"It will I think be generally admitted that it would be difficult at the present day to gather a better cast than this - a cast in which there are no weak spots at all. I rate this issue as one of the best complete operas so far. Tebaldi makes a charming and unaffected Mimi, whose Addio senza rancor and death-bed reminiscence of her first meeting with Rodolfo are most touching. Prandelli, with his lighter lyrical style, saves Rodolfo from being the crashing egotistical bore he too often is; his sensitivity and his dolcissimo singing are worthy of what has been called the sincerest form of flattery." - The Gramophone, 1952
Following the success and critical acclaim given to our XR-remastered 1950's studio opera recordings featuring Maria Callas, it seems only natural that we also turn our attention to her great "rival", and thus the classic Decca recordings of Renate Tebaldi.
The improvements here are at least as dramatic as heard in previous Pristine issues - here's praise for our 1956 Beecham Bohème from Fanfare: "Anyone who loves this recording will want the Pristine transfer, and even those who have reservations about the performance should hear it. There is so much more color and warmth to the voices that the performance takes on a glow even beyond what we all thought was present before."