8 January 1962 - La
Scala - Gianni Raimondi/Jaia, Bastianini/Meliciani, Ghiaurov/Ferrin/Vinco;
Gavazzeni
12 May 1963 - Naples,
Teatro San Carlo - G. Raimondi, Zanasi, Zaccaria; Previtali
Photographs
At the Arena of Verona in 1958
With Bastianini in the 1962 La Scala production
Recordings
1955 DECCA - Poggi,
Bastianini, Hines; Erede
12 July 1949 - Mexico
City, Palacio de Bellas Artes - Di Stefano, Mascherini, Siepi, Tortolero;
Picco
12 May 1963 - Naples,
Teatro San Carlo - G. Raimondi, Zanasi, Zaccaria; Previtali
Reviews
July 1949 " You sang with
the exceptional skill which everyone by now acknowledges; but there was
something unforgettable in your performance the other night besides talent and
skill, something that moved me deeply. I felt the responsibility that you had
undertaken to make everything you could of your difficult role. You wanted to
present your public here a perfect example of Italian vocal tradition, and in
this you succeeded perfectly. In doing honour to the art of singing you have
also bought honour to your country. Thank you, dear lady, for what you have
given the Italian community here. Please accept my best and sincere good wishes
for the future and the future of your art." Letter concerning the July 12th
performance of La Favorita from the Italian Ambassador to Mexico to La
Simionato, 14 July 1949.
Anecdotes
Di Stefano had some
difficulty with the Favorita performances to the extent that Simionato had to
turn her back to the audience to try and feed him the right lines, luckily Di
Stefano had such a strong musicality that his lack of knowledge of the libretto
didn't prevent him from turning in a successful performane.
