Had you been in Naples in 1957, and had this been playing at the opera (this is a studio recording, not a live one), you could have done worse than to pop in and experience it. Antonietta Stella, a soprano whose main flaws are that she was neither Callas nor Tebaldi (both of whom were her contemporaries) and that, as good as she is, she leaves no truly personal stamp on anything, is quite fine in the title role, singing with decent tone and adequate commitment and solidity at all levels. But she never sounds truly upset, in love, jealous, or crazed; she sings a generalized Tosca, devoid of chest tones or real drama. “Vissi d’arte” is quite well done.
Gianni Poggi, whose very name strikes terror into most opera lovers, here is at his best as Mario, his tone less pinched and whiny then ever: he’s even effective in “E lucevan le stelle”. Best is the Scarpia of Giuseppe Taddei–mean and snarling, in grand voice. Tullio Serafin leads as if he wished Callas were singing the title role. This is not awful, but it’s not for anyone who doesn’t already own, or can’t find, another Tosca.
The bonus material–two arias each by each lead singer–is worthwhile for Taddei’s selections from La Favorita and Vespro; Stella’s not bad in “Tu che le vanita”; Poggi is forgettable.
