Born in New Zealand, Frances Alda (1883–1952) studied with Mathilde Marchesi in Paris where she made her operatic début in 1904. She appeared in Brussels, London and Milan, before making her début at the Metropolitan Opera in Rigoletto with Caruso in 1908. Alda became one of the foremost sopranos at the Met, and later married the company’s director Giulio Gatti-Casazza. She began her illustrious recording career with the Victor Talking Machine Company in 1909 with the ‘Miserere’ from Il trovatore, a record, Caruso remarked, ‘that is absolutely perfect’. This 2-CD set features Alda’s complete Victor recordings from 1909–15, including selections from Massenet’s Manon, Bizet’s Carmen, Verdi’s Rigoletto, Il trovatore, Otello, Falstaff, I Lombardi and Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, La bohème, Tosca and Manon Lescaut. Also featured are four duets with the honey-toned Russia violinist Mischa Elman.