BJÖRLING & MILANOV's 1957 stereo TOSCA

This week brings the second of our series of classic studio opera recordings with this fabulous stereo 1957 Tosca. This new XR remastering brings you the finest sound quality possible from this perhaps somewhat overlooked gem.

"This 1957 Tosca is a most accomplished recording. Although half forgotten today, it’s a performance that established landmarks in many ways. Take the exquisite cast for a start—a combination that today’s producers can only dream of. Zinka Milanov sings a wonderful Tosca; her forceful and tragic performance is the result of her persistent perfectionism.

And Jussi Björling makes a great Cavaradossi. Although his voice was widely admired for its masculine beauty, he manages to portray his character in a sensitive and fragile way. Leonard Warren’s Scarpia is one of the very best I’ve heard so far—frightening, grim, and the embodiment of evil. The rest of the cast is very fine, too ... Erich Leinsdorf’s conducting is relaxed and flexible. His ear for detail and clear phrasing pays off well in Puccini’s music." - Fanfare, 2008