Jon Vickers - Early Telecasts, Radio-Canada 1954-1956 Review

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(More customer reviews)We are all aware of the dramatic intensity of Canadian tenor Jon Vickers in the great roles of his mature years. His OTELLO, PETER GRIMES, Aeneas in LES TROYENS, Siegmund in DIE WALKURE, Radames in AIDA are all hard to beat for solid technique and sensitive interpretation, but I was unprepared for the sheer beauty of voice brought to the table by the young Vickers. Of the four roles represented here, only his Canio in PAGLIACCI made it into his later career, and it is familiar to us from the release of various live performances. But nowhere is it as well sung as here. Of the other roles, we get a clumsily abridged Act II of MANON LESCAUT, the opening scene of TOSCA, and a complete Act IV of IL TROVATORE (minus the traditional cut of the soprano cabaletta "Tu vedrai".) However much the tenor may have felt that these three roles were unsuited to his voice, he sings them gorgeously. Even at this early stage, his dramatic involvement and wonderful interplay with his fellow singers is remarkable. (There is also a GIANNI SCHICCHI with Vickers as Rinuccio available from private sources, where his natural 'presence' almost steals the show from the first rate singer in the title role. It is well worth seeking out.)
The supporting casts are delicious reminders of opera in Toronto and Montreal in the 1950s and 1960s. Eva Likova is attractive of voice and presence (if a little fussy as an actress) as Nedda and as Manon. Mary Simmons has a solid voice as Tosca, although she is unflatteringly costumed and coiffed, and is definitely of the pre-Callas stand and deliver variety of Tosca. Edith Della Pergola as Leonora has a huge voice, attractive in itself, and has a fascinating face, but at several points, most damagingly in the 'Miserere', goes seriously off pitch.
You also get a very young Louis Quilico in thrilling top form as Count De Luna.
The stagings are solidly old-fashioned, the visual images are clearly reproduced, and the sound recordings are surprisingly good for the 1950's.

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