Victoria De Los Angeles and Jussi Bjoerling sing the Love Duet from G. Puccini's "Madama Butterfly" act I. Orchestra of the Rome Opera House conducted by Gabriele Santini. Very old, beloved vinyl.
My favorite opera's are Madame Butterfly and La Boheme, but only when Jussi sings. I have both opera recordings with de Los Angeles. Super. If only Jussi had been around a lot longer. I am so grateful for all the people who post these wonderful recordings of Jussi. Thousand and thousand times thanks.
I was 17-years-old, in 1959, when I first found Jussi Bjorling and Victoria de los Angeles. Hearing them together made me want more than anything to become an opera singer. Fate had a different road for me, but I have Jussi's recordings. He was, IMHO, the greatest tenor ever to set foot on a stage.
i was 17 in '59 also,just fell in love with opera! living in LA at the time and forked over a weeks pay in see JB at the Shrine on a Sat. afternoon,Thats when the Frisco opera would come to town. I was sitting in the cheap seats last row on top. I could remember like it was yesterday hearing that glorious voice!
Gentlemen....my father adored Bjorling! I know he and Jussi are looking down and enjoying your kind words. Please look on TH-cam for Nessun Dorma from Stockholm concert hall. It's the most amazing singing I've ever heard! Enjoy! Barbara
Jussi, unmatched, unmatchable.....unique ...... Victoria de los Angeles .... the crystal clear voice of Butterfly herself ....... "Two hearts in love" ...... one voice born for the other.....
This is undoubtedly among the greatest monuments of opera recordings and behind these wonderful voices is the equally wonderful orchestration of Puccini.
This is the epitome of performances of this great love duet. How fortunate we are to be able to apprfeciate such magic voices. Wonderful beyond words!!!! A grfeat solace in a world gone "mad". Harry E W Smith, E.D., A.D.M. Dip Helth Couns
After all of this fantastic music and declarations of undying love the louse leaves her to go home!!!!. Only the Italians could produce such music for this story.
Jussi's voice is incomparable !!!! His attack is perfection .... and the sustained top notes are.. graphically orgasmic.... and I'm not speaking metaphorically. Wudacudasudakov
@Shoreseeker2 I agree; also, in my humble opinion, Bjoerling with anyone, and alone was a gift that was snatched away, too soon. I am so glad there are such great recordings of his silver and glorious voice. C.
Can there be a better pairing than of these two brilliant singers For so many years the singing Victoria de los Angeles has held me spellbound. Now with Jussi Bjorling I cannot hear too much of it Absolutely delightful, Quite wonderful that recordings allow us to still listen to them Katesmate
Is it not a pity that years ago, working class people never got the opportunity to listen to these beautiful voices .My brother Stanley had a old record player, he had polio from. Ring very young , he played Caruso , and thought he was great,We can have class even going back in the 1930 .a d being poor . God Bless Him
Victoria De Los Angeles and Jussi Bjorling did this better than no one else. Now and before. This is classic how it shoud sound. The deep in her voice is uniqe. Listen at 5:52. Thats magik.
Ole flogger....You know what they were trying to say! Why must people like you ruin the experience of listening to this magnificent aria with two of the best with your smart ass comment! They were sharing their feelings and you had to put in your 2 lousy cents! Shame on you!
Relax....as if anyones comments here would ruin the musical experience....ppl tend to be very easily butthurt too bother to comment on an innocent joke or what?
@thheijmans Thank you. There are holes in many hearts from when Jussi died. Such a voice occurs so rarely; so sad it leaves us so soon. Thank the powers that be for all his recordings. C.
Only "into" opera about 6 years, it is pleasing to hear new songs all the time as well as such glorious performance's. My beau happens to be one of the most informed opera buffs ever and she suggests singers hence my "happing" upon Bjorling/los Angeles. Bravo/Brava!
Victoria de los Ángeles fue és y será siempre Madama Butterfly. Seguramente Puccini la escribió pensando que un día una soprano tímida y modesta con una voz de timbre maravilloso haría de ella una obra maestra dándole autenticidad al personaje que creo el autor.
Read most comments ,...all the names bring back memories my DAD ,had the lot ..but as I got older I simply keep coming back to ,the great the one and only ...Jussi ,if possible sounds even better after a few whiskeys... Only joking This fantastic TENOR ,sounds absolutely great ..All the time !!! Jussi the man
This was the first ever version of the duet I heard when I was a teenager, but it is the best. Their voices were made to duet together. Thank you. Julie
Sicuramente, il miglior Pinkerton che ho ascoltato:credibilissimo nel carattere e nella psicologia del personaggio,e la voce...sublime:baldanza,desiderio,impazienza e tecnica impareggiabile nella sua performance.
È il più bel duetto d'amore mai scritto. Interpreti eccezzionali, non si può non essere rapiti da tanta bellezza che penetra il profondo del cuore. Grazie Puccini!! Louis solo
Is these better way to say how you love each other ... absolutely wonderful performance by amazing artists - Jussi&Victoria. Thank you for posting and Kievest for sharing this treasure with me.
Next season in Barcelona Liceu and Palau de la Musica we will celebrate the 100 Anniversari of two of the most amazing artists of the 20th century, Victoria de los Angeles and Alícia de Larrocha, if you have a chance you should come to Barcelona and attend the celebrations!!
Very sensitive and delicate, but emortional performance. Lovely de Los Angeles, she interpretes timid Japanese lady who is in love wonderfully. (I always have mixed feeling about Madam Butterfly because of being Japanese female myself and only a few impresses me...) Thank you very much. Will be on my playlist. Simply beautiful,,, Best regards Satoko
I had the incredible experience of hearing Bjorling at Chicago Lyric in Rigoletto and at Carnegie in recital. I also had the wonder of hearing Leonard Warren and De Los Angeles at Town Hall at a Valencia Flood Relief Fund Raiser. Also heard Warren with the Met in Forza and Trovatore (both with :Milanov) and in recital at Orchestra Hall in Chicago. Thanks SO much for the Butterfly posting. Magical and very moving. Les
Bjorling, De los Angeles, Warren, Milanov! You are a very rich person. The wealth you own can never tarnish, but only grow more valuable with time, and never be lost.
A very fine recording of Butterfly which turned out to be the last one Bjorling would do in 1959, but I also am very fond of the one de los Angeles did with Giuseppe di Stefano and Tito Gobbi in 1954. This was their "hey day" in opera and although it was not recorded in stereo as was the Bjorling one, it still stands out as a great recording in my opinion.
After much study and comparisons I think that while, not surprisingly, Jussi Bjoerling does a beautiful job here, Anna Moffo's two recordings as 'Butterfly' are the most musical, pure-voiced, well-acted, and moving versions to be found anywhere! On youtube you'll find the video taped 1956 RAI broadcast and excerpts from the 1957 RCA recording. Compare for yourselves!
@Kievest Candy, you critic so beautifully, I almost feel responsible for this performance. You make uploading a favorite a joy. Thank you for the lovely comment. xxClaudia
Thanks C yes the number of wonderful arias and the number of different voices. Opera buffs are a tough lot as they compare so much this style and that. i'm lucky that as i'm relatively new, i love them all. I mean yeah maybe Leotyne Price is better then most or Callas or De Los Angeles but the niche they each fill with there unique style makes them all heavensent. Then we have the types colorutura, mezzo, del canto etc this all adds to the beauty and allows each to have a favorite
This is magical - just how these two young lovers should sound. And Bjorling's looks - just like a snooty America lieutenant. He was perfect. And beautiful also was de Los Angeles
I have heard both of De Los Angeles duets of this opera and you cannot go wrong with either tenor. The other Butterfly she recorded was with Giuseppe Di Stefano and of all people Tito Gobbi as Sharpless. You cannot go wrong with either set. I am always partial to Di Stefano though. Both sets are great listening.
It is sometimes very hard to make a comparison between geniouses in different modalities. In Bjoerling's case it easy: In football we have Pele towering above Maradona, Crujyif and felow gifted players. In music we have Mozart ranking in top. Among the sopranos we have, beyond any doubt, Maria Callas. Jussi is the Pele\Mozart\Callas of tenors.
There are may who would dispute with you about Callas so to say "without any doubt" is simplistic and simply erroneous. Likewise your opinion of Jussi. We're not all alike and we don't all respond to the same voice the same way. We have our favorites and guess what? That's okay.
when I got the cd set of butterfly it came with the libretto which lay on the settee - the disk was playing when I got called out for a hour when I returned my wife had read the libretto and as I came in she looked at me and said 'that Pinkerton was a bastard' a teacher of 42 years standing and she said it with such venom I burst out laughing
Beautiful recording, indeed with too giants, and I also think Santini was a first class conductor though less known. Still, I think the level of excellence of their recording of La Boheme (the two singers under Beecham) remains unsurpassed, and to me that recording is the best of that opera. Also, De Los Angeles is the magnificent Carmen in the, I think, best recording of the opera, again under Sir Thomas Beecham. For Madama Butterfly, I would say the best recording is the Pavarotti/Freni/Karajan/Vienna Philarmonic.
@racheleleeba I value your opinion, and I would "vieni" with Jussi as Pinkerton anywhere...cad that he (Pinkerton) is. Thank you for the comment. xxClaudia
Bjorling was the greatest Lyric Tenor of the 20th Century with all the lyric qualities and a powerful enough voice. He is perhaps my favorite Tenor in general .However I favor the Tucker- Price recording which many folks do not find satisfying or worthy. Richard Tucker was not a great actor and his voice often overpowered an intelligent interpretation. The recording has many defects. However for what it is worth - I think that this aria needs a powerful Dramatic Tenor and a high powered Soprano. Hence my first place to Tucker and Price perhaps because we can listen to the music and not see them on stage..
You mean that Bjorling was the greatest lyric tenor of the 20th century,in your opinion, I hope? Your favorite tenor is fine but proclamations are rarely accurate.Bjorling also strained on the the C at the end of this DUET and it's not an aria as you say.This duet does not call for a dramatic tenor. You could only be fortunate in your lifetime to see someone like Tucker and Price on stage. My guess is that you have not seen Bjorling or Tucker on stage as your remarks are quite foolish and misguided. Enjoy
+SHICOFF1 I heard Bjorling in the Shrine Auditorium in Il Trovatore. Recordings do not begin to capture the beauty. Eileen Farrell said that singing with Bjorling was so difficult because she would listen to that beauty and almost forget to come in on cue. Others who have heard him in an opera house have raved about the sound. Of course no one ever criticized his musicianship or style. With Caruso and Gigli, he was the greatest.
In my humble opinion, Jussi Bjoerling is the greatest !
In my opinion he is the greatest and he died so young
My favorite opera's are Madame Butterfly and La Boheme, but only when Jussi sings.
I have both opera recordings with de Los Angeles. Super. If only Jussi had been around a lot longer. I am so grateful for all the people who post these wonderful recordings of Jussi. Thousand and thousand times thanks.
Jussi made me love Opera
86 and only just catching up on this magnificent Tenor, I have wasted a lot of time. What a lovely duet.
Two of the greatest voices ever heard!
I was 17-years-old, in 1959, when I first found Jussi Bjorling and Victoria de los Angeles. Hearing them together made me want more than anything to become an opera singer. Fate had a different road for me, but I have Jussi's recordings. He was, IMHO, the greatest tenor ever to set foot on a stage.
i was 17 in '59 also,just fell in love with opera! living in LA at the time and forked over a weeks pay in see JB at the Shrine on a Sat. afternoon,Thats when the Frisco opera would come to town. I was sitting in the cheap seats last row on top. I could remember like it was yesterday hearing that glorious voice!
@Louis: How I envy you! It must've been magical! A voice straight from Heaven!
Gentlemen....my father adored Bjorling! I know he and Jussi are looking down and enjoying your kind words. Please look on TH-cam for Nessun Dorma from Stockholm concert hall. It's the most amazing singing I've ever heard! Enjoy! Barbara
I agree. Jussi Bjorling was the greatest tenor who ever lived.
1079walter zu
We all have our favorite singers. These two giants are mine. I love them both.
Me too Paul
What a feast this is !! Two of the greatest operatic singers ever !
Jussi, unmatched, unmatchable.....unique ......
Victoria de los Angeles .... the crystal clear voice of Butterfly herself .......
"Two hearts in love" ...... one voice born for the other.....
no matter how many times I hear these two singing this duet the hairs on the back of my neck stand up - my favorite tenor and soprano of all time
pity those with no hair to stand up
Well, after Caruso, Jussi Bjoerling is my favorite tenor. Callas is the ultimate Diva, however!!!
The most beautiful duet ever.
This is undoubtedly among the greatest monuments of opera recordings and behind these wonderful voices is the equally wonderful orchestration of Puccini.
Beautiful Jussi ..my dad loved all opera ..who could not love this ?? Music to my ears
Magnificent - probably my favourite of all performances of this piece.
No more wonderful voices were ever heard on this earth. Wonderful people too. God bless them
One can but cry for the loss of these two
Absolutely beautiful
Yes, i agree, the two best voices in history for this aria! Magical!
None better
See Jim Drake's lengthy comment above for perspective.
@@hashatz Still the two best voices in history for this aria!
Beautiful opera good tenor
Superb. My one big hope is that when we get to heaven all these wonderful singers are there for us to hear again.
This is the epitome of performances of this great love duet. How fortunate we are to be able to apprfeciate such magic voices. Wonderful beyond words!!!! A grfeat solace in a world gone "mad".
Harry E W Smith, E.D., A.D.M. Dip Helth Couns
so lamentably true harry
Bjorling and de Los Angeles make the heavens to open. They were the greatest of all times.
When I get to heaven, they must sing to me all day
I have just come across this recording and its amazing
Duo perfeito. Bravo !!!
So very beautiful and spine tingling!
After all of this fantastic music and declarations of undying love the louse leaves her to go home!!!!. Only the Italians could produce such music for this story.
Jussi's voice is incomparable !!!! His attack is perfection .... and the sustained top notes are.. graphically orgasmic.... and I'm not speaking metaphorically.
Wudacudasudakov
ci senor ! !
The most sublime Tenor…
Mis 3 preferidos Victoria , Jussi , Puccini , no hay nada en la historia de la humanidad, capaz de superar esto para el oído humano
@Shoreseeker2
I agree; also, in my humble opinion, Bjoerling with anyone, and alone was a gift that was snatched away, too soon. I am so glad there are such great recordings of his silver and glorious voice.
C.
Please get his name right.
He was simply amazing!
A SELDOM USED EXPRESSION USED TODAY.
PURE MAGIC. THANK YOU.
Can there be a better pairing than of these two brilliant singers For so many years the singing Victoria de los Angeles has held me spellbound. Now with Jussi Bjorling I cannot hear too much of it Absolutely delightful, Quite wonderful that recordings allow us to still listen to them
Katesmate
Una interpretazione meravigliosa, una delle più belle in assoluto! Lui è incredibile! ❤️
Both have the role so well in the hearts ,giving justices to the duet, Puccini wonderfully created .. ..
My Favourite Love Duet
Is it not a pity that years ago, working class people never got the opportunity to listen to these beautiful voices .My brother Stanley had a old record player, he had polio from. Ring very young , he played Caruso , and thought he was great,We can have class even going back in the 1930 .a d being poor . God Bless Him
May Hampson -- True....Style & Class...can't be bought....it's Inherited. Greetings from San Agustinillo!
Victoria De Los Angeles and Jussi Bjorling did this better than no one else. Now and before. This is classic how it shoud sound. The deep in her voice is uniqe. Listen at 5:52. Thats magik.
...."better than no one else"? So, they were the worst?
Ole flogger....You know what they were trying to say! Why must people like you ruin the experience of listening to this magnificent aria with two of the best with your smart ass comment! They were sharing their feelings and you had to put in your 2 lousy cents! Shame on you!
Relax....as if anyones comments here would ruin the musical experience....ppl tend to be very easily butthurt too bother to comment on an innocent joke or what?
Let’s not forget Bjoerling’s hero, Enrico Caruso.
De Los Angeles was giving the actual voice of an angel my goodness!
Simply WOW!!!
No en vano se estima a Bjorling la más bella voz que ha dado la lírica. Espectacular, simplemente
I've had this Opera on vinyl for ages; and, it's one of my most treasured... along with these two on the Beecham Boheme. Perfection!
@thheijmans
Thank you. There are holes in many hearts from when Jussi died. Such a voice occurs so rarely; so sad it leaves us so soon. Thank the powers that be for all his recordings.
C.
Only "into" opera about 6 years, it is pleasing to hear new songs all the time as well as such glorious performance's. My beau happens to be one of the most informed opera buffs ever and she suggests singers hence my "happing" upon Bjorling/los Angeles. Bravo/Brava!
Un duetto bellissimo!!!! BRAVI!!!!
Divine Jussi unbeaten
God given voice and man Paul
Victoria de los Ángeles fue és y será siempre Madama Butterfly. Seguramente Puccini la escribió pensando que un día una soprano tímida y modesta con una voz de timbre maravilloso haría de ella una obra maestra dándole autenticidad al personaje que creo el autor.
what a beauty!!!!
Read most comments ,...all the names bring back memories my DAD ,had the lot ..but as I got older I simply keep coming back to ,the great the one and only ...Jussi ,if possible sounds even better after a few whiskeys... Only joking This fantastic TENOR ,sounds absolutely great ..All the time !!! Jussi the man
He is divine!
I just love love love opera
This was the first ever version of the duet I heard when I was a teenager, but it is the best. Their voices were made to duet together. Thank you. Julie
Jussi war ein wunderbarer Tenor und so war auch Fritz Wunderlich.
Sicuramente, il miglior Pinkerton che ho ascoltato:credibilissimo nel carattere e nella psicologia del personaggio,e la voce...sublime:baldanza,desiderio,impazienza e tecnica impareggiabile nella sua performance.
Essa música toca a alma. Lindíssima!!!
The best of Puccini
Ah, the music, the music!
È il più bel duetto d'amore mai scritto. Interpreti eccezzionali, non si può non essere rapiti da tanta bellezza che penetra il profondo del cuore. Grazie Puccini!! Louis solo
Majestic duo...
The best!!
The best of all!
Is these better way to say how you love each other ... absolutely wonderful performance by amazing artists - Jussi&Victoria. Thank you for posting and Kievest for sharing this treasure with me.
Bellissimi
👍😘
Sono eccezionali! Questa appassionata preghiera d’amore, dolce e struggente mi emoziona sempre...
Bellissamo
Next season in Barcelona Liceu and Palau de la Musica we will celebrate the 100 Anniversari of two of the most amazing artists of the 20th century, Victoria de los Angeles and Alícia de Larrocha, if you have a chance you should come to Barcelona and attend the celebrations!!
❤ única Victòria.
Wonderful indeed! I think of the hole that would have repained had not music filled it.
Thank you for commenting on one of my all time favorites.
C.
È il duetto d'amore più bello e loro sono bravissimi
Wonderful music!
Very sensitive and delicate, but emortional performance. Lovely de Los Angeles, she interpretes timid Japanese lady who is in love wonderfully. (I always have mixed feeling about Madam Butterfly because of being Japanese female myself and only a few impresses me...)
Thank you very much. Will be on my playlist. Simply beautiful,,,
Best regards
Satoko
I had the incredible experience of hearing Bjorling at Chicago Lyric in Rigoletto and at Carnegie in recital. I also had the wonder of hearing Leonard Warren and De Los Angeles at Town Hall at a Valencia Flood Relief Fund Raiser. Also heard Warren with the Met in Forza and Trovatore (both with :Milanov) and in recital at Orchestra Hall in Chicago. Thanks SO much for the Butterfly posting. Magical and very moving.
Les
Bjorling, De los Angeles, Warren, Milanov! You are a very rich person. The wealth you own can never tarnish, but only grow more valuable with time, and never be lost.
Exquisite
The goto performance!
Este cel mai frumos duet de dragoste dintr o operă după el delectați va cu cel din Boema.....finalul este divin
I admire Jussi Björling but the star here is De Los Angeles. The deep distinct voice one can recognise from million others. 5.50 in.
they are both the stars
Jussi remains the best ever, no dought about that! DE Los Angeles also excellent!
Wonderful.
@Mountchoirboy
Welcome to Opera and enjoy!! Isn't it wonderful that there are so many amazing recordings to keep it alive!
C.
Deep bow to Maestro Santini! No conductor, no music.....Even gorgeous voices will not help......
A very fine recording of Butterfly which turned out to be the last one Bjorling would do in 1959, but I also am very fond of the one de los Angeles did with Giuseppe di Stefano and Tito Gobbi in 1954. This was their "hey day" in opera and although it was not recorded in stereo as was the Bjorling one, it still stands out as a great recording in my opinion.
Didn't Jussi record Verdi's Requiem after this Opera ? Paul
This recording has the passion that I sometimes find missing in Bjoerling's work. Viene, viene, - I'm coming.
I find all of Bjorling's work passionate.
Who cares with comments JUST RUDDY GREAT music.
After much study and comparisons I think that while, not surprisingly, Jussi Bjoerling does a beautiful job here, Anna Moffo's two recordings as 'Butterfly' are the most musical, pure-voiced, well-acted, and moving versions to be found anywhere! On youtube you'll find the video taped 1956 RAI broadcast and excerpts from the 1957 RCA recording. Compare for yourselves!
@Kievest
Candy, you critic so beautifully, I almost feel responsible for this performance. You make uploading a favorite a joy. Thank you for the lovely comment.
xxClaudia
Beautiful! Thank you for posting :)
Thanks C yes the number of wonderful arias and the number of different voices. Opera buffs are a tough lot as they compare so much this style and that. i'm lucky that as i'm relatively new, i love them all. I mean yeah maybe Leotyne Price is better then most or Callas or De Los Angeles but the niche they each fill with there unique style makes them all heavensent. Then we have the types colorutura, mezzo, del canto etc this all adds to the beauty and allows each to have a favorite
This is magical - just how these two young lovers should sound. And Bjorling's looks - just like a snooty America lieutenant. He was perfect. And beautiful also was de Los Angeles
EXQUISITAS VOCES
I have heard both of De Los Angeles duets of this opera and you cannot go wrong with either tenor. The other Butterfly she recorded was with Giuseppe Di Stefano and of all people Tito Gobbi as Sharpless. You cannot go wrong with either set. I am always partial to Di Stefano though. Both sets are great listening.
It is sometimes very hard to make a comparison between geniouses in different modalities. In Bjoerling's case it easy: In football we have Pele towering above Maradona, Crujyif and felow gifted players. In music we have Mozart ranking in top. Among the sopranos we have, beyond any doubt, Maria Callas. Jussi is the Pele\Mozart\Callas of tenors.
You should not say "we". You should say "I".
These giants are not " my" property. They belong to everyone of us.
There are may who would dispute with you about Callas so to say "without any doubt" is simplistic and simply erroneous. Likewise your opinion of Jussi. We're not all alike and we don't all respond to the same voice the same way. We have our favorites and guess what? That's okay.
I agree. Bjorling and Callas were the greatest tenor and the greatest soprano who ever lived. Without a doubt.
@@SymphonyBrahms praise indeed
@The99Gambo
Thank you for the comment...and I agree that the version you mention is magnificent, but this is my favorite.
xxClaudia
Grazie, Copia Grande !
ESPLENDIDOS
UN DÚO DE LUJO DEL SIGLO 20 .-.-
Merry Christmas Everyone 🎄🎄🎄
😯
agree dewi .
when I got the cd set of butterfly it came with the libretto which lay on the settee - the disk was playing when I got called out for a hour when I returned my wife had read the libretto and as I came in she looked at me and said 'that Pinkerton was a bastard' a teacher of 42 years standing and she said it with such venom I burst out laughing
Beautiful recording, indeed with too giants, and I also think Santini was a first class conductor though less known.
Still, I think the level of excellence of their recording of La Boheme (the two singers under Beecham) remains unsurpassed, and to me that recording is the best of that opera.
Also, De Los Angeles is the magnificent Carmen in the, I think, best recording of the opera, again under Sir Thomas Beecham.
For Madama Butterfly, I would say the best recording is the Pavarotti/Freni/Karajan/Vienna Philarmonic.
@Sieglinde84
Oh, boy, do I ever agree!
@racheleleeba
I value your opinion, and I would "vieni" with Jussi as Pinkerton anywhere...cad that he (Pinkerton) is. Thank you for the comment.
xxClaudia
I agree! ❤ So would I!
Bjorling was the greatest Lyric Tenor of the 20th Century with all the lyric qualities and a powerful enough voice. He is perhaps my favorite Tenor in general .However I favor the Tucker- Price recording which many folks do not find satisfying or worthy. Richard Tucker was not a great actor and his voice often overpowered an intelligent interpretation. The recording has many defects. However for what it is worth - I think that this aria needs a powerful Dramatic Tenor and a high powered Soprano. Hence my first place to Tucker and Price perhaps because we can listen to the music and not see them on stage..
You mean that Bjorling was the greatest lyric tenor of the 20th century,in your opinion, I hope? Your favorite tenor is fine but proclamations are rarely accurate.Bjorling also strained on the the C at the end of this DUET and it's not an aria as you say.This duet does not call for a dramatic tenor. You could only be fortunate in your lifetime to see someone like Tucker and Price on stage. My guess is that you have not seen Bjorling or Tucker on stage as your remarks are quite foolish and misguided. Enjoy
+SHICOFF1 I heard Bjorling in the Shrine Auditorium in Il Trovatore. Recordings do not begin to capture the beauty. Eileen Farrell said that singing with Bjorling was so difficult because she would listen to that beauty and almost forget to come in on cue. Others who have heard him in an opera house have raved about the sound. Of course no one ever criticized his musicianship or style. With Caruso and Gigli, he was the greatest.