Adriana Lecouvreur

The list of extraordinary sopranos who have taken on the title role of Cilea’s verismo melodrama Adriana Lecouvreur at the Met reads like a who’s who of opera’s greatest divas. In this radio broadcast recorded live from the stage of the old Met, legendary Italian soprano Renata Tebaldi stars as the title heroine, a larger-than-life 18th-century French actress whose offstage exploits are just as dramatic as her onstage portrayals. Alongside Tebaldi, the remarkable cast also features tenor Franco Corelli as Adriana’s lover, Maurizio, and mezzo-soprano Biserka Cvejić as the vindictive Princess of Bouillon, who tries to come between them. Maestro Silvio Varviso is on the podium to conduct the passionate performance, which also features tenor Paul Franke as the Abbé, baritone Anselmo Colzani as Michonnet, and bass William Wilderman as the Prince of Bouillon.