TITO SCHIPA: SONGS & ARIAS (1955-1964) (CD)

Italian tenor Tito Schipa was one of the twentieth century’s most beloved and admired singers. This collection includes many rarities, including his only recordings of music from La Rondine, which he premiered in 1917, as well as selections from one of his last public concerts in 1962. Arias from Semele, L’Elisir d’Amore, Don Pasquale, Martha, Iris, and Fedora; songs by Scarlatti, Gluck, Denza, Tosti, and others. Bonus: Interview with Schipa, in which he discusses his personal association with Puccini. 70 minutes, Mono

1. ’Na sera ’e maggio (Pisano) 2:55
2. Chi se ne scorda cchiù (Barthelemy) 2:30
3. Funiculì, funiculà (Denza) 2:38
4. Passione (Valente) 3:21
5. Te sto’ aspettanno (Caslar) 3:16
6. Desiderio ’e sole (Gigante) 3:25
7. O’ Ciucciariello (Oliviero) 2:52
8. Pianefforte ’e notte (Schipa-Di Giacomo) 2:30
Orchestra Napolitana della Canzone; Muno Campino, conductor
Recorded October 8, 1955, Milan

9. Manolita (Scarpelli) 2:20 10. Chi se ne scorda cchiù (Barthelemy) 1:37
11. Marechiare (Tosti) 2:14
12. Torna a Surriento (De Curtis) 2:21
13. O’ Ciucciariello (Oliviero) 2:05
14. A Granada (Canción Andaluza) (Palacios) 2:24
Alexander Erokhin, piano
Recorded August 1957, Moscow

15. Where’er you walk from Semele (Handel) 3:03
16. Una furtiva lagrima from l’Elisir d’amore (Donizetti) 3:38
17. Povero Ernesto… Chercherò lontana terra from Don Pasquale (Donizetti) 3:02
18. M’apparì tutt’amor from Martha (Flotow) 2:47
Carlo Amato, piano
Live Recital, Washington, DC (February 1962)

19. O cessate di piagarmi (Scarlatti) 1:34
20. O del mio dolce ardor (Gluck) 2:56
21. Dimmi che vuoi seguirmi from La Rondine (Puccini) 1:31
22. No! Non lasciarmi solo from La Rondine (Puccini) 1:44
23. Inno a Diana (Puccini) 1:57
24. Apri la tua finestra from Iris (Mascagni) 1:49
25. Amor ti vieta from Fedora (Giordano) 1:29
Recorded September 2, 1964, New York

TITO SCHIPA, tenor
Bonus: 26. Interview with Tito Schipa (1962) 6:37