1917 CLAUDIA MUZIO PATHE TOSCA Vissi D Arte/ Trovatore D Amore Sull Alii DAVEGA

$

20

I am currently selling a series of great Richard Wagner and classic European 78 rpm orchestral recordings on all the great European labels:

Claudia Muzio in one of her greatest early PATHE RECORDINGS

After joining the Metropolitan Opera in 1916, Claudia Muzio (1889–1936) became the company’s leading soprano and Caruso’s most frequent partner. Her Pathé recordings were made at the height of her career in New York, and include selections from her most well-known rôles, many of which she never recorded again. 

Lateral Pathe Master ("Actuelle") issue on the Davega Label produced c.1922-1923 for S.B. Davega & Co., New York (a chain of sporting goods stores ).


Label: DAVEGA 8010
Format: 
Shellac, 10", 78 RPM

Genre: Classical
Style: Opera
A  "D'Amor Sull'Ali Rosee" - From Il Trovatore
Soprano Vocals – Claudia Muzio
Written-By – Verdi*

1918; 67025 (orig release Pathé 54029)



B  "Vissi D'Arte" (Prayer Of Tosca)
Soprano Vocals – Claudia Muzio
Written-By – Puccini*

1917; 66043 (orig release Pathé 63018)

Lateral Pathe Master ("Actuelle") issue on the Davega Store Label 10" record

CONDITION: Excellent Minus scuffs and faint scratches on Trovatore.  Plays E very quiet, Tosca has a swish during intro then plays very quiet overall plays VG++ 

How can one even try to put into words the phenomenon of Claudia Muzio.

The greatest singer-actress of her time (think about Callas without the histrionics and a much better voice)

The best evidence is when you read from other singers of her time: there are always singers and then there is MUZIO on a godess-like pedestal. Singers and audience alike always went gaga over her passionate impersonations of the famous opera heroins.

To present a quote from my favorite website - cantabile-subito.de where you will also find soundfiles:

The tenor Giacomo Lauri-Volpi wrote of Muzio “singing with that unique voice of hers made of tears and sighs and restrained interior fire.” The best years around 1930 were probably her best precisely the years in which she did not record! Between 1924 and 1934 there is a ten-year gap. The missing period would seem to be the very one in which her interpretations had matured while her voice was still in prime condition. The early records may lack the intensity and creativeness of her later recordings and in the famous Columbias one is aware of some physical limitations (uneasy high notes flatness mannerisms in style and enunciation vowels!) but there is a pathos an inner committment and charm in her singing that is immensely moving and touching. Only a few sopranos equalled her in this aspect of emotional involvement.

To learn more about Muzio read the delightful accounts of Muzio's companion May Higgings in Following a Star (opens a pdf file)

http://www.mrichter.com/opera/files/follstar.pdf#search='Claudia%20Muzio%20Higgins'

Unfortunately because of personell politics she never had a big career at the Met but excelled in Chicago and San Francisco. That in part prevented her from a major recording career.

We are fortunately enough that someone put her performance of Act I Tosca at the 1932 opening of the new built SF opera house on disc. Other than that precious little has Muzio recorded: There are a smattering of early Pathes some great 1920 Edisons (on auction now) then nothing for a long time and then a year before her death about 20 sides recorded in Rome (in auction now).

Unbelievable as it is Muzio did not record after 1920 and only a year before her death in 1934/35 did she record a few electric sides in Rome.