LA TRAVIATA - La Scala 1928 (Complete Opera Verdi)

Mercedes Capsir - Violetta Valery Lionello Cecil - Alfredo Germont Carlo Galeffi - Giorgio Germont Toscanini’s La Scala colleague Lorenzo Molajoli conducts the Orchestra and Chorus of La Scala, Milan. (Recorded from 1st to 22nd November 1928) Cavaliere Lorenzo Molajoli (1868-1939) conducted twenty complete or abridged operas for Columbia Records between 1928 and 1932. This is a great Traviata, absolutely worthy of inclusion in a serious Verdi collection. Capsir is a terrific Violetta, navigating the rigors of the part with the surety of a master singer. Her ’Sempre libera’ (25:54) is quite astonishing, and her ’Addio, del passato’ (1:30:20) is worthy of comparison to any other version I know of. I am partial to Stracciari’s ’Di Provenza’ ( but Carlo Galeffi’s version here (54:52) is admirably well sung, with a long line and beautiful tone. I’m not terribly impressed with Lionello Cecil’s Alfredo, a