Label: Naxos Historical
Series: Great Opera Recordings
Genre: Opera
Period: 20th Century; Contemporary
Catalogue No: 8.111362
Barcode: 747313336227
Distribution Note(s):
Not available in the United States, Australia and Singapore due to possible copyright restrictions.
Release Date: 02/2011

BANFIELD, R. de: Lord Byron's Love Letter (Varnay, Ribla, Carruba, Carlin, Rome Academy Symphony, Rescigno) (1958)

The RCA Victor recording of Raffaello de Banfield’s 1955 opera Lord Byron’s Love Letter is a true rarity, remaining in their catalogue for only a short time and never reissued on CD before now. Based on a Tennessee Williams play set in late 19th-century New Orleans during the Mardi Gras, it revolves around an eccentric old lady, lost in the past, who displays to visitors an old love letter for money, purportedly by the rakish English poet. The opera was praised by Time magazine for its ‘vocal beauty’.

Tracklist

Banfield, Raffaello de
Williams, Tennessee - Lyricist
Varnay, Astrid (soprano)
Ribla, Gertrude (soprano)
Rome Academy Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra)
Rescigno, Nicola (Conductor)
Carruba, Nicoletta (contralto)
Carlin, Mario (tenor)
1Scene 1: When are you going to learn how to play that piece? (Old Woman, Spinster)06:34
Varnay, Astrid (soprano)
Ribla, Gertrude (soprano)
Rome Academy Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra)
Rescigno, Nicola (Conductor)
2Scene 2: Won't you come in? (Spinster, Matron, Old Woman)06:13
Varnay, Astrid (soprano)
Ribla, Gertrude (soprano)
Carruba, Nicoletta (contralto)
Rome Academy Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra)
Rescigno, Nicola (Conductor)
3Scene 2: Also he swam the Hellespont (Old Woman, Spinster, Matron)03:34
Varnay, Astrid (soprano)
Ribla, Gertrude (soprano)
Carruba, Nicoletta (contralto)
Rome Academy Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra)
Rescigno, Nicola (Conductor)
4Scene 3: Ah! Winston! Remove that silly hat! (Matron, Spinster, Old Woman, Husband)05:43
Varnay, Astrid (soprano)
Ribla, Gertrude (soprano)
Carruba, Nicoletta (contralto)
Carlin, Mario (tenor)
Rome Academy Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra)
Rescigno, Nicola (Conductor)
5Scene 4: We set out in the early morning for the Acropolis (Spinster, Old Woman)03:47
Varnay, Astrid (soprano)
Ribla, Gertrude (soprano)
Rome Academy Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra)
Rescigno, Nicola (Conductor)
6Scene 4: Do you mind if I don't climb any higher? (Old Woman, Spinster, Matron)09:07
Varnay, Astrid (soprano)
Ribla, Gertrude (soprano)
Carruba, Nicoletta (contralto)
Rome Academy Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra)
Rescigno, Nicola (Conductor)
7Scene 4: Stop there! It's quite enough (Old Woman, Spinster, Matron, Husband)05:18
Varnay, Astrid (soprano)
Ribla, Gertrude (soprano)
Carruba, Nicoletta (contralto)
Carlin, Mario (tenor)
Rome Academy Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra)
Rescigno, Nicola (Conductor)
8Scene 4: Une saison enchantee! I mused. Beguiled (Spinster, Old Woman)04:35
Varnay, Astrid (soprano)
Ribla, Gertrude (soprano)
Rome Academy Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra)
Rescigno, Nicola (Conductor)
9Scene 4: Mama, mama - you'll miss it! (Husband, Matron, Spinster, Old Woman)01:32
Varnay, Astrid (soprano)
Ribla, Gertrude (soprano)
Carruba, Nicoletta (contralto)
Carlin, Mario (tenor)
Rome Academy Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra)
Rescigno, Nicola (Conductor)
10Scene 5: Canaille! Canaille! Canaille! (Spinster, Old Woman)04:26
Varnay, Astrid (soprano)
Ribla, Gertrude (soprano)
Rome Academy Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra)
Rescigno, Nicola (Conductor)
Berg, Alban
Büchner, Georg - Lyricist
Ribla, Gertrude (soprano)
Philadelphia Orchestra (Orchestra)
Ormandy, Eugene (Conductor)
11Act I: Interlude - Military Music - Cradle Song: Soldaten, Soldaten sind schöner Burschen!05:41
Ribla, Gertrude (soprano)
Philadelphia Orchestra (Orchestra)
Ormandy, Eugene (Conductor)
12Act III: Aber die Pharisaer brachten ein Weib zu ihm03:53
Ribla, Gertrude (soprano)
Philadelphia Orchestra (Orchestra)
Ormandy, Eugene (Conductor)
13Act III: Ringel, Ringel, Rosenkranz06:11
Ribla, Gertrude (soprano)
Philadelphia Orchestra (Orchestra)
Ormandy, Eugene (Conductor)

Total Playing Time: 01:06:34