Mascagni’s rarely heard Isabeau, and Gigli in the role of Don José from Carmen, of which he wrote “I was really in love with Carmen, consumed with longing… Love and despair welled up from my heart and almost choked me… I was Don José.” Unusually, we also hear Gigli as Tonio singing the Prologue for Pagliacci, and a very Italianate rendition of Millöcker’s Nu rein traum, flücht’ger schaum aber doch (released in Italy as the Valzer della felicità/Waltz of happiness). There is also a selection of ephemeral material popular at the time, on which Gigli lavishes all his customary care.