Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924)
Madama Butterfly, opéra en 3 actes

Anna Moffo, soprano (Cio-Cio-San)
Rosalind Elias, mezzo-soprano (Suzuki)
Cesare Valletti, ténor (B.F. Pinkerton)
Renato Cesari, baryton (Sharpless)
Mario Carlin, ténor (Goro)
Nestore Catalani, ténor (Prince Yamadori)
Fernando Corena, basse (Le bonze)
Miti Truccato Pace, soprano (Kate Pinkerton)
Leonardo Monreale, basse (Le commissaire impérial)
Orchestra e Coro del Teatro dell'Opera di Roma
Erich Leinsdorf, direction

Among Puccini’s great operas, Madama Butterfl y is the one that had reference recordings relatively later. Among them, the fi rst to represent the most modern and innovative side of the composer was this stereo recording from 1957 edited by Richar Moore for the American RCA. It is indisputable that the fundamental interpretative approach was that of a great non-Italian conductor such as Erich Leinsdorf, who would later record all of Puccini’s most important operas. Leinsdorf’s interpretative modernity was magnifi cently assisted by the participation of a lyric soprano like Anna Moff o and an impeccable tenor like Cesare Valletti. After many years, and also thanks to the splendid quality of the recording, the production of Butterfl y remains among those of absolute reference.