Great Performers: Renata Tebaldi
When Renata Tebaldi auditioned for Arturo Toscanini in 1946, he was suitably impressed, describing her as having the "voce d'angelo"" (voice of an angel). Tebaldi went on to become one of the reigning sopranos of the following decades – along with Maria Callas, who ignited a fierce diva rivalry in an interview with 'Time' magazine when she compared their voices as the difference between Champagne and Coca-Cola.
Read more…Born in Pesaro in 1922, Tebaldi showed an early talent for music and, at 17 years of age, was sent to study voice with Italo Brancucci at the conservatory of Parma. She later studied with Carmen Melis at the Liceo musicale Rossini. Tebaldi made her stage debut in 1944 as Helen of Troy in Boito's 'Mefistofele', but it was her debut as Desdemona in 1946 which caused a stir, bringing her to the attention of Toscanini. Later that year, Tebaldi made her La Scala debut in the concert that reopened the theatre after the war.
Tebaldi was certainly the finest lirico-spinto voice to emerge from Italy in that period, making her the perfect fit for Verdi and Puccini roles. She possessed a full, creamy soprano, remarkably full through its range. As Walter Price wrote in the LA Times, "She probably never had to shift a vocal gear in her life." She was a superb Mimì in 'La bohème' (extracts of which open this playlist), and Cio-Cio-San ('Madama Butterfly'), while her Tosca – her most performed role – was considerably more fiery than fans of Callas may care to admit (the Act 2 finale, from "Vissi d'arte" to Tosca's murder of Scarpia are here too).
Tebaldi's purity of line and evenness of tone marked her Verdi roles. Leonora ('La forza del destino'), Desdemona ('Otello') and Aida were perfect for her, and she sang Violetta ('La traviata') over 100 times. For all the supposed Callas vs Tebaldi rivalry, they shared few roles in common. There are a number of operas Tebaldi recorded, but never sang on stage, including Elisabetta ('Don Carlo'), Amelia ('Un ballo in maschera'), Leonora ('Il trovatore') and Suor Angelica, all represented here.
Early in her career, Tebaldi also sang Wagner and Tchaikovsky (in Italian, as was usual in the 1950s). I've included her Elisabeth ('Tannhäuser') and Tatyana ('Eugene Onegin') recorded later in her career on a recital disc which also saw her sing a couple of mezzo arias – Dalila's "Mon coeur s'ouvre à ta voix" and Princess Eboli's great outburst "O don fatale" from 'Don Carlo'.
Behind the smile, Tebaldi could be stubborn. Rudolf Bing, general manager of the Metropolitan Opera, wryly referred to her "dimples of iron" before she finally accepted a contract to sing in New York. Those dimples duly twinkle in Ulisse Sartini's portrait of the singer which you can see in the Theatre Museum of La Scala where it hangs next to… Callas. Some rivalries never die.