Renata Tebaldi (1 February 1922 – 19 December 2004)

Renata Tebaldi - Desdemona

Yesterday would have been the great Renata Tebaldi's 92nd birthday.  Somewhat aptly I was at a performance of Verdí's Otello, the first in our city.

Known as one of the greatest Desdemona's of the Twentieth Century, we are fortunate enough to have her interpretation preserved on disc (twice) and in film.  One of my favourite portraits of the Diva is the one above, taken from a series of publicity shots for what I think was the Metropolitan Opera.

Yesterday while researching a little I discovered a beautifully remastered complete film of her perfamnce at Duetsche Oper, Berlin, of what is the same production (different cast) you can find snippets of from Tokyo.  I usually don't like to post complete operas but the absolute quality of this remastering deserves to be shared.  Not to mention the value of the actual historic document itself.  The Love duet starts around the 23 minute mark if you are too impatient to see her.

There will always be singers I will admire, both living and past, and in different genres, but I will always hold Renata Tebaldi as the greatest of them all.