Composer(s): Not Applicable, na
Artist(s): Kay, Graeme
Label: Naxos Educational
Series: A Life
Genre: Music Biographies
Catalogue No: 8.558148-51
Barcode: 0636943814826
Distribution Note(s):
Not available in the United States due to possible copyright restrictions.
Release Date: 03/2004

Gigli: Beniamino Gigli - A Life in Words and Music (KAY)

Tracklist

Disc 1
Not Applicable, na
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
1'I was born with a voice and very little else...' / Ponchielli: 'Cielo e mar' from La Gioconda - 191805:22
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
2Family background05:20
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
3Gigli's stage debut and poverty-stricken start06:36
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
4Puccini: 'O soave fanciulla' from La Bohème - 191903:36
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
5Service in the household of Countess Spannocchi03:19
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
6Donizetti: 'Spirto gentil' from La favorita - 191804:03
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
7Colonel Delfino, and Giovanni Zerri's legal agreement05:01
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
8Cannio: O surdato 'nnammurato - 191802:26
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
9A hospital visit and a scholarship02:18
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
10Mascagni: 'Ah! ritrovarla nella sua capanna' from Lodoletta - 191803:42
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
11Gigli graduates and makes his debut; he goes for the high B flat06:31
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
12Puccini: 'E lucevan le stelle' from Tosca - 191802:56
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
13Marriage, Rome and a tour to Spain04:13
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
14Mascagni: 'Apri la tua finestra!' from Iris - 191802:35
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
15A letter from Fred Gaisberg of HMV04:15
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
16Mascagni: 'Mamma, quel vino e generoso' from Cavalleria rusticana - 191904:18
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
17Gigli conquers South America, and receives an offer from the Met03:35
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
18Metropolitan Opera debut in Mefistofele04:42
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
19Boito: 'Giunto sul passo estremo' from Mefistofele - 192103:27
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
Disc 2
1The critics' verdict, and more performances04:41
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
2Donizetti: 'Tombe degl'avi miei' from Lucia di Lammermoor - 192704:40
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
3Gigli's fate becomes entwined with Caruso's07:30
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
4Giordano: 'Un di all'azzurro spazio' from Andrea Chenier - 192204:26
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
5Who will be Caruso's successor?05:49
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
6Verdi: 'De'miei bollenti spiriti' from La traviata - 192804:22
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
7Life forms a regular pattern, and Gigli learns to sing in foreign languages02:06
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
8Lalo: 'Vainement, ma bien aimee' from Le Roi d'Ys - 192203:26
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
9Manon at the Met00:57
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
10Massenet: 'O dolce incanto' from Manon - 193103:36
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
11Catalani's Loreley00:50
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
12Catalani: 'Nel verde maggio' from Loreley - 192302:28
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
13Summer in Italy, then back to New York and some physical training04:33
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
14Gounod: 'Ah! ne fuis pas encore!' from Romeo et Juliette - 192302:14
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
15Honorary Captain of the NYPD02:22
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
16Meyerbeer: 'O paradiso' from L'Africaine - 192803:57
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
17Flourishing finances and professional rivalries04:49
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
18Crushing remarks; the attraction of radio03:40
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
19Sullivan: The Lost Chord - 193104:29
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
20A new decade, and the honour of playing Nemorino at the Met01:31
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
21Donizetti: 'Quanto e bella' from L'elisir d'amore - 192502:52
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
Disc 3
1Debuts in Paris and London, and London's critical reception04:43
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
2Flotow: 'M'appari' [Ach! So fromm] from Mata [Martha] - 192903:39
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
3Crisis: the death of Gigli's mother, and tension at the Met03:44
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
4Departure from the Met04:28
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
5America's loss is Europe's gain06:40
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
6Speech: Gigli in an interview at the Savoy Hotel, London - 194600:43
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
7Cherished London reviews01:41
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
8Leoncavallo: 'No, Pagliacci non son!' from Pagliacci - 193403:14
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
9Recording reflects the drama01:08
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
10Leoncavallo: 'Suvvia, così terribile' from Pagliacci - 193402:57
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
11Touring, Gigli's working relationships, and a new turn of events05:59
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
12De Curtis: Non ti scorder di me - 193503:17
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
13Film popularity, Hitler and Goebbels, and the Caracalla tradition04:44
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
14Puccini: 'Che gelida manina' from La Bohème - 193804:25
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
15Voice expert John Steane's recommendation00:28
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
16Puccini: ' O soave fanciulla' from La Bohème - 193803:34
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
17A new recording of Tosca02:41
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
18Puccini: 'Recondita armonia' from Tosca - 193802:49
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
19Patience and hard work produce 'a perfrect set of master recordings'02:36
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
20Puccini: 'E lucevan le stelle' from Tosca - 193802:41
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
21A return to America and the Met04:34
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
22Verdi: 'Ingemisco' from the Requiem - 193903:39
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
23The recording of Madama Butterfly00:37
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
24Puccini: Closing moments of Act I, Madama Butterfly - 193904:18
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
Disc 4
1War keeps Gigli in Italy02:56
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
2Introductory speech to Cavalleria rusticana by Mascagni - 194000:50
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
3Translation of the speech00:58
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
4Mascagni: 'Mamma, quel vino e generoso' from Cavalleria rusticana - 194004:45
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
5More role debuts, Gigli's wartime films, and Andrea Chenier06:41
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
6Giordano: 'Un di all'azzurro spazio' from Andrea Chenier - 194105:09
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
7John Steane's verdict00:28
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
8Giordano: 'Come un bel di di maggio' from Andrea Chenier - 194103:04
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
9Rome Opera House rallies wartime spirits01:06
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
10Verdi: 'Teco io sto - Gran Dio' from Un ballo in maschera - 194301:21
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
11Verdi: 'Non sai tu che se l'anima mia' from Un ballo in maschera - 194303:33
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
12Verdi: 'Oh, qual soave brivido' from Un ballo in maschera - 194303:24
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
13Gigli's political affiliations06:32
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
14Verdi: 'Celeste Aida' from Aida - 194604:36
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
15Postwar Italy: an HMV manager's report01:00
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
16Verdi: 'Pui ti riveggo, mia dolce Aida' from Aida - 194603:15
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
17Covent Garden with Rina, then a tour of Britian and Ireland06:18
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
18Speech given by Gigli after a concert at the Royal Albert Hall - 195200:42
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
19The final phase - and no thoughts of retirement02:47
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
20Di Veroli: Ritorna amore - 195203:34
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
21A last visit to the USA01:14
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
22Cottrau: Santa Lucia - 194903:06
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
23Gigli's death, his obituaries, and his place in the tenor lineage09:04
Kay, Graeme (narrator)
24Meyerbeer: 'O paradiso' from L'Africaine (ending) - 192802:28
Kay, Graeme (narrator)

Total Playing Time: 05:11:43